Monroe
Lodging
City parks are located throughout the city of Monroe.
Map of Monroe Highlighting Badger Trail
Official Trailhead
Located where the Badger Trail crosses 14th Ave. Parking available in Twinning Park located to north of trail.
The heart of Monroe is the Historic Courthouse Square. Be sure to find time to view the 1891 historic courthouse, the most photographed building in Monroe. It is home to county offices including the Green County Tourism office. The courthouse is open to the public daily from 8 – 4:30. Be sure to wander around the square and stop in some of the many establishments and eateries that surround the square. All new streets, sidewalks, and related street scapes in 2010 have brought with it more activities on the square including the Market on the Square every Wed. from 2-5:30 and Saturday from 8 – 1P.M. and Main Street Concerts on the Square from 6:30-8:30 every other Thursday.
With a strong Swiss heritage, Monroe easily claims the title of "Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA" with numerous businesses related to the cheese industry, award winning world-class cheeses, and high school teams called the Cheesemakers. Be sure to try the local cheese and then buy extra to bring home.
Besides cheese, the heritage of Monroe also includes beer. Established in 1845, the Minhas Brewery is the oldest continually operating brewery in Wisconsin and the second oldest in the USA, located just southwest of the square. Tours are available.
Monroe is the southernmost Wisconsin city on the Badger State Trail before the trail goes into Illinois. At the Wisconsin - Illinois border the trail becomes the Jane Addams Trail. Distance from the Wisconsin border to Freeport, IL is about 13 miles.
The Badger Trail is an ideal snowmobile trail with connections to the Jane Addams Trail, and the Cheese County Trail. Call 608-527-2910 for trail conditions.
When biking, this website recommends you visit the Green County Welcome Center and park in their lot which has designated parking for the trail and also has a bike rack. Required trail passes can be purchased at the Welcome Center. Enjoy your ride! The picture below shows the Badger Trail and train bridge above the trail at the 21st Street location, 4 blocks west of the Welcome Center .
City of Monroe Map with Badger Trail
The Green County Welcome Center and National Historic Cheesemaking Center is a unique museum for cheesemaking and also sells state trail passes. A percentage of sales from the state trail passes help support the Friends of the Badger State Trail. Shirts with the Badger Trail Logo can also be purchased. The Center is in the restored and relocated Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway station located at the intersection of Highway 69 and 21st Street.
The author highly recommends you visit Monroe during the Balloon Rally which is held yearly on Father's Day weekend and/or Cheese Days which is held every other year in fall.
The objective of this site is to promote the Badger State State Trail and the Sugar River State Trail. If you are interested in linking to this site, want to advertise on the site, or have related information to share for this site, send e-mail to: webmaster@badger-trail.com