Follow the River
The NW portion of the Oak Leaf Trail (trail in red).
(View a larger map of the trail here)
Another good weekend for biking in the city – just one more reason to get off the couch and enjoy the wonderful trails around Milwaukee County.
Our ride steps off from Greenfield Park in West Allis. Heading out of the south side parking lot, take the newer path through the park and you’ll ride by the lagoon and through the golf course. Just prior to entering the golf course, note the access point for the New Berlin recreation trail on your left.
Photos by Mark Wenzel
Leaving Greenfield Park, cross Greenfield Ave. with caution. Follow the trail signs through the residential area and then onto the Underwood Creek Parkway, but do note that this is a very rough section of road that turns into and off-road path. Part way up this trail there is a bridge over the creek that connects to the Brookfield Greenway trail, which runs parallel to the Underwood creek before coming out on 124th street.
Be very careful crossing the bridge, as it can be very slippery. I learned this the hard way on a ride through there last week. Let me just say, ouch!
Continuing north on the Oak Leaf you will pass under a railroad bridge, which will be a connection point to the Hank Aaron trail in the future (after the Zoo Interchange work is finished). Bluemound Road is under construction at present. The crossing can be difficult, but it is open. (The good news is that it appears that the Oak Leaf trail will be passing under Bluemound when construction is complete.)
After a short section of parkway, it’s back to an off-road trail that takes riders across Watertown Plank Rd, Highway 100, and one rail line. As you emerge from under Highway 100 you will see the restored Underwood Creek — the concrete creek bed has been removed and a more natural course has been put in its place. At the north end of this restored area is a flood control tunnel that flows to a very large retention area in Hansen Park.
The Underwood Creek Parkway leads us past the Wisconsin Lutheran College athletic complex, Wil-O-Way Camp, Hansen Park, and the new floodwater retention pond. A quick jaunt down Swan Blvd. brings us to the Menomonee River Parkway.
The Parkway runs for 3.4 miles up through Currie Park. It is a busy (and rough) route up to Burleigh St. — someday we’ll be able to enjoy new pavement…someday. You’ll enjoy a smoother ride when you enter the bike path north of Currie Park, as this 2.5 mile section of the trail (which takes you up to Silver Spring) was recently repaved and widened. North of Silver Spring you’ll ride on a mix of paths, parkway and roads that lead to Bradley Rd. This is a beautiful area to ride, following the path of rivers and wetlands. Wildlife abounds in the area, so keep your eyes open and beware of flooding along the paths.
Enjoy your ride.
