Recreational bridges over Wisconsin River open in Sauk City, with more trails to come

BARRY ADAMS
Nov 7, 2026
Nov 7, 2026 Updated 26 mins ago

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SAUK CITY — This would have been taboo for Brian Sandwick 40 years ago.

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 1 — Visitors try out the Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail just moments after it opened Thursday in Sauk City. The new bridge and a restored railway trestle will connect the 11.5-mile Great Sauk State Trail with the 3-mile Walking Iron Trail under construction in Dane County and scheduled for completion in fall 2027.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 2 — The former railroad bridge over the main channel of the Wisconsin River was removed in 2018 and replaced with a new structure that opened Thursday. A more than 100-year-old railroad trestle near the Dane County side of the river was refurbished.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 3 — Gordie Stroud, 9, of Milwaukee, whose dad worked on the Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail project, was among the first to ride his bike on the new span. About 200 people showed up Thursday for the opening in Sauk City.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 4 — The new bridge over the main channel of the Wisconsin River at Sauk City includes pullouts that allow users to get off the trail and observe nature. The 92-mile Lower Wisconsin Riverway is home to a diverse ecosystem that is recognized internationally.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 5 — Work continues on the 3-mile Walking Iron Trail in the town of Mazomanie. This section is seen from Highway Y, just off Highway 78 in Dane County. The trail, which will be paved, leads to the Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail, and is scheduled to open in fall 2027.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 6 — Karl Betchner, of Prairie du Sac, and his 4-year-old son, Bode, check out the Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail Thursday shortly after a ribbon-cutting event in Sauk City.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 7 — Users can access both bridges of the Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail from Sauk City but will hit a dead end on the Dane County side until the Walking Iron Trail is completed next year.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail 8 — The Wisconsin River Recreational Bridge & Trail offers stunning views of the river. On Thursday, town of Berry residents, Amy Jones, left, and Stefanie Brouwer, right, with Pauline Brunner, of Cross Plains, took in the views from an island between the two bridges.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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