Glacial Drumlin State Trail

GETTING THERE

The Glacial Drumlin State Trail is located in southeastern Wisconsin, and roams 52 miles from Cottage Grove to Waukesha. The trail runs roughly parallel to the nearby Interstate 94, and passes through 10-12 small towns along the way.

Coming by Car

Getting to the Glacial Drumlin State Trail by car is easy. The western trailhead in Cottage Grove is located at 200 S Main St, Cottage Grove, WI 53527, and offers ample parking, restrooms (seasonal), drinking water (seasonal), a picnic area, and trail pass self-pay station. Map >

On the eastern end of the trail, the Fox River Sanctuary at 801 W College Avenue, Waukesha, WI 53188 is your starting point. Here you’ll find parking, restrooms, picnic area, a nature area, and community building. Map >

Of course, the Glacial Drumlin State Trail can also be accessed at numerous smaller trailheads along the trail, so you can start or end your journey just about anywhere.

Biking or Hiking to the Trail

If you’re determined to get to the Glacial Drumlin Trail on two wheels or two feet, designated routes on each end will help you avoid high-traffic thoroughfares, and bring you in to the trail from the surrounding areas.

Biking or Hiking from Madison

Madison is blessed with a world-class network of bike and recreation paths, and is ranked by the League of American Bicyclists as one of the five best cities for biking in the United States.

There are only a few miles of country roads between Madison’s network of bike routes and the Glacial Drumlin Trail.

Even better, there are pending plans for a new connector trail, extending east from the Madison bike paths, paralleling the existing rail line, to link with the Glacial Drumlin Trailhead in Cottage Grove.

Wherever you’re starting from in Madison, follow the many possible designated bike routes to the intersection of Agriculture Drive and Femrite Drive, near 5200 Femrite Dr, Madison, WI 53718. This is perhaps your best ‘jumping off’ point to make your way the 6.7 miles to the western Glacial Drumlin trailhead in Cottage Grove via Femrite Drive > Hope Road > Vilas Road > Clark Street.

Though perhaps the shortest and most direct way, this is not an officially designated bike route or lane, and you’ll be sharing the road with vehicles. It typically carries less traffic than other nearby routes, though this can vary with day and time. The shoulder can be narrow in places, so use all the usual safety precautions.

The route finally emerges right at the Glacial Drumlin Trail trailhead at 200 S Main St, Cottage Grove, WI 53527.

Biking or Hiking from the Milwaukee area

Like Madison, the greater Milwaukee area boasts numerous bike paths and recreation trails by which one can easily make one’s way from nearly anywhere to the eastern Glacial Drumlin Trail trailhead on the southwest side of Waukesha.

From near downtown Milwaukee, it’s about 19 miles via the Hank Aaron State Trail > West Allis Cross Town Connector > New Berlin Trail > various surface streets to the Fox River Sanctuary at 810 College Avenue, Waukesha, WI 53188.

So Get On the Trail!

Whether coming by car or foot or bike, getting to the Glacial Drumlin State Trail is easy. See you there!