MISSOULA, MONT., Sept. 3, 2020 – The Adventure Cycling Association is proud to announce the first U.S. Adventure Bike Trails in Wisconsin and California, expanding the reach of the U.S. Adventure Bike Trails System (USBRS) to 29 states. In Wisconsin, USBR 30 and USBR 230 utilize several off-road trails to connect Milwaukee to the Mississippi River at Bluff Siding. In California, USBR 50 connects Lake Tahoe and the existing USBR 50 in Nevada to the San Francisco Bay Area. Together, they add more than 500 miles of recent trails to the USBRS.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged everyone to find new and creative ways to enjoy their free time and vacations,” said Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). “Many people have turned to bicycles for daily commuting, recreation and tourism. State departments of transportation have committed to providing more travel options so people can get where they need to go. And with the addition of US Bicycle Routes in California and Wisconsin, there are now 29 states in the USBRS, connecting communities large and small, urban and rural.”
USBRS is developing a national network of officially recognized, numbered, and marked bike routes. All bike routes in the U.S. are designated by AASHTO. With the recent designations, USBRS now boasts 14,598 miles of routes in 29 states and Washington, D.C. At least 40 states are currently developing bike routes in the U.S.
Digital maps of all designated bike routes in the U.S. are available free to the general public through a partnership with Ride with GPS, powered by Adventure Cycling’s website.
The Adventure Cycling Association, a nonprofit organization that nationally coordinates the U.S. Adventure Cycling Trail System, partners with AASHTO to provide states with the resources and expertise needed to successfully designate routes.
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, USBR Route 30 begins in Milwaukee on Lake Michigan and ends in Bluff Siding on the Mississippi River. The 269-mile route utilizes many types of existing bike infrastructure, including state and county bike trails, local roads and bike paths, and state and county highways. Wisconsin also announces the designation of USBR Route 230, a 40-mile alternate route that includes routing guidance when the Merrimac Ferry (Colsac III) is not in apply.
“This route has taken years to create and is a great accomplishment for the state,” said Craig Thompson, Secretary-designate of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). “More than 70 communities in 11 counties worked together to create this great transportation corridor that will benefit local, regional and national cyclists.”
USBR 30 and USBR 230 showcase many natural and cultural resources throughout the state, including forests, energetic urban areas and the meandering Driftless Region. Together, the two routes take cyclists along more than 160 miles of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WisDNR) state and county trails, including the Glacial Drumlin State Trail and the Elroy-Sparta State Trail.
“More than half of the USBR 30 is our state bike trails,” said Preston Cole, WisDNR Secretary. “This new trail provides cyclists with step-by-step directions for navigating the state, providing another way to experience our great outdoors.”
More information about the USBR 30 and USBR 230 can be found on the Wisconsin DOT website at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/travel/bike/bike-maps/usbr.aspx.
California
In California, USBR 50 begins in South Lake Tahoe, on the Nevada border, and ends in San Francisco. The 233-mile route climbs the Sierra Nevada, winds through the Sacramento Delta, and crosses the Bay Area. It includes a ferry across San Francisco Bay and provides a seamless connection to USBR 50 in Nevada.
Leaving South Lake Tahoe, USBR 50 climbs several mountain passes and follows the Mormon Emigrant Trail Road, featured on Tours of California in 2018 and 2019. In El Dorado County, USBR 50 uses the popular El Dorado Trail. This paved section of the rail trail offers cyclists a restored railroad bridge 200 feet above Weber Creek.
USBR 50 from Folsom to the state capital, Sacramento, follows the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, offering more than 30 miles of traffic-free biking.
Continuing west, USBR 50 passes the Peña Adobe, located in the 470-acre Lagoon Valley Park. Built in 1842, the Peña Adobe is the oldest structure in Solano County. Riders on USBR 50 can enjoy scenic views of the Suisun Marsh, one of the largest freshwater ecosystems in California, before descending to San Francisco Bay and enjoying waterfront views.
From the “California Alps” to the agriculture of the Central Valley, from the Sacramento River Delta to the San Francisco Bay, the USBR 50 illustrates the diversity of California’s natural beauty.
“USBR Route 50 in El Dorado County not only provides a scenic bike route through the Sierra Nevada, but also
connects the largest communities in our county,” said Mike Bean, board member of Friends of El Dorado Trail. “My hope is that in the long term we can improve USBR 50 to serve not only visitors to the county, but also local residents who bike for recreation, commute to work and run errands.”
With the USBR 50 designation in California, the USBRS is now just one state away from a complete coast-to-coast US Bicycle Route connection. A future connection through Colorado will one day allow for seamless routing.
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