Hike N’ Bike
The first light of dawn filters through the trees, casting a flickering dance of light and shadow on the forest floor. The crisp pine-scented air is so sweet you can almost taste it. Cool and invigorating as one step is followed by another. A peaceful hike in the woods that fills you with a sense of purpose that is far too often lost in the monotony of routine.
Hiking. A simple exercise that not only invigorates your body, but rejuvenates your soul. So why, then, don’t we do it more often?
Maybe we’re buried in spreadsheets and meetings. Maybe it’s soccer games and grocery stores. Housework and homework. Or maybe we simply don’t know where to go. Whatever it is, it’s time to get our priorities in order and go for a hike.
And you’re definitely in the right place if you’re in Rome, Wisconsin, because Rome is a hiker’s paradise. With dedicated trails criss-crossing the hills, prairies, and sand dunes, not to mention the Town Center, it’s pretty easy to make hiking part of your regular routine.
Feeling out of shape? Not to worry. There’s a trail for every skill level - whether you’re just now getting off the couch for the first time, or your closet looks like a Patagonia showroom - there’s a trail for you.
If you want to take it slow and easy, just wind your way through the Rome Town Center. Maybe stop in for a cup of Matcha Latte and a blueberry muffin at Slice of Heaven Bakery. Or depending on the time of day, a light and refreshing Four Veterans Blonde Ale at Up North Brewing Company. Because a light and refreshing beer pairs perfectly with a light and refreshing hike.
In fact, Up North sponsors a weekly 5K event that culminates with a hand-crafted beer and food truck get-together. Each week you’ll see runners and walkers of every age and skill level. You’ll see hiking enthusiasts, dog walkers, and even mothers and fathers pushing strollers. In other words, you’ll fit right in. You can get more information on days and times by stopping in or checking their Facebook page.
Or lace up your high-top boots and traverse one of the three trails at Sand Valley resort. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy views that Mother Nature herself created on one of her best days. Spanning more than 5 miles, you’ll marvel at the “expansive sand blowouts, red pine plantations, and majestic oak savannas.”
With completely different views, but no less spectacular, you can take in the beauty of Rome’s waterways as you hike in and out of the woods and back to the shoreline on two trails in the Twin Lakes Nature Area. Or the two WRPCO trails that run parallel to one of Wisconsin's largest lakes, Petenwell Lake, before they too, take you into the woods.
If biking is more your thing, Rome has you covered too. Almost forty miles of trails ranging from the leisurely to the heart-pounding and muscle burning. Like the hiking trail options, you can choose to ride along the river and lakes, in and around the sand dunes, or under the shade of the area's magnificent oaks and pines.
A popular trail, the Library Loop, will guide you through some of the wooded neighborhoods of Rome, while the Trapshooters Loop starts at the Wisconsin Trapshooting Complex and circles you back again after an invigorating 6.8 mile ride.
Most of the trails have on-site parking, some have facilities and access to food and drink, and all are free.
So, now is the time to get out there and experience Rome’s beautiful, dedicated trails. Because there is no better way than hiking or biking to invigorate your body, rejuvenate your soul, and clear your head.
For a convenient, foldable pocket map of both the hiking and biking trails, stop by the Visit Rome Welcome Center at 1146 County Highway D (kitty corner to the Kwik Trip), or go online to https://www.visitromewi.com/hiking-biking.
Written by: Lydell Capritta
