Old Abe — Lake Wissota County O trailhead: short bicycle return

Old Abe — Lake Wissota County O trailhead: short bicycle return — detailed guide

Source review: 2026-10-21. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.

Lake Wissota / Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin · Up to 4 miles return · Asphalt bicycle rail-trail

Start: Old Abe — Lake Wissota County O trailhead, Old Abe State Trail Lake Wissota Trailhead, 97th Avenue, Anson, WI. Fresh county and retained September 2026 DNRmap explicitly identify public Lake Wissota trailhead at Hwy S/Hwy O /97 th Avenue. Use designated trail visitor spaces and walk lot/road access to main northbound asphalt, not state park camping/private lakefront lots. Use designated ordinary visitor spaces, respect reserved spaces and walk through the lot to the signed main path. The address identifies a public facility, not a surveyed stall.

Ride: Follow the signed main path north on the asphalt Old Abe main trail toward Jim Falls. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

Distance: Chosen 4-mile maximum return, not the full regional corridor or a surveyed parking-to-parking distance. Earlier interfaces shorten the outing; parking walking is extra.

Permission and effort: Source-backed ordinary bicycle use on the designated improved main path; walking-only spurs and adjacent private property are excluded. County expressly describes this southern former-rail stretch from Hwy S/Hwy O as flat and easy going. Qualitative source guidance, not a surveyed maximum or bridge-ramp certificate.

Planning: Choose daylight and obey posted gate / parking hours. Cyclists age 16+ need personal state trail pass, current $5 daily/$25 annual. Vehicle admission / local parking separate; posted terms govern. Yield to walkers and horses where present, keep right and announce passes. Obey posted speed, helmet and pet requirements. Ordinary pedal bicycles covered here; no blanket e-bike-class permission inferred.

Access reviewed October 20, 2026 Central (October 21 UTC): County/open headline does not lift actual Cornell Highway 64 bridge closure. October 13–15 culvert work just south of Cornell has no actual reopening established; this southern County O short return is far from Cornell. DNR 20 mile versus county 19.5 is whole corridor rounding, not selected return basis. Local signs and actual tread govern. This is a dated source review, not a field inspection or current-day all-clear. Postpone for snow, ice, high water, soft tread or barriers rather than improvising a bypass.

Bring water and choose suitable weather. Parking walking is extra. No surveyed parking-space pin or navigable GPX is supplied.

Sources: Fresh county flat/easy southern scope / public access · DNR named public trailheads · DNR current personal trail pass