Wisconsin River Trail Construction
On June 1, 2016, the WRTO board and community were asked by Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation Secretary, Mark Gottlieb, to participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating the completion of Phase 1. While a short section of trail, this was the trail that got “our feet wet” with trail building.
There was always a sense of disconnect between the Wisconsin River and boat landing, as there were safety concerns due to highway traffic. Now our trail connects Boscobel to the Von Haden Boat Landing, allowing us all to find our way to the water, to slow down life a bit and look out at the beauty of our Driftless rolling hills and gorgeous valleys. There’s nothing more wonderful than seeing a family walking down to the river with their fishing poles in hand.
Secretary Gottlieb, in his speech, said he had never had a ribbon-cutting ceremony where he had not been asked to fund any part of the trail. It was a proud moment in Boscobel’s history.
WRTO would like to thank the City of Boscobel for supporting the trail concept; the Boscobel municipal crew, who matched the grant with work effort and actually created the trail; Mike Reynolds, city engineer; our project engineer, Jeremy Krachey from TEAM Engineering in Wauzeka; Francis Schelfhout, DOT urban and regional planner ; Cheryl Housley, DNR grant writing specialist, and the community for supporting our fundraisers and dreams.
The construction of the Wisconsin River Trail began June 1, 2016 after the Ribbon and Ground Breaking ceremony on March 21, 2016. Several speaker's spoke of how their dream of a bike trail that connects their little communities of Boscobel, Woodman, and Wauzeka together to the river that makes us who we are.
A timeline of Phase 1 Trail Construction that details the progress of the trail is available here. Phase 1 was completed on November 4, 2016 thanks to the combined efforts of the City of Boscobel Street Department workers, City of Boscobel, WRTO Board, and State supporters.
Groundbreaking
Phase One
The first phase was completed in 2016 and connects the Sanders Creek 2-mile walking/biking trail within the city of Boscobel, to our Von Haden Boat Landing, approximately 1 mile out of town.
Now all trail users are able to use the Wisconsin River Trail to walk or bike to the boat landing safely, view our natural habitat of eagles’ nests and turtle habitats as they travel, and more!
Phase Two
In this phase we’ll create a hiking/biking trail that leads from Boscobel toward Woodman.
It is economically and environmentally- friendly to parallel parts of the railroad tracks, 51 feet from the tracks, to minimize the need to clear land, and also, to widen easements that are not taxing to the landowners.
PhaseThree
Phase 3 will bring the trail from Wauzeka to Boscobel along the scenic path of Highway 60, which closely follows the beautiful Wisconsin River.
Get ready to enjoy even more breathtaking views and a seamless trail experience from start to finish!
Phase Four
The highlight of our trail will be a magnificent feat: a crossing over the Wisconsin River. This picturesque location features stunning country and river views, providing a unique opportunity to admire nature’s beauty that was previously only accessible by boat.
Get ready for a breathtaking experience on the Wisconsin River Trail!
We're looking forward to meeting you on the trail with a smile and a friendly 'Hello'.
Learn about who we are and how we are connecting the driftless communities of Boscobel, Woodman, and Wauzeka to the lower Wisconsin riverway.
We are a volunteer led organization for the community
Without the help of our volunteers and supporters, we wouldn’t be where are today.
We are a volunteer led organization for the community
Community events to fund the trail and build relationships
From Taste of Boscobel the Live Music Events, our goal is to foster togetherness and a sense of community while raising funds to build the trail.