I spent seven days yo-yoing the Glacial Drumlin State Trail in Wisconsin between Madison and Delafield Wisconsin. The Glacial Drumlin trail starts in Cottage Grove, but some maps show it starting in Madison. The portion between Madison and Cottage Grove is an unmarked road ride. I took another trail along Cushing Park Road between the Glacial Drumlin and Lake Country trails to reach Delafield. I took the Lake Country trail east to Naga Waukee Park, which reopens for camping on May 23. The gravel roads in the campground are being paved with asphalt. As far as I know, no camp sites are being added. The campground often fills to capacity on weekends. I rode a Coach USA bus between Delafield and Milwaukee for $4, leaving my bicycle at the Naga Waukee Park and Ride.
I rode a mountain bike until I was butt-hurt, and hiked until my feet felt worse than my butt, switching every mile or two. Not having springs in the seat or a full-suspension bike hurt, especially since I used a backpack instead of panniers or a trailer.
The annual resident trail pass is $25. One night of camping (for residents) is $16 at Sandhill Station, south of Lake Mills. There are plenty of gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants along the way for food and drink, although it is nice to carry something to eat since food is not available 24 hours a day. There are a few campgrounds along the way, but none directly on the Glacial Drumlin trail. There are some nice flat wooden benches along the trail. One bridge is wide enough to park bicycles on without obstructing traffic, and has a bench on each side. There are gaps between the boards, and a few boards missing, so you could easily lose something small dropped there. The trail passes through many wetlands. Mosquito repellant and some netting over your eyes, nose, and mouth would help. The clouds of gnats were worse than the mosquitoes this early in the year.
The west end of the trail is in Cottage Grove, with picnic tables, water, bathrooms, and parking. The bathrooms were locked. Firemen's Park (a short road ride west) has a covered picnic area with bathrooms. The park opens at 7AM, according to the sign. I was a few minutes early.
The trail passes through Deerfield. There is a park with a bike rack and covered picnic area along the trail. A limited selection of food is available just south of the trail at a gas station. The library and post office are west of the gas station.
There is a covered picnic area, bike rack, water, and 24-hour bathrooms with showers on the trail in Lake Mills. Sandhill Station State Campground is 1.2 miles south of the trail. The library is 1.2 miles north of the trail. The post office is a short walk out the library's back entrance. The library and Sentry food store are on opposite sides of Commons Park, with bathrooms and picnic tables. Lake Mills has two 24-hour coin laundries. One is almost on the trail, and the other is about a mile north.
The library in Jefferson is 2.2 miles south of the trail.
The trail passes through Sullivan, with water, picnic table, bench, and bike rack on the trail. The bathrooms were locked. I bought food at a gas station 0.1 miles north of the trail.
The trail passes through Dousman, with a bicycle shop, park, and laundry near the trail.
The 15 miles of trail between Dousman and Waukesha is paved with asphalt. The rest of the trail is mostly finely crushed rock. A short section is mostly dirt. Near Jefferson, there is a road ride around Valero Renewables, which apparently still uses a section of track not converted to a rail trail.
I rode a mountain bike until I was butt-hurt, and hiked until my feet felt worse than my butt, switching every mile or two. Not having springs in the seat or a full-suspension bike hurt, especially since I used a backpack instead of panniers or a trailer.
The annual resident trail pass is $25. One night of camping (for residents) is $16 at Sandhill Station, south of Lake Mills. There are plenty of gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants along the way for food and drink, although it is nice to carry something to eat since food is not available 24 hours a day. There are a few campgrounds along the way, but none directly on the Glacial Drumlin trail. There are some nice flat wooden benches along the trail. One bridge is wide enough to park bicycles on without obstructing traffic, and has a bench on each side. There are gaps between the boards, and a few boards missing, so you could easily lose something small dropped there. The trail passes through many wetlands. Mosquito repellant and some netting over your eyes, nose, and mouth would help. The clouds of gnats were worse than the mosquitoes this early in the year.
The west end of the trail is in Cottage Grove, with picnic tables, water, bathrooms, and parking. The bathrooms were locked. Firemen's Park (a short road ride west) has a covered picnic area with bathrooms. The park opens at 7AM, according to the sign. I was a few minutes early.
The trail passes through Deerfield. There is a park with a bike rack and covered picnic area along the trail. A limited selection of food is available just south of the trail at a gas station. The library and post office are west of the gas station.
There is a covered picnic area, bike rack, water, and 24-hour bathrooms with showers on the trail in Lake Mills. Sandhill Station State Campground is 1.2 miles south of the trail. The library is 1.2 miles north of the trail. The post office is a short walk out the library's back entrance. The library and Sentry food store are on opposite sides of Commons Park, with bathrooms and picnic tables. Lake Mills has two 24-hour coin laundries. One is almost on the trail, and the other is about a mile north.
The library in Jefferson is 2.2 miles south of the trail.
The trail passes through Sullivan, with water, picnic table, bench, and bike rack on the trail. The bathrooms were locked. I bought food at a gas station 0.1 miles north of the trail.
The trail passes through Dousman, with a bicycle shop, park, and laundry near the trail.
The 15 miles of trail between Dousman and Waukesha is paved with asphalt. The rest of the trail is mostly finely crushed rock. A short section is mostly dirt. Near Jefferson, there is a road ride around Valero Renewables, which apparently still uses a section of track not converted to a rail trail.
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