Community Benefits

Communities benefit from bike use and good recreational trail planning

Local Business Owners Say:

The Boulder Junction Story

Charlie Spencer says he was unenthusiastic when work started on a short bike trail in Boulder Junction in the 1990’s. Today Charlie is the town chairman in Boulder Junction and a 40 mile trail extends all the way from his town down through Sayner to St. Germain, and west to Manitowish Waters. Campsites at Crystal Lake State Campground have to be reserved way in advance. Enthusiasm is a mild way to describe how Charlie feels about the bike trail.

“Years back when this whole effort started there were a lot of business owner naysayers that thought the whole idea was a waste of time and money,” he explains. “They even referred to the bikers as ‘sprocket fairies’ and said that they were all bums that never spent any money on anything except an occasional bottle of water. All I can say is they were wrong. We have done some anecdotal research and it shows us that they DO spend a lot of money while in the area. Motel rooms, meals, gas for their cars, bikes and accessories………on and on. The Coon family even built a ‘silent sports’ shop in Boulder Junction that has now expanded to a second location in Arbor Vitae. Steve Peterson (superintendent of the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest) says he sees more bikes and kayaks in the state campgrounds now than boats. I run a small resort and the two questions I get asked by almost everybody is first… ‘Do you have Wifi’ and second … ‘How far are you away from the bike trails?'”

Boulder Bear Motor Lodge in Boulder Junction
Moondeer & Friends Gallery in Boulder Junction
Forest Lake Country Store in Land O’ Lakes
Feeling good!
Recumbent on trail
ENJOY - SepTimber Ride 4
ENJOY - SepTimber Ride 5

Useful Studies

Formal studies confirm the $$$ and benefits of investing in a bicycling infrastructure

These studies listed here provide solid statistics and analysis that supports why Town Chairman Charlie Spencer feels so good about the value of the trails around Boulder Junction.

Good recreational and economic planning maximizes the use and continued appeal of trail infrastructure. Experts speak about good recreational planning in the Wisconsin SCORP Report - 2011-2016. The Cheese Country Trail case study shows the important usage realities of motorized trail usage and how that drives off non-motorized uses on the same trail.