What a beautiful July day for an adventure! I started the morning with the bells ringing at Elroy Commons. What a perfect trailhead with everything you’d need to start or end a run. The route is a classic rail trail. It’s mostly tree lined so you get some tree cover for shade but, by mid afternoon there’s no way around it- it’s pretty exposed. By, late afternoon you get some shade again. Thank goodness for the nice trailheads along the way to cool off with some water and bathroom breaks- it got hot! I probably should have had more of my salt chews. I had 3 spring energy packets, my full water bladder and nuun in my front soft flask.
Not very many people on the trail but, everyone I encountered were very friendly. Saw two green herons, a bald eagle, a little snake and various wildlife- an 8 point buck, too! You pass a lot of ponds and small bodies of water but, this time of year everything was pretty green.
At the end, the lady working at the Reedsburg trailhead was so nice and gave me a great recommendation to have lunch at the Deli Bean cafe. It was a wonderful- air conditioned, post run treat! I also bought a 400 State Trail pin as a keepsake at the trailhead.
Overall, nice trail. I’d come back and do it again in the fall, I bet it would be beautiful then. This could be run pretty darn fast- there were barely any road crossings to slow you down. Yes, it’s flat, with the least elevation of 89 feet if you start in Elroy. I’d argue that it’s prettier if you start in Reedsburg even if it has ever so slightly- more elevation. Also, the natural spring outside of Wonewoc is worth the stop!