Tower Hill MTB Park

Mountain Biking in Southeastern Wisconsin

This region of the state offers a variety of MTB trails, clubs, and competitions for all levels of riders.

The Wisconsin Off-Road Series ( WORS ) sponsored by Trek has races across the state. Waukesha, Cambridge, Waterloo, and Lake Geneva are nearby towns that host races for this series.

The Menomonee Falls and Sussex-Hamilton School Districts both participate in the  Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League , which offers middle and high school students the opportunity to learn how to ride, maintain, and compete in MTB races.

The Village of Menomonee Falls has the opportunity to be a destination in this strong, regional community.

 _{(click the map to view local trails)} 

Regional Trail Network

In addition to recreational mountain bike trails, there is an extensive paved trail network in Southeastern Wisconsin. The Route of the Badger is a plan to grow the trail network by over 300 miles and increase bicycle transit connectivity throughout the region. More details on the Route of the Badger can be found  here .

 _{(click the map to explore the Route of the Badger)} 

Nearby Trail Highlight

Heritage Trails is a Washington County park near Slinger. Along with disc golf and hiking trails, the park has a growing network of MTB-only trails. According to Washington County, the daily visitors to the trails has increased 272% since 2021.  It is estimated that 82% of these riders are from outside Washington County and have created about $500,000 in visitor spending.  

(Source:  Washington County , 2024)

Tower Hill - Site Details

The proposed site on Mill Rd. is over 22 acres of wooded hillside. Elevation ranges from over 150 feet from the road down towards the Fox River. Large elevation changes are optimal for MTB trails because it allows riders to quickly gain speed downhill and challenges their fitness pedaling uphill.

There is a driveway and gravel parking area already established at the top of the hill, right off the road.

Design Recommendations

Central Pavilion - A covered and lighted area at the top of the hill between the parking lot and the trail head will be used coaching, resting, bike maintenance, and a general area for trail users to hang out while riding. There should be accessible tables and benches in this area. Shade sails, pergolas, and other shade structures can be investigated as an alternative to a pavilion.

Parking - Clearly designated parking area can be accomplished with a paved or gravel lot. Concrete park stops and landscaping can be used to define a gravel lot.

Landscaping - A landscaping buffer should be implemented along the east and west property lines near the parking area. Layered tall trees and shorter vegetation will maintain privacy for adjacent homes and screen activity in the parking lot.

Design Recommendations

Trails - Establish a variety of bicycle-only, one-way trails. The trail head will be located at the top of the hill with entrances to the downhill trails and the exit of the return trail. Downhill trails will be designed for differing skill sets with clearly marked Beginner (green,) Intermediate (blue,) and Expert (black) options. The downhill trails will connect at the bottom and filter into a return trail that directs riders back up the hill.

The trails shown here are just a concept of what the layout could look like.

Trail Possibilities

Here's a glimpse at a few nearby trails to show what could be possible at Tower Hill MTB Park

 John Muir and Emma Carlin Trails  - Varying natural terrain trails from deep sand to rock gardens. The trails can be very technically challenging but rewarding.

 Minooka Park Trails  - Flowy hand-built trails that follow the natural terrain. A lot of berms and optional skill features. Fun to lap and close to the center of the metro area.

 Heritage Trails Park  - Machine-built trails with a variety of jump an drop features. This is a great place progressively build up your skills from small tabletops to larger, gravity-fed gap jumps.

Pictured: Hipster, Heritage Trails. Source: Matthew Weege, Trailforks