MILITARY RIDGE STATE BIKE TRAIL, WISCONSIN (WI)
Military Ridge Trail winds through the rolling terrain of Dane and Iowa Counties tracing the path of the original military road built in 1835. The trail roughly follows Hwy. 151 from Dodgeville to just east of Verona, but wanders away from the highway through farm lands, prairie remnants and woods. The trail runs along the southern borders of Governor Dodge and Blue Mound state parks. The land around the trail is primarily agricultural, but also includes woods, wetlands, prairies, villages, and small cities. There are several observation platforms adjacent to the trail for viewing wetlands, wildlife, and other natural features. In Ridgeway, the trail passes by a historic railroad depot.
The access to Governor Dodge State Park is about 2.3 miles east of Dodgeville. The paved access parallels Highway Z and then leads walkers and bikers to the Cox Hollow beach and picnic area. The Blue Mound State Park access trail is about .75 miles west of the Village of Blue Mounds and enters the park near the campground.
There's a new 6-mile trail, the Shake Rag Trail, along US Highway 151 between Dodgeville and Mineral Point. Mineral Point is a historic lead-mining town and site of Pendarvis, a Cornish miners' colony and restoration operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
The ridge offers sweeping vistas of southwest Wisconsin's hilly driftless area. Contact: Military Ridge State Trail.