Riding the Pecatonica State Trail

By Dena Nechkash

Since I started working with the Belmont Tourism group, I’ve heard more and more about the Pecatonica State Trail, but I hadn’t spent much time on it. When I lived in Belmont several years ago, I would walk a mile or two of the trail, but I never experienced it as a whole. 

A friend helped me get that experience on a very warm spring evening. With temperatures rounding out in the mid-90s in mid-May, I was exceptionally pleased to learn of the air conditioning feature in her Ranger. It made it a pleasant evening to be out on the trail! 

The Pecatonica State Trail is an ATV/UTV trail following the former railroad bed connecting Belmont to Calamine in Lafayette County, WI. In the winter months it is also a snowmobile trail. It connects to the Cheese Country Trail at Calamine, where you can head north to Mineral Point or south to Darlington and even Monroe. You can find the Lafayette County ATV Trail Map here.  

We started where the Pecatonica State Trail merges with the Mound View State Trail (a non-motorized biking/walking trail connecting Platteville and Belmont). This paved section of the trail leads you into beautiful downtown Belmont. It’s worth a stop to grab a bite to eat or a beverage to cool down. There are several bars/restaurants right along the trail: McCarville’s My Turn Pub, Ripper’s Saloon and Sportspage Bar & Supper Club. And check out the mural on Commerce Street, just to the south of the bars. 

A couple blocks from the downtown area, the trail passes Bond Park, the community’s largest park. It has a walking/exercise trail, ball diamonds and playground equipment. It is also along the stream and is a very pretty backdrop for pictures. 

From there we headed out of town and made our way to Calamine. This segment featuring all gravel trails is approximately 10 miles long. It follows the Bonner Branch stream, which itself is a beautiful sight. Along the trail you can see a variety of farming practices, from modern to Amish, and even find a roadside stand with flowers and canned goods. Closer to Calamine, a couple of ponds are adjacent to the trail, allowing for waterfowl sightings.

At Calamine, the Pecatonica State Trail crosses a wooden bridge adjacent to the large, green, metal bridge spanning the Pecatonica River. There is a boat landing under the bridge and this is where Darlington’s Canoe Race kicks off the second weekend in June for its annual Canoe Fest. At Calamine you either merge onto the Cheese Country Trail to head to Mineral Point or Darlington, or you turn around and head back to Belmont. 

Our trip to Calamine and back to Belmont took a couple of hours. We weren’t hurrying as we took in the beautiful spring flowers and wildlife appearances along the trail. We saw deer, raccoon, Canada geese, and ducks. It was a very enjoyable time catching up with a friend and taking in nature’s beauty.

And if you aren’t from around the area, the Quality Inn & Suites in Belmont has easy access to the Pecatonica State Trail. They have trailer parking and the Crazy Cow Saloon to unwind after a long day on the trail!