Newton Township Trail

Pedal the Newton Township Trail past contented cows and through pioneer history

It’s a little over 16 miles of idyllic landscapes, pioneer history, and natural beauty. It’s the Newton Township Trail bike route in Marquette County which easily hooks up with the Mecan River Circuit of just under 9 miles if one is inclined to pedal farther. Much of the route offers shaded roads and while there are a few hills, they are mostly easy grades with long coasting backsides.

There are two choices for parking to begin your route. You could park at the DNR Caves Creek parking area off 7th court but an easier place to locate is the Newton Township Town Hall at Dixie Lane and County Road B. Begin there and travel south on B. There are no bike route signs along this route, so watch your roads carefully and take your map.

The only somewhat busy (in terms of Marquette County rural life busy) roads you’ll travel is County Road B and County Road E, but you’ll only be on them for very short sections. The rest of the roads have little vehicle travel.

You’ll know you’re in the Dairy State as you travel along Dover Court, turning west off of B. Plenty of well cared for Holsteins will no doubt be lying and standing in the fields watching you pass by with their big cow eyes while slowly chewing their cud.

Berries

You don’t have to trespass to witness the change of seasons and beautiful plant life along the Newton Township Trail bike route in Marquette County.

The designated route follows Dover Court to 7th court, but you may want to cut south on 7th Lane instead. The mapped route on 7th Court is straight, wide open and sunny while 7th Lane is a narrow, winding, wooded way that has a little more charm and character of its own. It brings you back to the marked route at a small cemetery.

The Krentz cemetery tells a story of this area of Marquette County. While the southern portion was settled by many Irish, Scotch, and Yankees, German immigrants tended to settle here to the north. All nationalities scattered throughout the county, but in this area you’ll find many German and Prussian family names and many tombstones inscribed in German. You’ll see more evidence of that later on your route.

Prairie Nursery

An isolated, quiet road, Dyke Avenue, has a 1 lane bridge and the well known Prairie Nursery. Wildflowers grow thick along this road.

Now you’ll be turning east onto Dyke Avenue, a straight, flat ride on a narrow, little travelled road. Before you get to the one lane bridge, however, you’ll see the sign for Prairie Nursery on the south side of the road. Prairie Nursery is one of the most respected growers of native prairie plants in the nation. The retail store is no longer at this location, but you can view the rows of grasses and flowering plants here.

A side benefit is the profuse, lush roadside vegetation, carried over from the healthy seeding plants on the growing grounds. Wisconsin once has far reaching prairie landscapes and Prairie nursery is helping people bring some of that back with native plants.

Cross the one lane bridge over Caves Creek, go south on 8th Road, then east on County Road E, north on County Road B and then east again on Duck Creek Lane. Here you’ll again travel a wooded, shaded stretch of absolutely lovely country road. Few houses, lots of oaks, and plenty of beautiful open country scenery.

McHugh’s miniature horses

McHugh’s miniature horses may look your way when you pass them on the Newton Township Trail bike route.

Slow down as you get to the junction of Duck Creek Lane and County Road Y where you’ll turn north because this is the McHugh’s Miniature Horse Ranch. You’ll be rubbing your eyes when you see the tiny creatures in the expansive pastures. McHugh’s only offer group tours by appointment now, but you can walk to the fence and enjoy looking at the tiny horses with such big personalities or go to their website at www.mhranch.com and learn about lifestyle tours where you live a day with the little horses. If you’ve brought a camera, go ahead and take some photos. They’re used to having their picture snapped.

Continue north on Y and if you’re going to add on the Mecan River Circuit, follow Y, otherwise turn west on 10th Road. You’ll come to a white country church with a cemetery across the road. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was founded in 1856 and the original church building, now gone, was built in 1863. The present church was built in 1889.

St. Paul’s Church

St. Paul’s Church was first organized by some of the many Prussian and German immigrants to this part of Marquette County.

Stop for a few minutes. If you’ve already travelled on the Mecan River Circuit, you’ll know part of the story of the Fierke family buried here. Caroline and Gustav Fierke, mother and son, died in a house fire in 1860 and are buried just off the road farther north on County Road Y. Her husband and his second wife, Rosina, are buried in this cemetery. Gustav and Caroline had 7 children when the terrible tragedy of the house fire occurred. Gustav and Rosina had 3 children, the last named Gustav. Neither Gustav had a long life. The first died at 12 in the house fire and the second at just 2 years old. Gustav was born in Prussia and emigrated here sometime before 1857.

Gustave Fierke Gravesite

Gustav Fierke was an early settler from Prussia. His first wife and 12 year old son Gustav died in a house fire in 1860. His second son named Gustav with his second wife died at only 2 years old.

Contemplate life’s twists and turns and the hard lives of the early settlers as they moved into the Wisconsin wilderness. The rest of your ride will continue past farms and fields, forests and prairies, the route that horses and oxen pulled wagons and buggies so many years ago.