Leigh Ann Wagner Kroening
For The News-Chronicle
It's been around for one year, and what a year it's been. More than 118,000 people have used the Fox River Trail since it opened Memorial Day weekend 2001, and usage is expected to be even more this year, said Brown County Park Director Mike McFarlane.
"It's been very heavily used, and that usage increased late last summer with the opening of seven miles of horse trails," McFarlane said. "That opened the trail to a whole different kind of user."
Within its first year, the 13.5-mile trail, which stretches from downtown Green Bay to Greenleaf, went from being a gravel-topped path to a partially paved route with horse trails and other amenities.
Rest areas have been added, and there is a fishing and observation platform behind Historic Hazelwood near Porlier Street in Green Bay.
Next to come is the opening this week of St. Francis Park, five acres of park land that was donated by the Green Bay Catholic Diocese. McFarlane said other near-term goals are to add more benches, rest areas and landscaping.
The trail, a former railroad line, is a scenic journey through history and beauty. From the Green Bay trailhead, it begins along the waterfront in downtown Green Bay and passes south through the Astor Historic District, a 25-block district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As the trail enters Allouez, the importance of the river to industrial growth and shipping can be observed in the Georgia-Pacific Paper Mill, located along the west shore of the Fox River. The trail also passes near Heritage Hill State Park, a living history park with collections depicting the settlement of Northeast Wisconsin.
At the city of De Pere, trail users can observe the first of 17 locks constructed for barge traffic on the river. This is a functioning lock, which today primarily serves recreational boaters.
South of De Pere, the trail takes on a more rural feeling as it passes through agricultural lands. The Niagara Escarpment can be observed in the distance. This prominent bluff formation stretches from eastern Wisconsin to Canada providing habitat to a variety of unique plant and animal species. The trail terminates on the north side of the small agricultural community of Greenleaf.
The trail attracts mostly walkers and bikers, but it also especially is appealing to in-line skaters, McFarlane said.
"Five miles of the trail are paved with minimal street crossings," he said. "It's one of very few trails in the area that are so accessible to skaters."
It's also accessible to pet owners, and horses are not the only animals that can be seen on the trail. Dogs on leashes are welcome, as long as pet waste is removed. That has not been a problem, McFarlane said, and the trail has been kept clean by users and the volunteers who help maintain it.
"One of the reasons the trail has been so popular is because of its many allowable uses," he said. "Walkers of all ages, bikers, skaters, horseback riders, people with dogs - people from all walks of life are enjoying the trail.
"We have everyone from infants out there being pushed in their strollers to senior citizens with canes and walkers. That shows it is an accessible trail and a great asset to the community."
The trail is open year-round and is free to walkers. Bikers, those on in-line skates and horseback riders over age 16 must obtain a trail pass. The cost is $3 for a daily pass or $10 for an annual pass. For a list of vendors or more information about the trail, call 920-448-6242 or visit www.foxrivertrail.org
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