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      This system is made of fast track with some technical spots and challenging climbs. A lot of effort has been put into creating many miles of single track in this trail system over the years. More recent additions include a bike wash station, and changing rooms separate from the vault toilets. Other amenities include an information kiosk with maps and other info, a drinking fountain, fire ring, benches, many picnic tables, and a pavilion with a charcoal grill. There are no trash cans at this park, however, so please pack out what you pack in.

      With the exception of a few very short sections, all trails in the John Muir / Connector / Emma Carlin trail system are ONE WAY ONLY There are signs and maps at the trailhead and at every trail intersection to point you in the right direction.

      Please note that all riders 16 and older must have and carry a trail pass with them, and produce it upon request by the DNR. And lastly, ALL riders should wear a helmet.

      Now on to the good stuff:

      For Beginner riders, there is a very flat, easy-rolling half-mile trail through widely spaced pine trees, behind and to the right of the restrooms.

      Test and build your bike handling on our Skills course, which has two wooden berms, several wooden skinnies, a small rock garden, and a few small drops and up/down ramps. The entrance is the wooden bridge by the bike wash station.

      Next is the Brown loop, great for novice riders who have outgrown the Beginner loop. It is approximately 1.7 miles, with only a few small climbs, and an intro to rocks and roots. More advanced riders also use the Brown as a warmup or cooldown.

      Step up to the White loop, coming in at just under 3 miles. It has fun, flowy downhills, long, rocky climbs, and a few other tricks.

      One of the first trails to dry out after a rain is the 4.8-mile Purple loop, also known as Rainy Dew. It bypasses the Southern loops that stay wet longer, so we can open the Northern half for riding.

      Technical riders might enjoy the Orange loop, 3.45 miles of challenging terrain. Roots, rocks, narrow track, climbs, and descents. This one has it all, the closest thing to a black diamond trail you'll find at Muir. If this isn't enough, head over to Emma Carlin.

      Longer, but less technical, is our Green loop, at 8.25 miles. It does have some roots, rocks, hills, and deep sand, but is considered an intermediate trail.

      Our longest single loop is the Blue loop, which is approximately 11 miles. It offers switchbacks, rocky, root laden terrain and a series of climbs to get your heart pounding.

      The 1-mile Gnome loop begins and ends at MR13 "Crossroads" on the Blue/Green/Purple trails, taking you down to the Connector Trail at Hwy H, and all the way to Emma Carlin if you have the time and the legs.

      All-in-all John Muir is a great trail system. These aren't the most technical trails in the state, but there are a total of over 27 miles of trails in the system with many loops to choose from. If that's not enough, try a "Big-Big", which is the John Muir Blue loop to MR13, Gnome loop to Connector to Emma Carlin, Emma Green loop, Connector back to Gnome to MR13 and finishing in the lot after 33 miles.

      John Muir may be the most visited trail system in the state, with good reason; it's well maintained, and provides something for everyone. If you're in Southern Wisconsin, make sure you ride John Muir.
      Primary Trail Type: Cross-Country
      AKA: Kettle Moraine South
      Land Status: State Forest
      MTB Parking google parking directions
      Access Info:
      John Muir Trailhead
      Disclaimer:
      State Park sticker required for parking. Trail Pass required for riders 16+. Helmets required for all riders.
      Links
      Activities Click to view
      Region Details
      • 7
      • 4
      • 20
      • 1

      Region Status
      Open as of 20 hours
      Local Trail Association

      Stats

      Avg Trail Rating
      Trails (view details)
      106
      Trails Mountain Bike
      33
      Trails E-Bike
      8
      Trails Horse
      7
      Trails Hike
      104
      Trails Trail Running
      101
      Trails ATV/ORV/OHV
      6
      Trails Snowmobile
      4
      Trails Nordic Ski
      3
      Total Distance
      82 miles
      Total Descent Distance
      27 miles
      Total Descent
      4,406 ft
      Total Vertical
      187 ft
      Highest Trailhead
      1,015 ft
      Reports
      428
      Photos
      27
      Ridden Counter
      14,691

      Photos of John Muir Trails Mountain Bike

      trail: Blue Loop
      81 |
      Jul 6, 2023 @ 3:58pm
      Jul 6, 2023
      trail: White Loop
      137 |
      May 8, 2022 @ 4:56am
      May 8, 2022
      197 |
      Jan 28, 2022 @ 6:18am
      Jan 28, 2022
      209 |
      Jan 28, 2022 @ 6:09am
      Jan 28, 2022
      trail: White Loop
      148 |
      Feb 3, 2021 @ 12:24pm
      Feb 3, 2021
      175 |
      Jan 19, 2021 @ 2:23pm
      Jan 19, 2021
      221 |
      Oct 6, 2020 @ 8:37am
      Oct 6, 2020
      224 |
      Sep 18, 2020 @ 11:35am
      Sep 18, 2020

      Videos of John Muir Trails Mountain Bike

      Over the bars
      95 | Aug 14, 2023
      Over the bars
      | Aug 14, 2023
      Kettle Moraine, John Muir Trails Blue Loop

      43:26 | 595 | Jan 4, 2021
      Kettle Moraine Skills Course with Kids

      0:39 | 670 | Jan 4, 2019

      Recent Trail Reports

      Activity Feed

      usernameactiontypetitledate
      mtbnrnaddreportactivity #70493218
      Apr 27, 2025 @ 8:56am
      20 hours
      Chadeverupdatetrailactivity #70459544
      Apr 26, 2025 @ 9:24pm
      1 day
      Chadeverupdatetrailactivity #70353249 and 13 more
      Apr 25, 2025 @ 11:11am
      3 days
      Chadeverupdatetrailactivity #70341586 and 4 more
      Apr 25, 2025 @ 8:00am
      3 days
      Chadeverupdatetrailactivity #70320812 and 3 more
      Apr 24, 2025 @ 8:15pm
      Apr 24, 2025

      Recent Comments

      usernametypetitlecommentdate
      excelsior3trailBlue LoopSome of the most technical riding in the...
      Oct 21, 2023 @ 10:33pm
      Oct 21, 2023
      horozlareportEmergency Access Route 025Nice work!!
      Aug 28, 2023 @ 7:11am
      Aug 28, 2023
      AmpfrogtrailOrange LoopNarrower than most trails in this area, plus...
      Jul 15, 2023 @ 3:12pm
      Jul 15, 2023
      AmpfrogtrailBlue / Green / Orange / White Loop95% smooth dirt trail, very easy blue.
      Jul 6, 2023 @ 12:45pm
      Jul 6, 2023
      AmpfrogtrailKids LoopSmooth wide trail through the woods, has...
      Jul 6, 2023 @ 12:42pm
      Jul 6, 2023

      Nearby Areas

      namedistance
      Emma Carlin Trails 5 64.4 km
      Alpine Valley Resort 6 410.7 km
      Glacial River Park 2 116.1 km
      Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures 4 116.6 km
      The Grand Geneva Resort 118.2 km

      Local Badges


      Activity Type Stats

      activitytypetrailsdistancedescentdescent distancetotal verticalratingglobal rankstate rankphotosreportsroutesridelogs
      Mountain Bike3338 miles1,657 ft12 miles174 ft
      #2,011#1,0902642685,801
      E-Bike822 miles499 ft8 miles174 ft
      36553
      Horse718 miles797 ft7 miles184 ft
      242
      Hike10478 miles4,249 ft27 miles187 ft
      #1,549#96314254234
      Trail Running10177 miles4,236 ft26 miles187 ft
      #1,549#95742562
      ATV/ORV/OHV616 miles335 ft4 miles154 ft
      22
      Snowmobile410 miles663 ft4 miles184 ft
      3
      Nordic Ski34 miles157 ft4,144 ft69 ft
      61
      • By MyszkewiczTF Pro SKORR & contributors
      • Admins: SKORR, SKORR
      • #5285 - 17,321 views

      Downloading of trail gps tracks in kml & gpx formats is enabled for John Muir Trails.
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