New Glarus-Yellowstone Lake-Argyle Loop

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New Glarus, WI, US

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Route Overview

BetweenRides

Midwest Routemeister

63 mi.

3,762 ft.

A classic hard day in the saddle on the hilly roads West of New Glarus, Wisconsin. The first part of the ride goes through several small towns and rustic roads to Yellowstone Lake for a water stop. Next you're off to the town of Argyle for lunch at Irma's Kitchen (39.6 miles), then back to New Glarus on more rustic country roads with great views. This will be a challenging day for climbing, with 14 major peaks, but also one of the prettiest rides you will ever do, with classic Southwestern Wisconsin vistas and ridge rides. If you like climbing and descending fast, you will love this ride!

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Route Details

This ride begins and ends at @point[The Chalet Landhaus](d,101594.83) in New Glarus, Wisconsin, on Hwy 69 just South of 6th Ave/Hwy 39. Make sure to let the hotel know you are parking and riding from their lot. There is a short access path behind the hotel which leads right to the Sugar River Trail (paved), the start of the ride. There is a restroom by the lobby in the hotel. If you are going to be in New Glarus for a few days, this is a really nice place to stay.

[New Glarus](http://www.swisstown.com/) is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, about 45 minutes SSW of the state capital in Madison. The village and the town that surrounds it, 
was named after the Canton of Glarus in eastern Switzerland.  The community
was founded in 1845 by immigrants from Glarus, Switzerland and was 
incorporated in 1901. New Glarus is a popular tourist destination best known 
for its Swiss heritage, old world architecture, ethnic dining, a small independently
owned craft brewery and outdoor festivals.

Meat & cheese markets, restaurants, and a Swiss bakery are also found in 
downtown New Glarus, along with folk art, museums, and Swiss-style 
shops. Many Swiss customs are still alive in New Glarus, including the card 
game Jass, yodeling, the annual Heidi Festival and flag tossing. Today, 
New Glarus is the best known Swiss settlement in America.

New Glaris is also in one of the finest areas for biking that I've ever experienced. Hard, rustic climbs to the South, West and North and more genteel rolling hills to the East. It is located by two great trails: The Sugar River (Trailhead just north of the hotel) and the Badger State Trail, just East of town. The Military Ridge trail is just a short 30 minute drive North, extending from Dodgeville (host of the [Dairyland Dare](https://www.dairylanddare.com/)) in the West to Madison in the East. The MR trail also goes through Blue Mound ([Horribly Hilly Hundred](http://www.horriblyhilly.com/)) and [Mt Horeb](http://www.mounthorebwi.info/), the Troll capital of the U.S. **Now on to the ride:**

The warmup portion takes you through the neighborhoods just South of town and up Legler Valley Rd heading West. You'll hit your first @slice['wake up' hill](d,4521.15,6498.38) at about the 3 mile mark and it's a doozy. The climb is about a mile in length culminating at @point[Rustic Rd 81](d,6653.14) for some ridge riding with gorgeous views. In my experiece with Wisconsin riding, a *rustic road* means there's no grading - the roads follow the existing terrain - and generally with chip seal surface, although usually in pretty good condition.

Your next turn will take you on @point[County Hwy H](d,9264.69), starting with a phenominal fast descent. Even though it's a highway, traffic is light and the road surface is in great condition. For the next 10 miles or so, you'll be riding on County J, A and back on H before heading off onto the more 'back woods' section of the ride, beginning with @point[Sawmill Rd](d,28248.27) at 17.5 miles and continuing on Loyalty, Yankee Hollow and Gould Hill Rds until you hit Wisconsin Hwy 78.

The next turnoff is on @point[River Rd](d,38499.85), which takes you through the Pecatonica River valley, culminating in a short .3 mile @slice[gravel section](d,41607.25,42080.64) just after you cross the river. Not to worry, the gravel is flat and in good condition. Your next big climb (#8 of 14) takes you to @poi[Yellowstone Church](2442494) Rd. Make sure you stop at the church for some pictures - it's a tradition for me whenever we ride in this area. A beautiful old yellow limestone church overlooks a breathtaking view of the valleys South.

From there, you'll be riding mostly through the flat valley leading up to @poi[Yellowstone Lake State Park](2442493). At 31 miles, it's a good spot to fill up your water bottles, maybe grab a snack and enjoy the view of the lake. After departing the Lake, there's a wicked climb out of the valley up onto another ridge at County Hwy G. County G features an @slice[incredible downhill section](d,56060.81,57078.78) with great views, but you'll be going so fast you should probably just focus on the road - I hit a PR of 52.1 mph there on a recent ride.

County G leads you to Wisconsin Hwy 81, which takes you into the town of Argyle. There's a @point[Cenex convenience store](d,63131.98) just before the river if you only want to snack, but a better culinary experience awaits you in town. Make sure to stop and take some pictures as you cross the @point[Pecatonica River](d,63317.45) again just before town. Your lunch destination is @poi[Irma's Kitchen](2442495) at around mile 39 on the corner of Milwaukee St and Broad St. Good food, great homemade pie and it's air conditioned if it's a hot day.

A mix of highways, county alphabet and rustic roads await you for the trip back East and North. Several hard climbs, ridge rides and culminating with an awesome long descent on @point[County Hwy H](d,97584.54) into New Glarus. Before you head North into town on @point[2nd St](d,99822.49), look off to the SouthEast for a view of the New Glarus Brewery up on the hill overlooking the valley.

The ride ends at the Chalet on the Suger River Trail. Pop into the hotel bar for a quick Spotted Cow. If you're really thirsty, head over to the @poi[New Glarus Brewery](2442496), which is a short 1 mile drive South of town on Wisconsin Hwy 69. It's the pride of New Glarus and a fine craft brewery with tours and a really unique tasting area outdoors featuring spectacular views. A hard day in the saddle? Yes, but truly one of the most beautiful rides you'll ever experience!

# Links to Points of Interest
* [Chalet Landhaus Hotel](http://www.chaletlandhaus.com/)
* [Yellowstone Lake State Park](http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/yellowstone/)
* [New Glarus Brewery](http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/)
* [New Glarus Hotel](http://www.newglarushotel.com/)
* [The Sugar River Trail](http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/sugarriver/)
* [The Badger State Trail](http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/badger/)
* [The Military Ridge State Trail](http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/militaryridge/)
* [Blue Mound State Park](http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/bluemound/)

# More resources

Interested in more rides in the New Glarus area? I've led two week long cycling tours in the area. Feel free to peruse my RwGPS events or borrow my other routes:

* [2014 New Glarus Tour](https://ridewithgps.com/events/2021-new-glarus-tour-june-2014)
* [2016 New Glarus Tour](https://ridewithgps.com/events/15790-3d-new-glarus-tour-june-2016)

# Important Reminders

This ride takes you through low traffic areas on rustic country roads with very few population centers. There are no bike shops! Carry at least two water bottles, gels or snacks, a cell phone, tools and tubes in the event you have mechanical issues. In my experience, this area is good for riding any day of the week. Don't forget your camera!

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New Glarus-Yellowstone Lake-Argyle Loop

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