FOND DU LAC – The Fond du Lac area has a varied landscape, making hiking a popular way to get outdoors.
As fall begins, the chance to get out of the house may be even more enjoyable when you consider leaves crunching underfoot and the sight of trees with yellow, orange and red leaves.
Some parks and nature spots, such as the Kettle Moraine State Forest’s Northern Unit and the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area, offer hiking among a variety of activities. Other areas, including several county-maintained trails, bring in many recreationists for a peaceful walk or ride through the local scenery.
Here are eight local spots that are dedicated to or especially popular for hiking and biking.
Walk the FDL Loop
The FDL Loop consists of 16 miles of walking and biking trails that are mostly separate from vehicle traffic. The Loop travels through Lakeside Park, down Brooke Street, on Camelot Drive, up the 7-mile Prairie Trail and through the Peebles Trail.
The loop also connects to the Downtown Trail, Winnebago Trail and Wild Goose State Trail.
More information and a map of the trail is available at fdlloop.com.
Take a short stroll at the Greenway Arboretum
The Greenway Arboretum includes three main trails and several connecting trails along the Fond du Lac River East Branch, each less than half a mile.
The River Trail is accessible from the west side of the parking lot at Pick ‘n Save, 55 W. Pioneer Road, and follows the river north. The connecting trails along the River Trail lead to two loops with views of the natural habitat: the Wittchow Woods Loop and the Prairie Homestead Loop.
A map is available on the Fond du Lac city website.
Check out the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum
Another city arboretum with trails is the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum, which can be accessed from the Fond du Lac County Campus, 400 University Drive.
The main trail travels through the arboretum and prairie with views of the natural wildflowers and other plants. A trail also loops around the pond on the northwest section.
More information and a map is available on the Fond du Lac County website.
Mosey along the Wild Goose State Trail
The Wild Goose State Trail leads through Fond du Lac and Dodge counties on 34 miles of an abandoned Chicago and Northwestern railroad corridor. As Wisconsin’s first “cooperative” state trail owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, both counties maintain it as an all-season recreational trail.
The trailhead at 370 W. Rolling Meadows Drive leads southwest through the countryside, crossing the village of Oakfield and the towns of Fond du Lac, Byron, Oakfield and Waupun in Fond du Lac County, then through small Dodge County communities before reaching the southern trailhead south of Juneau at State 60.
More information and a map of the trail is available on the Wisconsin DNR website.
Make the most of the Mascoutin Valley State Trail
The two sections that make up the Mascoutin Valley State Trail were also built on a former railroad corridor, traveling past the farms, prairies and wetlands of Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Winnebago counties.
The east section starts from the parking lot at N6980 Rolling Meadows Drive in Fond du Lac and travels 10 miles to Rosendale, including a section that goes past the Eldorado Marsh. The west section starts along County E in Ripon and goes 11 miles north to Berlin. The gap between the sections, from Rosendale to Ripon, is privately owned.
More information and maps of the trail are available on the Wisconsin DNR website.
Explore Hobbs Woods
South of Fond du Lac, Hobbs Woods, N4145 Hickory Road, is popular for hiking, picnicking and natural sightseeing through thick woods, prairie and Parson’s Creek.
Work over the years has improved the habitat and flora in the park, addressed high-traffic areas with safety concerns and added bridges, picnic tables and a boardwalk.
More information and maps are available on the Fond du Lac County website.
Hike at Kiekhaefer Park
Popular for sledding in the winters, Kiekhaefer Park, W4235 Kiekaefer Parkway, offers more recreation year-round, including hiking and mountain biking in the warmer months.
The park is also situated on The Ledge, with an overlook tower that looks down at the southeast side of Lake Winnebago.
Maps are available on the town of Taycheedah website.
Enjoy the Eisenbahn State Park Trail
The Eisenbahn State Park Trail starts from Eden Community Park and runs south on the abandoned Fox Valley Railroad right of way through Campbellsport and the county line. In Washington County, the trail continues through Kewaskum, ending in West Bend after a total of 22 miles.
More information and a map of the trail is available on the Wisconsin DNR website.
Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Here are the 8 best hiking & biking trails around Fond du Lac, from prairies to The Ledge
Reporting by Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter / Fond du Lac Reporter
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