Green County 2019 Guide

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featured events

Lions Club Pancake Day February 9 Sugar River Earth Day April 20 Yesteryear’s Weekend May 24-27 Lions Club Car Show June 23

SUGAR RIVER Recreation on the Sugar River got a little bit sweeter last year when local water enthusiasts took on a project to mark off a canoe and kayak trail. Twenty landing stations were designated starting in Harrison, Illinois (where the Sugar River meets up with the Pecatonica River) and continue north through all of Green County to Belleville. Wooden kiosks mark each landing. Each includes a map with a “you are here” location, estimated paddling time to the next landing, and information on the wildlife sharing the river corridor. You'll also find visitor tips, like the following from Station 11c – Albany Dam Take-Out: On River Right are steps leading up to a walkway that allows you to descend downstream. The portage is not difficult but it can be strenuous. Put in at the landing below the dam. Watch for tuber traffic in the summer as you go under the bridge. SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS SUGAR RIVER STATE TRAIL The Sugar River State Trail follows the route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Due to the thousands of pounds of cheese that were being shipped from the area, trains using the line were called the “Limburger Special.” From New Glarus, the trail crosses 14 trestle bridges over the Sugar River and its tributaries as it rolls southeast 24 miles, connecting the communities of Monticello, Albany, and Brodhead. Along the way you’ll travel through farmland, woods, meadows, rocky bluffs, and remnant prairies. Between Monticello and Albany, the trail shares a section of the Ice Age Trail, a hiking path spanning 1,200 miles across the state. An intersection with the Badger State Trail is just east of Monticello. A three-mile stretch of the Sugar River Trail passes through the Albany Wildlife Area, where seasonal hunting is allowed. At mile 14, the trail crosses the Sugar River on a long, curved bridge. At mile 21 (just north of Brodhead) the trail passes through the Clarence Covered Bridge. Trail users include bikers, hikers, geo-cachers and snowmobilers. The waterway trail project was led by volunteers with Brodhead’s Decatur Lakes Mill Race Association.

GAP Church Bash July 20 Amish Quilt Auction July 27 Lions Club Pig Out August 3 GAP Church Hymn Sing August 18

For more information: Stations 1-3: bit.ly/isrtrail Stations 4-9a: bit.ly/lsrtrail Stations 9b-16: bit.ly/usrtrail

FFA Alumni Tractor Show August 25 Fall Festival September 28 Sugar River Christmas December 7

For more information: 608.527.2335 or dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/sugarriver