Three Eagle Trail: 12.7 Miles, Three Lakes to Eagle River

The old Chicago & North Western railroad used to run north out of Three Lakes toward Eagle River. Now the same grade carries bikes, strollers and, in winter, skis. The Three Eagle Trail is a 12.7-mile crushed-limestone path between downtown Three Lakes and Eagle River, and it is the easiest way to get into the woods here without a car.

It is mostly flat, about ten feet wide and free to use. This is how the route breaks down, where to park, what changes in winter, and where to get coffee at the start and a beer at the finish.

What the Three Eagle Trail is

The Three Eagle Trail is a non-motorized trail for walking, biking, running and, in winter, cross-country skiing, connecting the town of Three Lakes in Oneida County with the city of Eagle River in Vilas County.

There is one catch. About 1.5 miles of the route between the Sundstein Road and Section 9 Road trailheads runs on a quiet paved town road rather than trail. It is lightly used, but you share it with cars.

Where to start in Three Lakes

The Three Lakes trailhead is at Don Burnside Park, downtown. It has a paved lot and accessible restrooms, and you cross Superior Street to reach the trail itself.

From the park, the trail runs past the Reiter Center and the old railroad depot, crosses Superior Street and Anderson Street, and then heads north alongside US-45.

A gravel lot on US-45, about 3 miles north of downtown, is the other Three Lakes access point. It is the main parking for the winter ski section, and in summer it lets you skip the town stretch.

The route, section by section

Riding north from Three Lakes, the trail breaks into four parts. Distances come from the trail foundation and the county trail guide.

Three Lakes to the US-45 lot: about 3 miles

This stretch runs straight north on the rail grade beside US-45. It is flat, open and easy, and the best choice for small children or a short out-and-back.

US-45 lot to Sundstein Road: about 5 miles

Here the trail leaves the highway and heads into the forest, crossing bogs and wetlands on boardwalks. This stretch leaves the highway behind, with birch and aspen along the edges, and it is the reason to ride the whole thing. Bring water, because there is nothing to buy out here.

Sundstein Road to Section 9 Road: about 1.5 miles on the road

At the Sundstein Road trailhead, the route follows a quiet paved town road to the Section 9 Road trailhead. Signs mark the way. Keep children close.

Section 9 Road to Eagle River: about 3 miles

The last stretch picks up the old rail grade again and runs straight into Eagle River, finishing near the Eagle River Depot Museum. There are rest stops along the way, including a shelter at Section 9.

End to end is 12.7 miles one way. A round trip from Three Lakes to Eagle River and back is about 25 miles, a full day at an easy pace.

Parking and trailheads

There is free parking at both ends and at the trailheads in between. In Three Lakes, use Don Burnside Park downtown, or the gravel lot on US-45 north of town. Tara Lila, a conservancy with its own trails, also has a gravel lot a short distance from the trail in Three Lakes.

In the middle, the Sundstein Road trailhead has parking and is reached from Eagle River by heading south on Sundstein Road off Highway 70. The Section 9 Road lot is small and gravel. In Eagle River, the trailhead is downtown near the depot museum.

Dogs are welcome on a leash in summer. In winter, keep them off the groomed ski section.

Winter: the groomed ski section

In winter, about five miles of the trail's middle section are groomed for cross-country skiing, with a skate lane and tracks for classic skiing. Park at the US-45 lot north of Three Lakes or at Sundstein Road.

There are marked snowshoe trails near both ends of the ski section and near the Section 9 rest area. The groomed track is for skis only, so snowshoers and walkers should use the side trails.

Grooming depends on snow. Three Lakes averages about 75 inches of snow a year, and January in Three Lakes averages a high of just 21 degrees, so dress for it.

What you see along the way

The trail runs through mixed northern forest, with birch and aspen near the edges, pine further in, and open bog and marsh where the boardwalks cross. In late September and October the leaves turn, and the boardwalk sections are at their best.

Eagle River takes its name from the eagles that nest along the Wisconsin River nearby, and it is worth keeping an eye on the sky over the wetlands. Deer are common at dawn and dusk. The northern end gets busier as you come into town, and the last stretch into Eagle River is straight and open.

With kids, and accessibility

The trail suits children on their early long rides, because it is flat, wide and car-free apart from the road section. Start at Don Burnside Park, ride north for a mile or two and come back, and you avoid the road entirely.

The county lists the trail as wheelchair accessible, with a firm crushed-stone surface, mostly level ground and an average width of about 10 feet. Don Burnside Park has a paved lot and accessible restrooms, which makes it the best starting point for anyone using a wheelchair or a stroller.

Coffee before, beer after

Downtown Three Lakes has everything you need at the start, all within a few blocks of Don Burnside Park.

Deja Brew Coffee & More is the other downtown coffee stop, with smoothies if you want something cold before a ride.

At the finish, the Brew Station pours regional craft beer with free popcorn in its beer garden on Superior Street. Kids and well-behaved dogs are welcome.

For dinner on the way back, Sorella makes its own pasta on US-45 about 4 miles north of Three Lakes, close to the trail's US-45 lot. It opens at 4 Wednesday to Sunday. The rest of the places to eat in Three Lakes are mostly downtown or on the lakes east of town.

Riding to Eagle River and back

If you are planning the whole trail, a few practical points help.

Bring cash or a card for Eagle River, because the north end puts you in a bigger town with more places to eat. Riders report outhouses at points along the way, but do not count on water. The surface suits hybrid and gravel bikes, and wider tires make the crushed stone more comfortable.

If you only have a couple of hours, start at Don Burnside Park and ride north into the forest section, then turn around. You get the rail grade and the boardwalks without the road gap.

The trail is one of the main reasons to visit in summer, and the other things to do in Three Lakes are mostly within a few blocks of its southern trailhead.

Who looks after it

The trail exists because local people pushed for it. The Three Eagle Trail Foundation, a nonprofit volunteer group, helped create it and still maintains it, working with the Tara Lila conservancy, which was formed in 2007 from land donated by Eagle River residents and maintains hiking and snowshoe trails nearby.

There is no fee to use the trail. The foundation's longer goal is to link it into a bigger network of non-motorized trails across Vilas and Oneida counties, so the trail you ride today may one day connect much further.