Tour the Gandy Dancer Trail in Wisconsin

Biking along the Gandy Dancer recreational trail is an enjoyable experience, and a great way to see the Wisconsin countryside. The trail was once a railway that connected the cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

After the railroad was abandoned, it was purchased by the State of Wisconsin and converted into a recreational trail. The Gandy Dancer is 98-miles long, from St. Croix Falls to Superior. The southern half starts near Interstate Park in St. Croix Falls and stretches 47 miles to the town of Danbury. Along the way it connects many small towns including Centuria, Milltown, Luck, Frederic, and Lewis. The longest distance between towns is 8.9 miles between Webster and Danbury.

One might wonder where the name Gandy Dancer originated from. There is a former railroad depot in Frederick that was converted into a museum and is worth a stop to see some of the history of the trail. There you will learn that the crew that built the railroad back in the late 1880s, was fond of chanting along with the beat of their swinging hand tools and the movement of their feet, thus the name "Gandy Dancer."

The first few miles of the trail after leaving St. Croix Falls are uphill and paved, but once you conquer that, the trail levels out and the surface turns into crushed limestone. As you venture north, the terrain becomes more wooded and remote. You will also notice the gradual change from hard-wood forests to pine and other soft-wood trees. There is the possibility of encountering bear, so you may want to leave any food items that are not tightly sealed in your vehicle.

There are frequent stops along the trail with restrooms and water available to fill water bottles. An ice cream shop in Luck is a great place to indulge in a well-deserved treat. You will want to plan to spend a little time in the town of Siren, which was the site of a devastating tornado on June 18, 2001. The cyclone wiped out many of the small town's historic buildings, homes and trees, but much of the town has been rebuilt. Not far off the trail, you'll see evidence left by the storm, where a boat that was completely wrapped around the trunk of a tree remains to this day.

Once you reach the town of Danbury, the trail turns into an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) path, covered with course crushed rock and is almost impossible to cover on a 2-wheel bicycle. From Danbury to Superior the trail is used year round by ATV enthusiasts and when there is more than 6" of snow, it becomes a snowmobile trail.

There is not a lot of traffic on the southern half of the trail from Danbury to St. Croix Falls, so you can meander along at your own pace, enjoying the solitude and beauty of the great north woods. Depending on your stamina, and how much time you have, you can pretty easily cover the entire southern half by breaking it into a 3-day round-trip. Several towns have lodging available for overnight stays. There are numerous rest areas along the way to photograph the scenic overlooks alongside lakes and rivers, and to give your muscles a rest.

Touring the Gandy Dancer on bicycle is a great, healthy way to escape into the quiet of nature, replenishing your spirit, without hurting your pocketbook.