Before jet planes and divided highways, traveling on Highway 400 was the fastest route from Chicago to the Twin Cities. The improved train completed the journey in less than 400 minutes, sometimes reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour. Today, 400 is one of four interconnected railway routes that create a virtually continuous route with a length of over 160 km. From the 400 trailhead in Reedsburg, you can connect to the Elroy-Sparta, La Crosse River, and Great River State Trails, ending near Marshland on the Mississippi River. It’s a 160km rail/trail ride.
The scenic Route 400 is dotted with repeated stops in diminutive towns. If camping is your thing, you’ll find campsites at Legion Park in Wonewoc and Schultz Park south of Elroy. At Union Center, you can turn west on the Hillsboro State Trail for 4.7 miles of easier riding. By pedaling 400, you’ll cross the winding Baraboo River eleven times. In places you will travel through the microclimate of white pines that cling to rocky cliffs. Some say they can still hear the speeding 400 heading northwest into Minnesota over the roar of the river and the wind in the pines. All hands on deck!
