Nine Mile, the “The Crown Jewel” of the Marathon County Parks, Recreation and Forestry system, offered the perfect destination for four friends and a day on 10 miles of mountain biking trails. For me personally, it would be the perfect opportunity to christen a new fat tire bike.
For you, Nine Mile might be the perfect excuse to try out 20 miles of groomed cross country ski trails, or 5,000 acres available for activities including horseback riding, hiking, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. For $20, purchase a season pass and come back as often as you like to try out whatever you want.
My friends and I arrived at Nine Mile in early afternoon and immediately geared up for the day. The great thing about fat tire biking is its year round appeal. Since it was winter, we set out our tire air pressure between 3.5 and 5 pounds. Studded tires during winter are not required, but are definitely recommended for better traction.
Once geared up, we began to venture out and see what Nine Mile had to offer. Single track biking can be risky considering how close trees can be to the trail. Remember safety first and be alert at all times. The best advice that a fellow biker gave me on trail riding is to look where you want to go instead of straight down at your front tire. If you pay attention to where you want to go, you will naturally steer in that direction. One benefit to biking in the winter is that you’ll have a soft landing if you do happen to fall down!
For the first two hours, the four of us meandered our way through the single track course. Another inch of fresh powder had come down the night before, which added to optimal conditions. The trails were groomed very nicely as well.
After that first spin, we spent some time inside Nine Mile’s convention center; complete with fireplace and plenty of room to sit inside and warm up with coffee or hot chocolate. After some laughs and caffeine to get the blood pumping again, we went back out to explore more trails.
We had a great day at Nine Mile and I would recommend these trails to any beginner. They are relatively flat and tame, which is ideal for anyone just starting out with trail riding.
I’m looking forward to riding new trails throughout Wisconsin and to breaking out the kayak when the weather warms up. ✦
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mountain Biking Trails | 10 miles |
| Cross Country Ski Trails | 20 miles (groomed) |
| Total Acreage | 5,000 acres |
| Season Pass | $20 |
| Other Activities | Horseback riding, hiking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing |
| Amenities | Convention center with fireplace, coffee, hot chocolate |
Winter Fat Tire Tip: Set tire air pressure between 3.5 and 5 pounds. Studded tires recommended for better traction.
