Study underway toward linking Iron, Vilas trails

By PAMELA JANSSON

pjansson@yourdailyglobe.com

Mercer — An ongoing effort to connect separate bike trails in Iron and Vilas counties is seeing progress, with a feasibility study that is expected to be complete by the end of this year.

That’s the word from Brenda Nelson, who is leading the push with fellow members of ICORE and the Mercer town park board.

Nelson spoke to The Globe during Mercer’s Junefest bike tour on June 8.

ICORE is an acronym for the Iron County Outdoor Recreation Enthusiasts.

So far, said Nelson, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation — which funded the feasibility study for which she applied via a grant — has been “very supportive.”

In addition, she said, engineers completing the study also are working with the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

Nelson said that the feasibility study will allow them to know “what the route options are and the cost.”

She added, “We have to figure out how to get the beauty of the trail without hurting the natural resources.”

Nelson said the project could take six years to complete.

“We will have to put in grants for each phase,” she said, noting that grants can be submitted only every other year.

Amidst the planning is the expectation of a new Carow Park trailhead, including a bike repair station.

In addition, several local grants are funding a new logo and signs for the trail system, and volunteers are building a kiosk at the trailhead.

The trail expansion now is estimated at 8.7 miles along the current trail from Mercer’s Carow Park along County Road J to County Road W.

The projected new trail segment would cross through the DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area and would connect the Mercer trail system to the “Heart of Vilas” system known as WinMan Trails.

Nelson said the result of the new segment would be at least a 23-mile loop, connecting Mercer, Winchester and Manitowish Waters.

The WinMan Trails system is designated as a national recreational trail.

Although grants are expected to cover major project costs, Nelson said that private donations also are appreciated.

Toward that end, she said public input will be requested at an Aug. 4 event in Carow Park.

Present at that event will be representatives from the National Bike Federation and engineers from the feasibility study

Nelson said that the public forum, which will occur between noon and 3 p.m. will include live music, prizes, and food and beverages.

Overall, Vilas and Iron counties already have 52 miles of bike trails.

However, said Nelson, the pending new link “will bring in a whole new set of tourists to Mercer.”