John Muir Loop
Mountain Biking Trail
Moderate
10.99 mi
807 ft
The best trail loop in the Southern Kettle Moraine unit.
The Southern Unit of Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine State Forest is home to an extensive mountain bike trail system known alternatively as the "John Muir Trails" or "Emma Carlin." The two names come from the respective trailheads and trail loops at either end of the trail network. Despite having distinct names, singletrack runs between the two networks, effectively creating a lengthy mountain bike ride that is quite rare in this region of the Midwest.
In fact, many riders agree that the John Muir and Emma Carlin trails collectively comprise one of the premier mountain bike trail systems in the Southern Wisconsin / Northern Illinois region. Easily accessible from three major metropolitan areas (Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison), the high-quality singletrack attracts thousands of riders every year.
To help keep up with the demand on the facilities and trail maintenance, out of state riders will have to pay $11 for a day parking sticker and $5 for a day riding pass. However, if you're an in-state local and plan to ride here often, an annual parking pass is just $28, and an annual trail pass is $25.
So, are the trails worth the cost to ride? Compared to most other mountain bike trails in the region, the short answer is "yes!"
If you can only ride one half of this trail system, the John Muir trails are hands-down the best choice, with flowier and better-designed singletrack than what you’ll find at Emma Carlin.
The trails at John Muir are bike-optimized to the max, despite having been built in relatively flat Southern Wisconsin terrain. The singletrack swoops and flows through the tight trees, and almost every downhill features small-but-entertaining berms to provide a playful ride experience. Deeper into the network, the trails get a little steeper and offer a bit more climbing to keep you honest. At the trailhead, you'll find an entertaining skills course with well-built wooden berms, skinnies, and jumps. Written by Greg Heil
The Southern Unit of Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine State Forest is home to an extensive mountain bike trail system known alternatively as the "John Muir Trails" or "Emma Carlin." The two names come from the respective trailheads and trail loops at either end of the trail network. Despite having distinct names, singletrack runs between the two networks, effectively creating a lengthy mountain bike ride that is quite rare in this region of the Midwest.
In fact, many riders agree that the John Muir and Emma Carlin trails collectively comprise one of the premier mountain bike trail systems in the Southern Wisconsin / Northern Illinois region. Easily accessible from three major metropolitan areas (Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison), the high-quality singletrack attracts thousands of riders every year.
To help keep up with the demand on the facilities and trail maintenance, out of state riders will have to pay $11 for a day parking sticker and $5 for a day riding pass. However, if you're an in-state local and plan to ride here often, an annual parking pass is just $28, and an annual trail pass is $25.
So, are the trails worth the cost to ride? Compared to most other mountain bike trails in the region, the short answer is "yes!"
If you can only ride one half of this trail system, the John Muir trails are hands-down the best choice, with flowier and better-designed singletrack than what you’ll find at Emma Carlin.
The trails at John Muir are bike-optimized to the max, despite having been built in relatively flat Southern Wisconsin terrain. The singletrack swoops and flows through the tight trees, and almost every downhill features small-but-entertaining berms to provide a playful ride experience. Deeper into the network, the trails get a little steeper and offer a bit more climbing to keep you honest. At the trailhead, you'll find an entertaining skills course with well-built wooden berms, skinnies, and jumps. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Blue Loop | 10.40 mi | -144 ft | -0.0% |
| Beat you to the Orange! | 0.31 mi | -10 ft | -0.6% |
| Muir Blue - Lot to the Crossroads | 9.85 mi | -128 ft | -0.0% |
| Roll Call | 0.15 mi | -7 ft | -0.5% |
| Finger Loop to Downtown | 2.87 mi | -85 ft | -0.5% |
| something borrowed, something new 2018 Blue loop | 10.29 mi | 144 ft | 0.0% |
| Staight outta the Lot | 0.76 mi | -46 ft | -0.1% |
| Get to the point | 1.69 mi | -85 ft | -0.1% |
| Beaver and Squirrel | 5.80 mi | 105 ft | 0.0% |
| JM Blue (w/out Nome) Fall 2015 | 9.43 mi | 144 ft | 0.0% |
| Kettle First Downhill | 0.46 mi | -82 ft | -2.9% |
| Downhill Switchbacks | 0.37 mi | -69 ft | -3.5% |
| Finger Loop | 1.32 mi | 66 ft | 0.2% |
| JM Squirel loop | 3.07 mi | 92 ft | 0.4% |
| Squirrel Loop | 2.61 mi | 82 ft | 0.3% |
| Squirrel climb | 0.13 mi | 62 ft | 8.5% |
| Bench climb | 0.18 mi | 49 ft | 5.3% |
| Roller Coaster | 0.35 mi | -36 ft | -0.3% |
| Bermuda | 0.18 mi | -56 ft | -4.3% |
| Sandy Bottoms | 0.26 mi | 30 ft | 0.1% |
| Kissing Meadows | 0.36 mi | 23 ft | 0.5% |
| Bring it on home | 2.53 mi | 135 ft | 0.7% |
| The Beach | 0.13 mi | 30 ft | 4.2% |
| Hells Kitchen | 0.24 mi | 79 ft | 6.1% |
| Last Push | 1.59 mi | 52 ft | 0.0% |
| Last hill before parking lot | 0.12 mi | 39 ft | 5.3% |