Racine County, WI
Lake Michigan viewed from the part at Wind Point Lighthouse.*
Wisconsin is a state with enormous vision for what cycling can do for communities. Southeast Wisconsin is currently (2025) home to 340 miles of existing trails. The Route of the Badger is an ongoing effort, launched in 2019, which projects over 700 miles of regional trails in SW Wisconsin that will connect people across counties, towns and communities, and create opportunities not just for recreation and physical activity, but also connections to nature, tourism, and potential for economic renewal along the route.
Although the network is currently still under development, and discontinuous in many places, bike travelers leaving behind the density of Chicago can enjoy the combination of scenic dedicated bike routes, utilitarian connecting corridors, and relatively quiet, bike-friendly on-road routes as they make their way north around Lake Michigan.
Racine County, WI: follow the Route of the Badger!
Bike Trails
For those actually on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour, the choice of route will depend on a a combination of factors, including advice they’ve gathered from friends and online resources, and their own temperament and comfort level for types of roads and trails. Some may prefer the most direct trail connections, or even the open road, by following the Lake Michigan Circle Tour signs. While signage in the other three states has not been maintained, in Wisconsin cyclists can reliably follow this scenic corridor shared with calmer motorized traffic.
However, if your lake tour permits, or if you come to Racine county as an explorer, and not a thru-cyclist, there are a number of not to be missed trails that make for renewing day or overnight microescapes from Chicago.
Root River Pathway is a 6.5 mile trail that follows the bends of the river roughly westward from the town of Racine, with beautiful views of the water and its surroundings. For a longer ride, and to avoid the dreaded backtracking, you can connect heading north on a section of the MRK Trail and take Lake Michigan Pathway back down along the scenic coastline to the starting point (and refreshments in town).
A number of other trails take advantage of river corridors and would make longer half or full-day excursions, if you don’t mind the out-and-back aspect.
Pike River Pathway follows a river route through meadows, some woodland and the town of Mount Pleasant (and can be linked into a larger loop with routes in neighboring Kenosha County)
Further west, White River State Trail is a longer (19+ miles) lightly-trafficked and shady trail. If you can pick your way on its eastern end through the town of Burlington, you’ll connect to the Seven Waters Bike Trail for another 18 miles of trail. Since both these trails are part of Route of the Badger, it would give you a taste of what the project might look like when complete, however keep in mind that currently signage leaves a bit to be desired, and seamless connections have not been worked out.
Nature Parks Parks & Camping
There are no state parks in Racine County, however a couple of county parks offer secluded nature trails, and —crucially for long distance cyclists— camping options for those who prefer to keep their daily mileage shorter as they head north from Chicago.
Sanders Park Hardwoods State Natural Area. Within the 80-acre Sanders Park & Campground, overseen by Racine County Parks is a 33-acre designated State Natural Area containing remnants of old growth forest. Dutch elm disease and oak wilt have killed some of the larger canopy trees, and the forest currently layered with maturing second-growth, some over 100 years old, younger saplings, and an understory rich with native flowers and ferns.
Sanders Park Campground If you’re looking for an overnight stopover on a biking journey from Chicago to Milwaukee, this low-key, 19-site campground offers a convenient rest stop. The campground favors tents, and some sites are without electric hookups. Though the center campsites are open and gravelly, those around the perimeter have a nice screen of bushes, as well as some mature trees, which provide shade and privacy.
Cliffside Park & Campground lives up to its name, hugging the shoreline and overlooking lake Michigan from a steep bluff, with stunning views, but no convenient access to the strip of beach below. If you get a bit into the hiking trails, you’ll leave behind the recreational part of the park, and enter shady woodlands, rugged paths, and hidden ravines with small (seasonal?) streams.
Unlike this wild water’s edge, the camping here offers a bit more manicured and less secluded experience than Sanders. However, it is conveniently situated just off trails and routes that take cyclists between Chicago and Milwaukee.
River Bend Nature Center is a wonderful 78-acre nature preserve south of Milwaukee. Hugging the curvy bank of Root River, it offers walking trails and boardwalks through several habitats, canoeing (moonlight paddle, anyone?), and educational programs. This flourishing oasis is an amazing and peaceful spot for wildlife and bird watching. It’s a pleasant detour on your long journey, or a serene escape if you’re just visiting here for the day.
Alpacas grazing at Eco Justice Center.
Overlook at one of the bike-friendly routes on the way north.
Other natural areas and initiatives
Wadewitz Nature Camp This area has something to offer in every season. Wadewitz Nature Camp is 168 acres of wild, natural beauty, hidden next to surrounding gravel pits and an industrial park. A former Boy Scouts camp, the center still offers group camping (no individual sites), and continues to be maintained in its rustic, natural state, and accessible only on foot.
It’s open for hiking and cross-country skiing on a system of wide trails that, like many nature hideaways in this region, run through a mix of hardwood forest and prairies on some of the finest glacial topography to be found in Racine County, and is designated as a hotspot for birding.
Tichigan Wildlife Area is a remarkable destination for those seeking tranquility and a connection with nature in the heart of Wisconsin. The refuge straddles the Fox River and borders Tichigan Lake, which makes it a popular place for fishing, paddling and other water sports. Spanning over 1,500 acres, it is the largest and most diverse wildlife property in the county with a variety of habitats, including grasslands, a large emergent marsh, oak woodland, wet meadow, open oak woods, fens, pine plantation and upland and lowland shrubs. This supports many game species, and hunting is permitted here, but it’s also a wonderful spot for nature lovers, bird watchers, photographers, and anyone seeking serenity and wilderness, and a chance to wander off the beaten trail.
Honey Creek Wildlife Area is comprised of four separate sections, and is the second-largest wildlife area the county. It may be best explored in winter, since much of it is wetland, and inaccessible, boggy (not to mention mosquitoey) for much of the year. But it is areas like this —available only occasionally, and only to those who make the effort— that can give you a chance of real discovery and access to wilderness that is usually hidden ffrom human eye and interference.
Wind Point Lighthouse.
Quarry Lake park (photo: Visit Racine County)
Must Do
Quarry Lake. This former limestone quarry is now a spring-fed lake for swimming, scuba diving, fishing, or just hangin’ on your favorite floating device on the cool, refreshing water surface. Part of your run-of-the-mill recreational park, the ancient Silurian reef deposits, along with submerged remnant of former human activity (think: VW Beetle and slot machines!) offers a treasure trove of finds for divers. Not into diving, no problem. Behind the lake are more secluded river banks for hiking and fossil hunting, where you may discover some intriguing finds.
Wind Point Lighthouse. If you’re pedaling your way through Racine county, this will be a bit of a detour from the beaten path (~3 miles each way), but it’s well worth it, as much for the historic lighthouse itself, as for the surrounding gardens and incomparable views of Lake Michigan. If you want to go to the top of the tower, open climbs are scheduled on several dates throughout the summer.
If you’re heading south on your bike from Racine toward Chicago, the on-road route along the shoreline is not to be missed, with sweeping views and a favorable descent into town, through some of the more affluent lake-facing residential areas, and back on the lake shore at North Beach and Racine Overlook.Eco Justice Center is an environmental education center and organic farm founded by Racine Dominican Sisters in 2004 to promote exploration, connection and education around sustainable growing practices and healthier ecosystems. The center offers family and adult programming for the community, but if you’re just passing through, you can take advantage of the self-guided tour to explore the property, and take stock of the buildings preserved with reclaimed and sustainable materials, the managerie, which includes goats, ducks and Guinea fowl, and a lively community of chickens, and eco-friendly installations including a wind turbine, and hoop houses that extend the crop growing season. It’s a showcase of organic garden practices with both ornamental and edible garden sections, native and rain gardens, a contemplative labyrinth, a treehouse, and even alpacas.
Best Kept Secrets
Nicholson Wildlife Refuge. This 127.4-acre consists largely of undeveloped marshland along Hoosier Creek with a single 1.1-mile out and back trail, with a boardwalk to carry visitors over the marshy surface. A wide variety of birds make their home here including shorebirds, herons and cranes. This peaceful spot may be the one of the most hidden gems among Racine County parks.
Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods is one of the 18 properties overseen by the Caledonia Conservancy which is committed to preserving local lands since 1994. This preserve is tucked near residential area, and though it’s easy to find, even local residents may not know it’s there. The preserve has both walking and equestrian paths through a woodland with a closed canopy of mature upland hardwoods, some 300 years old.
Saller Woods. Hugging the bend of the Fox River South of Rochester, WI this preserve was once a gravel pit used in the construction of the nearby highway. Frank and Mary Saller purchased the 91 acre property and spent years restoring the land and planting trees. In memory of their son, they gave the land as a gift to Racine County in order to preserve the land in its natural state as a passive natural habitat and a quiet sanctuary for hiking and wildlife viewing. The preserve may be accessed by bike via the Seven Waters Bike Trail (see above).
Wemhoff Woodland Preserve is a hidden natural gem near the town of Burlington that’s been likened to a mini-kettle moraine. A one-mile rugged dirt trail trail follows the ridges between kettles. Though not long, its uneven terrain and some climbs can make it tricky to negotiate, especially in wet weather.
Adjacent Attractions
Just west of Racine county you can find a couple of extremely well known adventure destinations:
Despite its touristy vibe, Lake Geneva is a veritable treasure trove for nature lovers, with acess to Big Foot State Park, and many smaller preserves dotting the perimeter of the lake including the peaceful sanctuary of Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy, a kettle pond at Bromley Woods, and rare wetland prairie at Fontana Fen.
The grandaddy of SE Wisconsin outdoor attractions —Southern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest— starts just over the border in neighboring Walworth county. Though there’s enough there to explore for several weeks’ worth of adventuring (and we will return here for much, much more), no discussion of this area would be complete without the mention of this mountain biking, hiking, camping and wilderness haven.
* Photos by Justyna Frank except where noted.