Map
Ride Log
Day 7: Mountain Bay and Wiouwash State Trails
Today, as I rolled out with the milk trucks and school busses, I thought a lot about how grateful I am to be able to take time off work and from my “normal” life to do this. It’s really a dream come true and I’m so grateful for my work letting me take time off and my boss, who is out in DC attending a meeting for me, covering for
Day 6: Hiawatha & Bearskin State Trail, Pine Line Trail
Every sunrise is different, and every day is a new day. Today I decided to take it easy and ride as slowly as I wanted and just enjoy every moment of riding. And what a treat! Today’s ride started on the Bearskin State Trail, which is a smooth, gravel non-motorized trail that runs 21.5 miles from Minocqua to Tomahawk. The trail has a handy bike tool set up at the
Day 5: Eastern Part of Tuscobia to Minocqua
Today I finished the Tuscobia State Trail in the town of Park Falls. It was a chilly, but beautiful fall morning!! While I was done with the trail, I was delighted to find bike lanes in Park Falls! Park Falls, Wisconsin is also officially designated as the Ruffed Grouse Capital of the World, a title earned due to its extensive aspen forests and prime Northwoods upland bird hunting habitat. Who
Day 4: Tuscobia State Trail (southwest section), Birkie and CAMBA Trails
The western end of the Tuscobia State Trail is part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. I’ve run this section before when I was running all of the Ice Age Trail in previous years. I remember this section vividly as it was in late June and featured extreme mosquitos and black flies! I was tired, but pretty much ran as fast as I could to keep the bugs at
Day 7: Mountain Bay and Wiouwash State Trails
Today, as I rolled out with the milk trucks and school busses, I thought a lot about how grateful I am to be able to take time off work and from my “normal” life to do this. It’s really a dream come true and I’m so grateful for my work
Day 6: Hiawatha & Bearskin State Trail, Pine Line Trail
Every sunrise is different, and every day is a new day. Today I decided to take it easy and ride as slowly as I wanted and just enjoy every moment of riding. And what a treat! Today’s ride started on the Bearskin State Trail, which is a smooth, gravel non-motorized
Day 5: Eastern Part of Tuscobia to Minocqua
Today I finished the Tuscobia State Trail in the town of Park Falls. It was a chilly, but beautiful fall morning!! While I was done with the trail, I was delighted to find bike lanes in Park Falls! Park Falls, Wisconsin is also officially designated as the Ruffed Grouse Capital
Events
Want to meet Sarah, connect with other Team Knowles-Nelson advocates, or just talk trails? Here’s where to find her along the way:
October 9, 2026 – Social @ Bayshore Outfitters, Sturgeon Bay
October 10, 2026 – Rally at the Run Wild Starting Line, Sturgeon Bay
October 15, 2026 – Group Ride & Meet up @ Bratt Woods, Grafton
October 15, 2026 – Happy Hour Fiesta @ Wheel & Sprocket, Milwaukee
October 20, 2026 – Rally & Ride @ The Capitol, Madison
October 22, 2026 – Finish Line Celebration, Menomonie
Explore
Wisconsin is home to 44 state trails, covering more than 1,700 miles of former rail corridors, converted highways, and scenic routes from border to border.
They connect small towns, state parks, and natural areas, and they’re managed by the Wisconsin DNR for hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and horseback riding depending on the trail.
State trails rely on a mix of state funding, user passes, and local Friends groups to stay maintained, which is exactly the kind of investment the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has supported for decades.
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is the statewide umbrella organization supporting the volunteer “Friends” groups behind individual state parks and trails. They help these local groups fundraise, recruit volunteers, and take on the trail maintenance, signage, and small capital projects that keep Wisconsin’s trails in good shape.
Want to get involved where you live? Find your local Friends group and see how to pitch in.
See All Friends Groups
- Friends of the 400 State Trail
- Friends of the Ahnapee State Trail
- Friends of the Fox River Trail
- Friends of Gandy Dancer State Trail
- Friends of the Great Sauk State Trail
- Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail
- Friends of Military Ridge Trail
- Friends of the Mountain Bay Trail
- Friends of the Red Cedar State Trail
- Friends of the Stower Seven Lakes State Trail
- Friends of the Badger and Sugar River State Trails
- Friends of Tuscobia Trail
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- Bong Naturalist Association
- Equestrian Friends of Governor Knowles State Forest
- Friends of Aztalan State Park
- Friends of Bird Sanctuary
- Friends of Blue Mounds State Park
- Friends of Brunet Island State Park
- Friends of Buckthorn State Park
- Friends of Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area
- Friends of Cedarburg Bog
- Friends of Copper Falls State Park
- Friends of Council Grounds State Park
- Friends of Devil’s Lake State Park
- Friends of Governor Dodge State Park
- Friends of Governor Nelson State Park
- Friends of Governor Thompson State Park
- Friends of Harrington Beach State Park
- Friends of Hartman Creek State Park
- Friends of Havenwoods State Forest
- Friends of High Cliff State Park
- Friends of Horicon Marsh
- Friends of Interstate and Straight Lake State Parks
- Friends of Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit
- Friends of Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit
- Friends of Kohler Andrae State Park
- Friends of Lake Wissota
- Friends of Lakeshore State Park
- Friends of Lapham Peak
- Friends of MacKenzie Education Center
- Friends of Merrick State Park/TURTLES
- Friends of Mirror Lake State Park
- Friends of Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area
- Friends of Navarino Nature Center
- Friends of New Glarus Woods State Park
- Friends of Pattison and Amnicon Falls State Parks
- Friends of Peninsula State Park
- Friends of Perrot State Park
- Friends of Pike Lake
- Friends of Point Beach State Forest
- Friends of Potawatomi State Park inc
- Friends of Rib Mountain SP
- Friends of Rock Island State Park
- Friends of Sandhill Inc
- Friends of Stonefield/Nelson Dewey State Park
- Friends of Vernon Marsh
- Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park
- Friends of Wildcat Mountain State Park
- Friends of Willow River and Kinnickinnic State Parks
- Friends of Wyalusing State Park
- Friends of Yellowstone Lake State Park
- Heritage Hill State Historical Park
- Newport Wilderness Society
- Seth Peterson Cottage Conservancy
Team Knowles Nelson doesn’t ride alone. These are some of the bike advocacy groups, land trusts, and conservation partners working alongside us across Wisconsin. partners helping make Wisconsin more bikeable, on state trails and beyond.
Menominee woman begins 1,700-mile ride across Wisconsin’s state trails
WMTV15 News talks with Sarah Widder about what keeps her pedaling on her 1,700-mile ride and why she’s using it to raise awareness for Knowles-Nelson.
Statewide Bike Ride Highlights Land At Risk
The Door County Pulse covers Sarah Widder’s ride across all 44 state trails, which she hopes will help make renewing Knowles-Nelson a bipartisan priority this legislative session.
Wisconsin Advocate to Bike Every State Trail in October, Spotlighting What’s at Stake for Wisconsin’s Public Lands
KFIZ previews Sarah Widder’s Great State Trails Adventure, a month-long ride highlighting how Knowles-Nelson funded much of Wisconsin’s trail network before it lapsed in June.
