Hiking Around Milwaukee on the Oak Leaf Trail

Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Consists of a Vast Trail System:

Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas provides a system of varied hiking experiences. The system of trails contains miles and miles of trails basically forming a loop around the city with offshoots. The system truly provides for a wealth of Milwaukee hiking adventures and we just brushed the surface with our recent hike.

Lake views along a portion of Oak Leaf Trail.

You can enter Oak Leaf Trail at many sections throughout the system. We opted to start near the Milwaukee Art Museum. Before heading out, I recommend reviewing the variety of trail options. Also, be aware that portions of the 125 mile system are on Milwaukee County parkways and municipal streets. We did have to cross a couple of streets for the portions we covered but it was easily navigable.

Amazing Milwaukee Views:

City view along the trail.

In addition to lovely Lake Michigan views, the portion we hiked had some fabulous city building views as well. We rounded a lagoon where you can rent kayaks and paddle boats. I was tempted but my mission was to hike more of the trail. We did savor a rest in one of Milwaukee's parks before continuing.

Lagoon with a Milwaukee view on the Oak Leaf Trail.

After passing the lagoon, my husband whipped out his AllTrails app and we choose another section to wander.  We headed out on the Milwaukee River Line. If we followed this part of the trail to the other end, it would be 14 miles! We started at Juneau Park and it terminates at Brown Deer Park.  We actually made a wrong turn trying to access the trail and ended up with a fabulous view from above.

A View from Above:

A peek at the Oak Leaf Trail from above!

Lined with trails, we hardly remembered we were in Milwaukee while exploring this portion of the trail. We covered about 5.5 miles round trip of the trail. The Oak Leaf Trail affords quite a plethora of hiking experiences. Perusing the trails, I have already discovered a number of new adventures to add to my list.

Oak Leaf Trail is a gem right in Milwaukee.

The Oak Leaf Trail certainly impresses. Some of the trails track old railroad lines. Landmarks can be discovered on the trail as well, adding another element. Oak Leaf Trail is so extensive that you can easily craft new adventures. The trail is also great for running, biking, birding and rollerblading. We have just begun our Oak Leaf Trail explorations and look forward to sampling other portions of the trail on a future hike in Milwaukee!