Team Knowles Nelson

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

10/14/2026

It’s been a big few days for the ! ICYMI: Sarah Widder is biking every State Trail in Wisconsin this month to raise awareness for Knowles Nelson, and since Friday she’s covered a lot of ground.

From Door County to Stevens Point to the Horicon Marsh, Sarah's connected with the people and groups who are working hard to care for their trails and parks. A big thank you to Bay Shore Outfitters-Door County and The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks for hosting a fun meet & greet social, and to Friends of Potawatomi State Park for inviting us to enjoy a beautiful day at Run Wild. Thanks also to Door County Trails, Friends of the Fox River, Friends of Heritage Hill, and to so many others who have rode along for a few miles or cheered her on.

Land doesn’t protect itself. Of course it takes programs like Knowles-Nelson, but it also takes the volunteers, advocates, and neighbors who show up for the places they love.

Follow along here: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails-adventure/

10/12/2026

Sarah Widder rolls through Milwaukee on her Great State Trails Adventure on Thursday, October 15th!

Join Rails to Trails Conservancy, Wisconsin Bike Fed, and Wheel & Sprocket in extending a warm Milwaukee welcome as we gather at the Bayview bike shop for a happy hour fiesta. Stop by from 4-6 PM for b**r, tacos and lots of great trail talk!

10/08/2026

The continues!

Day 8: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails-day-8/

10/07/2026

A week into the , there's been no shortage of quirky sights along the way. But more importantly, every mile has been a reminder of just how far-reaching Knowles-Nelson's impact is, and just how much is at stake for Wisconsin's outdoors. 🌲 🚴 🌲

"I'm doing this because I love being outside adventuring and I want to do something that helps maintain that possibility in the future. I hope people are inspired to get outside more and also support local conservation and recreation resources by voting, donating to local organizations, volunteering, and letting their representatives and new governor know that sustainable natural resource stewardship funds are a priority in this state!"

Say it louder for the folks in the back! 📣

🔗 Read Sarah's full recap of Day 7 and stay up to date on the Great State Trails Adventure: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails-day-7/

10/06/2026

In case you missed it... the is officially rolling! 🌲 🚴 🌲

WMTV 15 News caught up with Sarah Widder as she kicked off her 1,700-mile ride across every state trail in Wisconsin. She's spending the month pedaling the whole state to show what these trails mean to the communities they connect, and why the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program is worth fighting to bring back.

🔗 Catch up on the first few days of Sarah's ride, explore her route, and learn more about the Great State Trails Adventure: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails

A Menominee woman is on a mission to cycle all of Wisconsin’s state trails.

10/04/2026

Day 3: Sarah took on the Wild Rivers State Trail, and yes, it fully lived up to its name! Read more in today's blog post: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails-day-3/ 🌲 🚴 🌲

Tomorrow, Sarah rides through Cable and Hayward, and you're invited to join her for a Birkie Trail Group Ride with the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. Meet at the Mosquito Brook trailhead at 10am. Ride a little, ride a lot, or just stop by to say hi!

The adventure continues!

10/03/2026

So… what exactly is a ‘Gandy Dancer?’ The Gandy Dancer State Trail was named after the railroad crews who built it - workers known for moving in rhythm, their tools, feet, and voices all in sync, earning them the nickname.

Yesterday, Day 2 of the , Sarah rode Gandy Dancer’s northern segment along with the Cattail and Stower Seven Lakes State Trails! She passed Interstate State Park and Straight Lake State Park, and finished up the day at Pattison State Park.

Even though Wisconsin's state parks drew over 21 million visitors last year, they get less funding per visitor than any other state. That leaves a backlog of over $1 billion in deferred maintenance, with volunteer groups like the The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks stepping up to help fill the gap.

🔗 Read more in the full Day 2 recap: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails-day-2/

10/02/2026

Day 1 is in the books! Sarah Widder kicked off the this morning in Menomonie on the Red Cedar State Trail, with our friends from Landmark Conservancy there to see her off!

She didn't have to ride far to find Knowles Nelson at work. Near Durand, Sarah covered 6.5 miles of the Chippewa River State Trail that Landmark was able to purchase from Xcel Energy this past August with help from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. That means permanent protection and public access, so Wisconsinites can enjoy the trail for generations.

From there, she rode on through Eau Claire, connected to the Old Abe Trail, and rolled up to Brunet Island State Park to close out a solid first day... rain, reroutes and all! 🚲

🔗 Read the full Day 1 recap: https://knowlesnelson.org/great-state-trails-day-1/