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Discover Vernon County's
Trails
Over 25 miles of shared-use trails for four-season recreation across the Driftless
Sidie Hollow
Sidie Hollow County Park offers 521 acres of diverse terrain surrounding a 40-acre lake. Since 2006, Vernon Trails has designed, built, and maintained a shared-use trail system here, adding new routes and improving access over time. The trails are ideal for hiking, running, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, and mountain biking across all ability levels.
Trails: ~14 miles
Key Features: Lakeside loop, scenic overlooks, varied terrain for beginners to advanced users
Park Amenities: Camping (rustic to full hookup), restrooms, showers, shelters, playground, water, boat launch.
Hubbard Hills/Rusty Ridge
Located on the southwest edge of Viroqua, Hubbard Hills & Rusty Ridge are privately owned land where Vernon Trails began building shared-use trails in 2009. Designed with a stacked-loop layout, these systems offer approachable routes near town that grow more challenging as you venture outward. Ideal for hiking, running, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, and mountain biking.
Trails: ~3 miles
Nearby Amenities: Walking and biking distance from downtown
Trail Hours: 8 am–8 pm
Vernon Trails doesn't report trail conditions Hubbard Hills. Use common sense: If it seems like it is too wet to hike/ride, then it probably is.
Veteran Hills
The Veteran Hills groomed fat bike trails are located on the 50+ acres of land behind the Viroqua VFW located at 751 S. Washington Ave. The 5 mile loop is easy to follow and can be ridden in either direction. Additional mileage will be groomed at Viroqua Hills Golf Course and the City of Viroqua Compost Site when weather permits. This additional loop will be connected to the loop at The Vet when applicable. Trailheads are found at the north end of the large parking lot behind the lodge and also by the shelter.
FAQs of Winter Fat Biking at Veteran HIlls
Can I ride a regular mountain bike here?
No. These trails are dedicated to fat bikes only. Standard MTB tires rut the snow and ruin the tread.
Fat bike rules:
Tires 3.8”+
10 psi or lower
If the trail is soft or you’re leaving ruts, stay off
What’s the grooming about?
Volunteers groom several nights a week and after major snowfalls. Grooming compacts the snow and needs time to set. Please avoid the trail for a few hours after fresh grooming to let it firm up.
Who can use these trails?
Primarily fat bikers. Snowshoers are acceptable because they distribute weight evenly. Hikers damage the groomed surface—please use the separate hiking loop instead.
Are the trails open year-round?
No. The fat bike loop runs through the Veteran Hills Disc Golf Course and closes when snow is gone and disc golf season returns. For warm-season riding, Vernon Trails maintains over 40 miles of other singletrack across the region.
News from the Trails
- Posted:
Outdoor enthusiasts! We thought it time to provide you with a VFW land update. We heard you loud and clear...
- Posted:
Trail friends! Looks like this week’s going to bring some of those freeze/thaw situations. We can definitely go out and...
- Posted:
When we’re not playing outside in this great winter, we’re doing a lot of planning. Planning for future fun. Planning...
- Posted:
The third Winter Stormlette has hit. And you can get your snow stuff back out. The volunteers will be out...
- Posted:
The past couple of days of above freezing temperatures mixed with rainfall have knocked back our winter playground a bit....
- Posted:
Volunteers have made two passes so far on the fresh new blanket of fun. One more compacting pass will be...
Explore Vernon County Trails on Trailforks
Other Places to Play: Winter
Groomed Nordic Skiing
- Groomed Nordic Skiing
- Viroqua Hills Golf Course
- Kickapoo Valley Reserve
- Wildcat Mountain State Park
- Hixon Forest (La Crosse)
- Wyalusing State Park
Backcountry Ideas (besides everywhere)
- Duck Egg County Park
- Jersey Valley County Park
- Veteran Hills (not on the Fat Bike trail)
- KVR
- Sidie Hollow County Park
Snowshoeing
- Hubbard Hills / Rusty Ridge
- Sidie Hollow
- Every Vernon County Park
- Kickapoo Valley Reserve
- And honestly… freaking everywhere
Trail Ethics & Etiquette
- Respect the rights of all recreationists to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Respect public and private property.
- Tread lightly. Stay on designated trails and roads. Avoid wet, muddy trails to prevent unnecessary damage and erosion.
- Plan ahead. Obtain maps and know local regulations and trail closures before you head out. Bring proper equipment.
- Control your bicycle. Don’t slide, skid, or cut corners. Control your speed. When stopping, do not block the trail.
- Yield to those passing you or going uphill. Bicycles yield to hikers, runners, and horses.
- Slow down when encountering other users. Anticipate other trails users around corners. Practice courteous and friendly communication when passing.
- Respect wildlife. Do not spook animals or disturb wildlife habitats.
- Leave no trace. Properly dispose of waste and minimize alterations to the land.
A Few Notes On Respecting Trail Conditions
Trails close to prevent erosion. Both natural forces and user impact can damage tread—especially when the ground is wet, thawing, or saturated. To protect the trail, closures happen whenever conditions make the surface vulnerable.
Closures apply to everyone: hikers, runners, bikers, horses, and fatbikes. If mud builds up on your tires, shoes, or hooves, stay off the trails until they firm up.
The length of closures depends entirely on weather—spring freeze–thaw cycles and late storms can extend the downtime. Vernon Trails monitors conditions daily and reopens trails as soon as they’re safe and sustainable to ride or hike.
Calling all Trail Heroes
Weeds happen. Help keep our trails mowed and user-friendly for all trail users.
