ORA Community Trail Farm

The site of the planned trail farm is conveniently located along Highway 33, just one mile east of La Crosse in the town of Shelby, mere minutes from La Crosse’s downtown. For community members, the group wanted to provide access to “trails in your backyard”—easy access to nature without getting in a car. For visitors, the site’s proximity to hotels, campsites, restaurants, and other La Crosse attractions make for an enticing weekend (or week-long!) getaway.

Bike, Uninterrupted

The project has exciting implications for the region’s existing trail system. A patchwork of over 100 miles of mixed-use trails currently affords users plenty of places to ride, walk, run, or ski, but rugged topography, existing infrastructure, and private properties impose divides between those trails. The ORA Community Trail Farm is uniquely situated to bridge several gaps, allowing users to travel uninterrupted from Holmen (north of La Crosse) to Goose Island (just south of La Crosse).

Equitable Access

Accessibility is at the heart of this grand vision. Not only through proximity to existing neighborhoods but also by making the trail farm accessible to people of all abilities. A place to stroll with your eighty-year-old mother—or to watch your two-year-old zip gleefully around on his balance bike. Somewhere that will challenge experienced riders, while welcoming those new to silent sports.

Flat or very low-grade portions of the trails will wind through old farm fields at the base of the property. Some will be paved, making them wheelchair accessible. Those trails will give way to more challenging routes (500 feet of elevation), up La Crosse’s renowned bluffs, and down into its coulees, offering a fast and fun descent for mountain bikers. Fun fact: the site was home to La Crosse’s first ski hill, the Sno Bowl, and the original chalet’s chimney still stands, nestled alongside a trail.

From Bikes to Birds

The group also expects the site to attract folks with varied interests. Anglers will appreciate the clear, trout-filled waters of the Class A trout stream—Pammel Creek—that meanders through the lower half of the property. History buffs will enjoy imagining Native Peoples and settlers moving along ancient trade routes (Highway 33 was originally a footpath and later a wagon trail into La Crosse). Birdwatchers will catch glimpses of birds of all types, from bluebirds to eagles. An old rock quarry—used for farmstead foundations a hundred years ago—will create a perfect space for outdoor presentations and entertainment. A cleared field, once the home of grazing dairy cows, will invite picnickers and food trucks. Local educators can use the space to teach lessons on community history, local flora and fauna, ecology, and conservation.

Beyond the ORA Community Trail Farm, cyclists will also find much to explore in the rest of La Crosse, thanks to its Silver-Level designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community. In addition to its incredible trail system, the city boasts miles of designated bike lanes, sharrow-marked bikeways, and plenty of bike-friendly businesses. Need a tune-up, repair, or to replace a forgotten piece of gear? Any number of friendly neighborhood bike shops will be happy to help.

Near and Far

The group anticipates the ORA Community Trail Farm to be a boon for tourism and recruitment. Silent sports continue to enjoy explosive growth, and places like La Crosse, with expansive natural resources, draw visitors from nearby metro areas like Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee—and even nationwide. “We know people are traveling to find experiences,” says Randi Pueschner, Wisconsin Bike Fed board member and owner of the La Crosse bike shop Smith’s Bikes. “But those experiences don’t have to be things like concerts. Travelers are looking for unique outdoor experiences.” Pueschner also serves as President of the ORA Trails board of directors. “Being able to bring the vision for the ORA Community Trail Farm to fruition is a dream come true,” she says. “We hope this project can become a model for other communities.”

Get Outside + Thrive

While the ORA Community Trail Farm isn’t yet open to the public, visitors can still enjoy a plethora of other trail experiences in La Crosse and the surrounding areas, including:

• La Crosse River State Trail – 21 miles
• Lower Hixon Forest Trails – 13 miles
• Upper Hixon Trail System – 10 miles (with a dirt pump track and three downhill gravity trails)
• Gateway Trails (New!) – 6 miles
• Myrick Park Marsh Trails – 5 miles
• Chad Erickson Park – 1 mile
• Bud Hendrickson Trail – 1 mile
• Great River State Trail – 24.5 miles
• 400 Wisconsin State Trail – 22 miles

Road cyclists will also appreciate the area’s many country highways, especially along the Great River Road, which has stunning Mississippi River views.

Riders can even connect with our neighbors to the east by crossing the Mississippi River into Minnesota on the Wagon Wheel Trail to La Crescent or the Flyway Trail to Winona.

Let’s Connect
Want to learn more? Visit oratrails.org to stay up-to-date on the ORA Community Trail Farm project, see updates about trail conditions in La Crosse, learn about special events, and find out how to get involved.

About ORA Trails

The Outdoor Recreation Alliance (ORA Trails), a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has completed some very cool projects in La Crosse with the goal of building happy, healthy, and resilient communities by providing access to equitable and sustainable outdoor recreation experiences. The group builds and maintains local trails, bike playgrounds, and, most recently, a wheelchair-accessible treehouse. They publish regular trail condition updates (leaving tracks? turn back) to help maintain trail quality, and they involve the public in their mission by providing regular volunteer opportunities and events like candlelit hikes.

About the Ride Guide

This article was originally published in the 2024 Bike Fed Ride Guide. All Bike Fed members receive a print copy, delivered right to their address of choice, each spring. Join/renew today to support cycling in Wisconsin and receive our next copy!