Enjoy the falls on the Oak Leaf Trail

(To view a larger map of the Oak Leaf Trail, click here)
_

Oak Leaf Trail –  Lakefront Loop and Northeast

It looks like a nice weekend for riding, with just a slight chance of scattered showers Sunday but otherwise sunshine and fair temperatures. Hard to believe it’s almost July already, but there’s still plenty of summer riding ahead now that the weather is finally warming up for real. This week we’re heading up the Oak Leaf trail along the beautiful lakeshore of Milwaukee. Let’s get started.

At the southern end of our ride leg we find Lakeshore State Park. The Park, even though not part of the Oak Leaf trail, is the perfect place to get started. You can access it south of the Marcus Amphitheater or from the north at Discovery World.  Enjoy the looping trail lined with native prairie and wildflowers. The island offers you a unique view of the Meier Festival grounds, Discovery World and the downtown skyline.

From Discovery World there are numerous options for your ride north. Let’s ride along the lake on the lakefront loop first. Riding past the War Memorial/Art Museum observe the famous Calatrava addition with its soaring brise soleil wings. Then head into Veterans Park and enjoy the sight of some incredible kites soaring on the wind. The loop then takes you past McKinley Marina, McKinley Beach and Bradford Beach before heading up into Lake Park and returning south on top of the bluff and past beautiful homes, before descending rapidly back to the lakefront where you can enjoy a burger and frozen custard at the Northpoint Custard stand. Total mileage on this loop is 6-7 miles.

To continue on the Oak Leaf trail we cross Lincoln Memorial Drive and head onto the old Chicago-Northwestern rail line trail. The easiest way to cross is at the Brady Street Bridge at the north end of Veterans Park. I was pleasantly surprised on my recent ride on this trail. I remember riding it in the late 70s when it was crushed limestone and an isolated rail corridor. Today it is a paved trail that is part of the community with numerous access points. The rail corridor runs northwest from the lakefront into Estabrook Park. This summer you can enjoy an uninterrupted ride along the corridor with the completion of the bridge over Capitol Drive.

Your ride continues to parallel the Milwaukee River through Estabrook, Lincoln, and Kletzsch Parks. Take time to enjoy the falls in Kletzsch Park. Mileage from the lakefront to Kletzsch Park is 9 miles.

The Oak Leaf trail continues on municipal streets to Brown Deer Park. From Brown Deer Park it heads west on Bradley to the Menomonee River Parkway, where we will pick up next week. Enjoy your ride and be safe.