Ride 5 - Stoughton

Cyclists follow the Yahara trail into the park. 5/10/25 dwm

When new sections of the South Yahara trail opened in 2024, I became interested in riding beyond the trail's end at Lake Kegonsa State Park and ride to Stoughton.

The new section was just six miles but took a 35-mile round trip and added 25 miles.

When it comes to rides around Madison and Dane County, the Military Ridge and Capital City trails are major components because they connect my town to most of Madison where either short treks on surface streets or link to other trails.

For this route, the Capital City State Trail was where I spent most of the ride before transitioning to the first part of the South Yahara Trail which goes through Lake Farm County Park and across a boardwalk into McFarland.

Lake Kegonsa. 5/10/25 dwm

 In McFarland part of the trail is under construction so I made my way across town using city streets until I reached county highway AB to reach Fish Camp county park where the South Yahara Trail takes you to Lake Kegonsa State Park.

 That's where it became new.

 Quiet country roads take you from the state park, first on Door Creek road to Williams Point Drive then south on Williams Drive. All three are good for bikes - wide, good pavement, and quiet.

Williams Drive runs close to the lake and crosses the Yahara River as it takes the water coming through Lake Kegonsa downstream until it reaches the Rock River.

The Yahara

The Yahara winds south from the lake and through Stoughton. The river was a primary reason for the Norwegian community to take shape because the river could be harnessed to create electricity.

When I reached the north edge of the city, I saw a sign pointing the way to the last part of the South Yahara River trail.

After leaving Williams Drive to enter an industrial park, I was curving east when I happened to see a sign under a tree (photo below left).

It runs through wild green spaces with a couple intersections where I wasn't sure whether I should turn. Since there wasn't a sign, I chose to go straight.

The last (for now) section. 5/10/25 dwm

 It was under the trees I noticed the river was back, spreading into wetlands. The trail through the city was obviously the first part of the South Yahara path as I noticed several signs noting the flora and fauna.

 Finally the trail ended with a narrow steel bridge over the Yahara where it emptied into a small parking lot. (photo below)

 Under the bridge, the river flows past homes on either shore on its way downtown.

 When I reached the parking lot, I asked a mom with her kids which way to downtown and learned it was only a few blocks. The trail was a shortcut compared to what taking Williams Drive would have been.

The bike bridge is farthest away. 5/10/25 dwm

I ate lunch at Koffee Kup Kafe, finding a spot at the counter in a crowded diner. After a BLT sandwich with a chocolate milk, I unlocked the bike and headed home.

On the trip east, it felt like I was riding into a headwind much of the time. It turns out the wind was out of the north and it calmed a bit on the return trip. 

In spite of the wind, I kept a good pace, averaging 15.5 over 60 miles. The other 60-mile round trip from home has been riding to downtown Sun Prairie and back but the trip to Stoughton is less stressful in terms of traffic, so I'll probably do this trip a few more times this year.

Editors note: As I started writing this blog, I noticed the ride count got ahead of itself, this ride was indeed, ride number five. 

A State Park ranger confirmed for me that's an osprey nest at the top of the tower. 5/10/25 dwm

Taking the South Yahara trail west, heading to Fish Camp county park. 5/10/25 dwm