Blue Mound Trail Run

Click on links below to view pdf maps of the 15K and 6K Trails.

Trail Description

The start/finish is near the pool area in Blue Mounds State Park. Both the 15K and the 6K begin with a short starter loop up to the spring house, then the two courses part ways.

15K Course

After the starter loop, the 15K crosses the park road and heads down the trail to the park campground. At the campground you turn left at the blacktop, go about 50 yards and bear right heading south down the hill on the Military Ridge Bike Trail Access Path. This is a paved bike trail. Before reaching the actual bike trail the course exits left into the woods on a short section of single track winding down to the Ridgeview Trail, a trail running more or less parallel to the bike trail, but in the woods. This is a pleasant section of turns and hardwood forest, many oak and hickory trees with a short section of red pine. Some rolling hills leave you on the Walnut Hollow Trail at about mile 2 just outside the village of Blue Mounds. From this low point, (560 feet below the top of the mound) there is a long gradual climb up to the Prairie area. You cross Mounds Park road and enter the Pleasure Valley loop.

The route goes clockwise (you turn left) onto the Pleasure Valley Loop. Head up the hill toward the first feed area. At the feed you will be directed down through the pines where in about 100 yards you enter a long section of uninterrupted trail running. The entrance is well marked, you actually pass the exit of this loop just before you turn left into the forest. Make sure you are well provisioned, it will take the fastest runners a good half an hour in this section meaning that others will approach 1 hour. The first kilometer is some sweet trail running, mostly following the contour line with some small ups and downs. It nearly parallels the Pleasure Valley trail out in the open on your right. When you reach the end of this section, you will rejoin the Pleasure Valley trail where it plunges into the valley on an old logging road. The bridge is out,so we make a zig-zag and cross the small stream. Most days there is very little water here, but you never know! This is the beginning of the new Overlode Trail. The next mile switchbacks up and down a series of ridges in deep mature forest. You will get views of runnersand other wild things.Be patient as this goes on for a while with a special scenic detour loop added for good measure. There are several stream crossings and a steep climb up to Ryan road. At Ryan road you go left and stay on the left side of the road for about 50 yds. The route then goes back into the woods on the left, headed down an overgrown farm road. At the bottom you have a tree to scramble over and a bridge to cross. You rejoin our old route here by turning right. This section follows along a streambed with many wildflowers. You have several narrow bridges over small gullies and climb up next to the gurgling beginnings of the stream. Use care as there are short sections of fairly rocky terrain where the trail is not as obvious. You pop out of the woods as we promised right next to where you went in. Turn right and up the short hill to the same feed station. Now you cross Mounds Park Road back into the upper park.

Alert! Right turn! Almost immediately after crossing the road you make a sharp right turn onto the mountain bike trail. It winds through lovely mature maple forest, with many turns and very natural trail condition. This continues for almost a kilometer and is often muddy in the last 100 meters or so.

You are now headed for more moderate terrain as we begin to circle the north side of the park on the John Minix and Willow Spring Trail. This is a ski trail with a mixed surface of gravel, grass and dirt. At the second trail junction, about 1 mile in, you turn left onto the Willow Springs trail which would take you right back to the start. Except we cut off of it at the top of the climb and head up a short steep section of single track that crosses the Indian Marker Tree trail and emerges from the woods at the top of the Park. You knew we would get you up here eventually!

Here is the Jimmy and Judy rest stop, you earned it. Listen to some tunes and refresh for the last few K. You cross over the top of the mound and head down the Amphitheater trail. This part is the same as previous races. At the bottom of the Amphitheater trail you turn left on the campground trail and retrace your route to the start.

6K Course

The 6K course offers a taste of ski trails, single-track mountain bike trails, and a trip over the top of the mound. After the starter loop, the 6K heads left and downhill on a big shortcut to the last third of the 15K course. After a short cruise down the ski trail, you’ll take a hard left onto the single-track mountain bike trail. It winds through lovely mature maple forest, with many turns and very natural trail condition. This continues for almost a kilometer and is often muddy in the last 100 meters or so.

You are now headed for more moderate terrain as we begin to circle the north side of the park on the John Minix and Willow Spring Trail. This is a ski trail with a mixed surface of gravel, grass and dirt. At the second trail junction, about 1 mile in, you turn left onto the Willow Springs trail which would take you right back to the start. Except we cut off of it at the top of the climb and head up a short steep section of single track that crosses the Indian Marker Tree trail and emerges from the woods at the top of the Park. You knew we would get you up here eventually!

Here is the Jimmy and Judy rest stop, you earned it. Listen to some tunes and refresh for the last few K. You cross over the top of the mound and head down the Amphitheater trail. At the bottom of the Amphitheater trail you turn left on the campground trail and head back to the pool where you started.

Enjoy.