🎉 FLASH NEWS! WE WON!
For over 19 years, Vernon Trails has been committed to expanding access and building community through outdoor recreation. What started as a small group of outdoor enthusiasts has grown into a movement of volunteers dedicated to bringing quality outdoor experiences to our community.
When we began, Vernon County had zero miles of shared-use trails. To date, we have created, gained access to, and continue to maintain over 60 miles. We work closely with both public and private landowners to create our trail networks—shared-use trails built to serve everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned veterans, offering hiking, trail running, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and more.Â
We have organized and hosted hundreds of events, built and maintained an 18-hole disc golf course, and continue to invest in our youth through our youth mountain bike team, Vernon Trails Area Composite.
Today, we’re thrilled to share exciting news: Vernon Trails has been awarded a T-Mobile Hometown Grant for our Trail Signage Project! We’re one of 25 communities selected in this latest round, joining nearly 400 towns nationwide that have benefited from T-Mobile’s $18 million investment in small town America through their Hometown Grants program. Read T-Mobile’s full announcement here and see a video with the complete list of recipients here.
What This Means
This funding will help us tackle one of our biggest challenges: better signage and navigation tools for our trail networks. Once complete, trail users will be able to confidently navigate our systems from start to finish.
What We’re Building
With this grant, we’ll be creating:
â—Ź 7 new trailhead kiosks with clear maps and trail information
â—Ź 30 new wayfinding signs at key intersections
â—Ź 50 refreshed signs throughout our existing trail network
â—Ź Updated printed maps with QR codes linking to our website and digital maps All work will be done by local partners, keeping this project rooted in our community.
Our Trail Systems
This project will improve navigation across all three of our main areas:
- Hubbard Hills/Rusty Ridge: 22 acres with 3 miles of shared-use trails
- Sidie Hollow County Park: 521 acres including a 35-acre lake with 12 miles of shared-use trails
- Veteran Hills: 40+ acres featuring our 18-hole disc golf course and winter fat bike trails Community Impact
Better signage benefits everyone—from first-time visitors to families with kids—allowing all to explore our trails safely and confidently. When needed, it also helps our emergency responders locate people quickly.
What’s Next
We will begin work immediately and have signs with updated maps fully installed by summer 2026. Once complete, navigating our trails will be clear and easy for everyone.
Thanks to T-Mobile for recognizing the importance of outdoor recreation in small communities like ours, and to our amazing volunteers for helping create and maintain this incredible destination. We can’t wait to see the difference this makes for trail users across Vernon County.
Special Thanks To:Â
Special thanks to Michael Browne of Rise Above Partners (rise-above.net) for his expertise in crafting the grant proposal that made this project possible. For other communities and businesses interested in pursuing similar funding opportunities, Michael is interested in helping identify opportunities to help you thrive.
Vernon Trails is a nonprofit organization committed to developing and maintaining sustainable roadways and trails while continuing to create access for human-powered users. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and donations are tax deductible. EIN: #71-0885732
Come celebrate with us!
Live in Viroqua • June 21
Find our booth, share the excitement, toast to better trails!
