Does anybody know of any good trails to run that are in Oshkosh or are only a short drive away? I would really like to minimize my time running on roads. I know that Menominee park has some trails, but I would really like to open up my options.
Thanks
Check out the Wiouwash trail. Pretty solid, though you'll have to run it as an out and back unless you have two cars.
Running in Oshkosh is tough in the winter. The Wiowash(sp) isn't plowed in the winter so xc skiing or snowshoes would be best. I also think out side of the city is is used as a snowmobile trail, thus any activity on it would be dangerous. Menominee Park has about 2-3 miles of paved trail which does get plowed but is typically semi snow packed. I've lived there now for two winters and to me it seems like people shovel their sidewalks sooner after a snow fall that other places I have lived, how ever there are exceptions!
In the summer their are some trails at High Cliff State Park (Appleton), Hartman Creek State Park (Waupaca), and some stuff in the Northern Kettle (south and east of Fond du Lac). There are also some trails up in Appleton.
Stop in at Run Away shoes in Oshkosh as ask for Dean, he's in the know as far as the trail scene.
This has always been one of my frustrations when I go home to visit my family. I usually run on the Wiowash (sp?) trail, but find it to be pretty boring (flat, out and back, straight). I have gone to High Cliff and found those to be O.K. What is Hartman Creek like? I might have to go out there sometime.
I know it is far away, but probably my favorite run in the world is Indian Lake outside of Madison. It may be more for sentimental reasons than anything else (it was were I ran all of the time in college), but it is also a great set of loops through the woods- good hills on it too. It is far from Oshkosh, but I thought I would just throw that one in there.
Sorry that I can't help more.
High cliff looks nice, but its a 45 minute drive and for a college kid trying to squeeze in runs, it's not very viable. Does anyone know where the Wiouwash trail starts in Oshkosh?
Are you posting on slowtwitch also?
The Wiouwash trail essentially starts on the river side of the Student Rec Center on campus and follows the river north until it crosses under HWY 41. It is NOT plowed in the winter.
Are you a student at UW-O? If so take advantage of Kolf and the Rec Center!
...Hartman Creek is near Waupaca (about 45mins from Oshkosh) with many many trails. Mostly xc skiing now though.