Routes

Cravath Lake Loop

1.5 miles · Mixed — paved path + crushed gravel · Easy

📍 Cravath Lake Park, 350 W Main St, Whitewater, WI

Flat, scenic loop around Cravath Lake. Best beginner loop in Whitewater. Add laps for longer runs.

Geneva Lake Shore Path — Williams Bay Section

4 to 8 miles out-and-back (full lake circuit is 21–26 miles) · Singletrack footpath (2 feet wide) — mixed dirt, stone, occasional flagstone, brief paved segments · Moderate (the path itself is easy; navigation, surface variation, and length make it moderate)

📍 Williams Bay public access (recommended for first-timers)

A section of the historic 21-mile path circling Geneva Lake. Established centuries ago by the Potawatomi; today it winds through the lawns of historic lakeside estates. About 50 minutes from Whitewater.

Glacial Drumlin State Trail — Lake Mills to Jefferson

~9 miles one-way (scalable from 2 to 18 miles out-and-back) · Crushed limestone (rail-to-trail) · Easy (flat)

📍 Lake Mills Trail Depot (historic depot, southern edge of Lake Mills, WI)

Crushed-limestone rail-to-trail through scenic farm country between Lake Mills and Jefferson. Flat, well-shaded sections, free for running. ~30 minutes from Whitewater.

Glacial River Trail — Fort Atkinson Section

Out-and-back options, 4 to 24 miles (paved trail spans Janesville to Fort Atkinson) · Paved · Easy (flat); scales by distance

📍 Multiple trailheads through Fort Atkinson; Bicentennial Park is a common start

Paved rail-with-rail trail along Hwy 26 between Janesville and Fort Atkinson. 24.1 paved miles of flat running through Milton, Koshkonong, and Fort Atkinson. Best regional option for long, flat road-marathon training.

Ice Age Trail — Whitewater Segment

4.8 miles point-to-point · Singletrack dirt, rolling glacial terrain · Moderate

📍 Whitewater Lake Recreation Area, Kettle Moraine State Forest, WI

4.8-mile point-to-point segment of the national Ice Age Trail through the Whitewater Lake area of Kettle Moraine — Southern Unit. The closest piece of the Ice Age Trail to Whitewater.

Kettle Moraine — Emma Carlin Trailhead

4 to 12+ miles (loop options) · Singletrack dirt + rolling glacial terrain · Moderate to hard

📍 Emma Carlin Trailhead, Hwy ZZ, Palmyra, WI

Wisconsin's premier trail running terrain. Rolling kettles, glacial drumlins, real climbing. Where the Kettle Moraine 100 Endurance Runs are staged.

Kettle Moraine — Nordic Trailhead Loops

1.5 to 9.3 miles (six color-coded loops) · Singletrack dirt + grass (Nordic ski trail system in summer mode) · Easy to Hard depending on loop

📍 Nordic Trail parking lot, County Highway H south of Palmyra, WI

Six color-coded loops at the Nordic trailhead. Distance options from ~1.5 to 9.3 miles. The Blue Loop (9.3 mi) is a signature long-trail run.

Kettle Moraine — Scuppernong Trailhead Loops

2 to 5 miles (three color-coded loops) · Singletrack dirt + grass · Easy to Moderate

📍 Scuppernong Trail parking lot, County Highway ZZ east of Hwy 67, north of Eagle, WI

Three color-coded loops, 2–5 miles, easier terrain than Emma Carlin or Nordic. Best Kettle Moraine option for a first trail run, an easy day, or coaching a small group.

Lake La Grange Loop

Approx. 4 miles · Singletrack dirt + crushed stone (Nordic trail system) · Moderate

📍 Sherwood Forest Road parking lot, La Grange, WI (Kettle Moraine State Forest — Southern Unit)

The most popular trail run in the Whitewater area per AllTrails. Forested loop with lake views; uses the Nordic trail system around Lake La Grange. ~25 min from Whitewater.

Trippe Lake Park Loop (and Cravath–Trippe Combination)

1.5 to 2.2 miles · Paved · Easy

📍 Trippe Lake Park, Whitewater, WI (or Minneiska Park as an extended start)

Compact, paved, family-friendly loop around Trippe Lake. Can be combined with Cravath Lake via the Whitewater Trail for a longer two-lake circuit. No road crossings on the Minneiska–Trippe variant.

UW-Whitewater Nature Preserve

2-mile loop (5+ miles of trail total) · Crushed stone + dirt, with bridge crossings · Easy

📍 NE corner of UW-Whitewater campus, behind Esker Dining Hall, Whitewater, WI

A 110-acre nature preserve in the northeast corner of UW-Whitewater's campus. Five-plus miles of woodland, wetland, and prairie trails open year-round. Perfect for college runners and a great campus-side option.

Whitewater Downtown Loop — Indian Mounds + Creek Trail

Approx. 2.5 to 3.5 miles · Paved sidewalk + paved trail · Easy

📍 Downtown Whitewater (Main Street or Cravath Lakefront Park)

A historical-urban loop running downtown to Indian Mounds Park via the Whitewater Trail along Whitewater Creek. Includes effigy mounds dating to 200–1200 AD, interpretive signs, and pedestrian bridges. Family-friendly.

Submit a route

Have a favorite Whitewater-area run that’s not here? Email [email protected] with the trailhead, approximate distance, and surface. We’ll vet it and add it if it fits.