Kendall: Trail, Tunnel and Glenwood Park

The Elroy-Sparta State Trail and Glenwood Park give travelers two concrete points of reference in Kendall. The Elroy-Sparta State Trail runs through Kendall; the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail is one block from Glenwood Park. This means you can consider the trail and park together when planning your trip, while still treating them as separate destinations. If you’re looking for a hotel in Kendall, thinking about your priorities can help you get started: Should the trail itself, its history, or Glenwood Park play an important role? This distinction leads to different aspects of trip planning.

The Elroy-Sparta State Trail in Kendall

The Elroy-Sparta State Trail runs through Kendall and is considered the first rail-to-trail path in the United States. This designation gives the trail a historical dimension; its route through Kendall is another, more concrete point of reference for planning your trip. If you’re interested in the trail, you can distinguish between its national significance and its connection to the town. Its historical distinction applies to the trail, while its route through Kendall connects it directly to the town.

The depot and tunnels as historical points of reference

The Kendall Depot serves as the headquarters and museum for the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. This gives the trail a named institutional point of reference in Kendall, in addition to its route through the town. There are also three railroad tunnels, each more than 140 years old. The depot and tunnels represent different aspects of the trail’s history: the depot serves as a headquarters and museum, while the three tunnels add their own historical dimension through their number and age. For planning your trip, these are two clearly distinct points of reference: a named depot and three old tunnels.

Scenery along the trail

The trail also passes wetlands, prairies, farmland and landscapes that were not glaciated. This combination broadens the historical perspective to include different types of landscapes, creating a different focus from the depot and tunnels. If you’d like to give more weight to the scenic aspect of the trail, it offers a point of reference of its own, alongside the railroad history. History and landscape are therefore two different ways to think about the trail as part of a stay in Kendall.

Glenwood Park and practical information

Glenwood Park is another point of reference for your plans. The Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail is one block from the park. The park has restrooms along Highway 71; the restrooms in the concession stand are unlocked upon advance notice. If you’d like to use the restrooms in the concession stand, factor the advance notice into your plans. The park offers both a specific location in relation to the trail and practical information for your visit. The location and restroom information answer different questions: one describes the relationship between two destinations, while the other explains the advance notice needed to have the concession stand restrooms unlocked.

Discover more destinations: Tomah, Sparta.

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