Wisconsin's Lovely Riverfront State Trail Circles An Entire Community Spotlighting Scenic Boardwalks And Wetlands

Wisconsin is home to 44 state trails, spanning an impressive 1,700 miles around the state. One special trail to experience is the Green Circle State Trail in the city of Stevens Point. This 27-mile loop is made up of 12 different sections that travel alongside two rivers. It's a lovely trail for hiking, biking, running, snowshoeing, or skiing. The majority of the trail is through nature and tranquil parks, with plenty of pretty boardwalks and interesting terrain like wetlands, as well as forests, prairies, and some calm residential areas. 

The Green Circle State Trail opened in 1996 and encircles the entire nature-filled, artsy city of Stevens Point. The city and its neighbor, Whiting, are at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Plover Rivers, and the trail also offers insight into the area's lumber industry and pioneer heritage. It's well-signposted, and the surface is a mix of asphalt, gravel, wood chips, and boardwalks. 

The main trailhead is at Schmeeckle Reserve — where there's free parking — but it's possible to join the trail at many other stages and complete small segments, as opposed to the entire loop. If you do choose to complete the whole loop, it'll take about 3 to 4 hours by bike, or 7.5 to 8 hours on foot.

The scenic boardwalks offer excellent opportunities to enjoy the views on the trail. Most of the sections with boardwalks are on the northern and eastern part of the Green Circle Trail. The half-mile boardwalk on the Moses Creek Trail is the longest boardwalk on the state trail, taking users over wet woodland. Other boardwalks go through pine trees and forested wetlands. 

The River Pines Trail follows the Wisconsin River, with boardwalks by the river providing a beautiful place to watch the sunset. The University Trail's elevated boardwalk journeys through cattail marsh and is great for birdwatching. Overall, the Green Circle Trail is quite picturesque — one AllTrails user praised the scenery, saying, "Very enjoyable trail! Love the boardwalks and views through the woods and the ride along the river."

Several Green Circle State Trail segments, such as the River Pines Trail and the University Trail, pass through wetland environments along the rivers. The mix of habitats around the trail makes it a prime spot for birdwatching — some 245 species of birds have been spotted here. It's possible to see bald eagles or ospreys near the river, along with warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers, and waterfowl, amongst the wetlands and other terrain.

Accessing the Green Circle State Trail is free — there is no state trail fee to use this trail. Bicyclists should be wary of narrow, blind curves and are advised to wear helmets and fluorescent clothing, alert other trail users, and cross intersections with care. Pets are allowed on most of the trail — although not at the University Trail — so all trail users should be aware of four-legged friends. One Google reviewer summed up their experience nicely, saying, "We love walking and biking along the Green Circle Trail. Gorgeous place and impressively maintained trails!"

Stevens Point is located in the central part of the state, between Minneapolis and the vibrant bayside city of Green Bay. Although Central Wisconsin Airport is only about a 25-minute drive away, Green Bay's Austin Straubel International is the best option for the most flights — it's about 1.5 hours away. Discover more nature in Wisconsin by exploring the 800 miles of trails and 2,000 lakes in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which spans 1.5 million acres.