Oak Leaf Trail

{{Infobox trail

|name=Oak Leaf Trail

|photo=Oak Leaf Trail.jpg

|caption=A sign for the Oak Leaf Trail in Lake Park on Milwaukee's East Side neighborhood

|length_mi=135

|location=Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

|use=Shared-use path

|established=1966

|maintainer=Milwaukee County Parks

|website=[https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Explore/Trails/Oak-Leaf-Trail Oak Leaf Trail]

}}

The Oak Leaf Trail (formerly 76 Bike Trail) is a paved {{convert|135|mi|km|adj=on}} multi-use recreational trail system which encircles Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.{{Cite web |title=Oak Leaf Trail |url=https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Explore/Trails/Oak-Leaf-Trail |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=Milwaukee County Parks}} Clearly marked trail segments connect all of the major parks in the Milwaukee County Park System.

History

Early bicycling advocate Harold "Zip" Morgan first conceived and laid out a {{convert|64|mi|km|adj=on}} trail in 1939. The route made its way around the edge of the county and through natural resource corridors found along the rivers and lakefront.Ray Hoven. Biking & Hiking the Greater Milwaukee Area. Antioch, Illinois: American Bike Trails, 2005. Three decades later the trail was officially established by the Milwaukee County Park Commission, and in 1966 construction of the parkland trails began.[http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/oakleaftrail.html Oak Leaf Trail offers scenic biking nestled in city limits], OnMilwaukee.com, May 30, 2004. In 1976, it became known as the 76 Bike Trail.{{Cite book |last=Maher |first=Rothenbueler |title=Milwaukee County's Oak Leaf Trail: A History |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2019 |isbn=9781467140683 |location=Charleston, SC |language=en}}{{Rp|43}} The trail was briefly renamed to the 76 Multi-Use Trail in 1995 before being renamed to the Oak Leaf Trail in 1996.{{R|Maher|p=59}}

In 2005, the system of inter-connecting trails consisted of {{convert|48|mi|km}} of asphalt paths and {{convert|31|mi|km}} of parkway, along with {{convert|27|mi|km}} of municipal streets that had designated bicycle lanes and sidewalks.

In September 2018, to improve wayfinding, sections of the trail were assigned colors and branch line names.{{R|Maher|p=72}}

Description

The trail system is composed of several intersecting lines. Scenery along the Oak Leaf Trail varies from woodland parks, nature reserves, and a wildlife corridor along the lakefront, to urban industrial settings in Milwaukee's downtown area.

= {{Color box|#D74699}} Menomonee Line =

The Menomonee Line is {{Convert|14.75|mi|km}} long. It stretches from Doyne Park in the south to Dretzka Park in the north.

= {{Color box|#F8ED10}} Kinnickinnic Line =

The Kinnickinnic Line is {{Convert|15|mi|km}} long. Following the Kinnickinnic River for most of its length, it turns north at each end to connect to the Milwaukee Art Museum in the east and Hart Park in the west. The Kinnickinnic River Trail intersects with the line at multiple points.

The line was established in 1988 as the 76 East-West Trail, spanning {{Convert|14.3|mi|km}} and following much of the same route as it does today.{{R|Maher|pp=53–54}}

In 2021, Milwaukee County Parks received a grant to construct a one-mile segment of trail on the line between 16th Street and 27th Street.{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Chelsey |date=2021-08-20 |title=A new Oak Leaf Trail segment is planned for Milwaukee's south side thanks to a $450K grant targeting underserved communities |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}

= {{Color box|#FAA31E}} Root River Line =

The Root River Line is {{Convert|19|mi|km}} long. It stretches from the Milwaukee County Sports Complex in the south to Hoyt Park in the north, connecting with the New Berlin Trail, Brookfield Greenway, Powerline Trail, and Hank Aaron State Trail along the way. Part of this line is included in U.S. Bicycle Route 30.{{Cite web |date=2020-08-31 |title=US Bike Route 30 Turn by Turn Directions |url=https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/bike/bike-maps/usbr30-etow.pdf |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=Wisconsin Department of Transportation}}

The line was first established as the {{Convert|2.1|mi|km|adj=on}} Root River Trail Extension in 2006.[http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=521110 Ceremony to mark Oak Leaf Trail extension], Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 19, 2006.

= {{Color box|#70CBCE}} Oak Creek Line =

The Oak Creek Line is {{Convert|8|mi|km}} long. It branches from the South Shore Line in Abendschein Park in the north, then continues south until bending west to follow part of the Root River.

Portions of the line follow the former Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad right-of-way.{{Cite web |last=Holl |first=Craig |date=2012-03-26 |title=Oak Leaf Trail - North Shore Spur |url=http://www.midwestroads.com/craigholl/bike/olt-ns.html |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=Midwest Roads}}

= {{Color box|#E51F28}} South Shore Line =

The South Shore Line is {{Convert|16|mi|km}} long. It stretches from Cupertino Park in the north to Bender Park in the south.

{{As of|2022}}, the line sees over 230,000 users per year.{{Cite web |title=Trail Counts |url=https://city.milwaukee.gov/dpw/infrastructure/multimodal/Bike-Infrastructure/Trails/Trail-Counts.htm |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works}}

= {{Color box|#1DA6DF}} Milwaukee River Line =

File:Oak Leaf Trail Milwaukee River Line October 2022 8.jpg

The Milwaukee River Line is {{Convert|14|mi|km}} long. It stretches from Juneau Park in the south to Brown Deer Park in the north, connecting with the Beerline Trail along the way.

= {{Color box|#884C9E}} The Zip Line =

The Zip Line is {{Convert|9|mi|km}} long. It branches from the Milwaukee River Line in Estabrook Park and continues north until it connects with Kohl Park and the Ozaukee Interurban Trail.

In 2015, a {{Convert|3.1|mi|km|adj=on}} gap in the line between Hampton Avenue and Mill Road was filled atop a former Union Pacific right-of-way.{{Cite web |title=Oak Leaf Trail link to be completed this fall |url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/health/oak-leaf-trail-link-to-be-completed-this-fall-b99509554z1-305581561.html |date=2015-05-30 |last=Bergquist |first=Lee |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |language=en}}

= {{Color box|#783E21}} Drexel Connector =

The Drexel Connector is {{Convert|4.5|mi|km}} long. It provides an east-west connection between the Oak Creek Line and the Root River Line.

= {{Color box|#783E21}} Bradley Connector =

The Bradley Connector is {{Convert|3.3|mi|km}} long. It provides an east-west connection among the Menomonee River Line, the Zip Line, and the Milwaukee River Line.

= {{Color box|#28367D}} Lake Line =

The Lake Line is {{Convert|8|mi|km}} long. It stretches from the Milwaukee Art Museum in the south to Lake Park in the north.

The line was established in 1967 as a {{Convert|3.1|mi|km|adj=on}} bicycle-only pilot trail that started at McKinley Park, traveled north to Lake Park, made a loop, and traveled south until ending near the North Point Water Tower.{{R|Maher|p=78}}