Elroy-Sparta Trail inducted into national hall of fame
Wisconsin’s first rail-trail, the 32-mile Elroy-Sparta Trail, was just inducted into the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. It is only the seventh trail in the nation to earn this distinction.
The national trails advocacy organization made the announcement Monday and spotlighted the Elroy-Sparta on its website here and in its magazine for members.
“The Elroy Sparta State Trail is really a crown jewel in our extensive system of rail-trails here in Wisconsin,” said state trails coordinator Brigit Brown. “It is the trail that started it all and made us a national leader in rail-trails.”
The Elroy-Sparta State Trail was also one of the first rail-to-trail conversions in the nation. The pathway follows the former Chicago & North Western railway, passing through three rock tunnels built in the early 1900s. Today, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy recognizes the significance of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail as one of the earliest success stories of the rail-trail movement.
RTC has catelogued 1,500 rail-trails and says another 750 more are under development. Hall of Fame inductees are selected based on merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, excellence in management and maintenance of facility, community connections and geographic distribution.
Trails that have previously received the designation include the Illinois Prairie Path in Illinois and the Katy Trail State Park in Missouri.
For more information about
– Joel Patenaude