320 Mile Award

The Rock River Trail 320-Mile Award

The Rock River Trail Inititative has established a 320-Mile Award for those individuals who reach the goal of doing the whole 320 miles of the Rock River Trail, whether it’s hiking, biking, paddling or driving.

Those who finish the trail will be recognized on our 320-Mile Wall of Fame and awarded the Rock River Trail patch and 320-Mile Award rocker patch.

The Rock River Trail is a 320 mile National Water Trail that goes through 11 counties in Wisconsin and Illinois. From it’s headwaters in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, all the way to to the Mississippi River at Rock Island, Illinois, the Rock River provides a multitude of recreational opportunities, scenic beauty and historic and cultural assets. Paddling, driving and biking trails have been established, and hiking trails in the Rock River corridor have been identified and mapped.

Choose How You’ll Do the Trail

Driving Route – Rock River Trail Scenic and Historic Route
Paddling Route – Rock River National Water Trail
Biking Route – Rock River Trail Bike Route
Hiking Route – Hike on the trails within the river corridor listed under Rock River Trail Hiking Route
(You may make your journey by one mode, or in any combination of above.)

Document Your Journey & Submit to RRTI

Submit photographic evidence of the travel accomplishment (photos of the beginning and end at one of the three trail heads, with a photo or two en route), and with your name, mode(s) of travel (drive, hike, bike, kayak, canoe), date of completion, hometown, age and comments regarding the trip. Your journey does not have to be finished all at one time.

Get Recognized

We’ll acknowledge your achievement by posting your name and trip details on our 320-Mile Award Wall of Fame. We’ll also post it on our social media. By submitting your information you are giving the RRTI permission to use your name and photos.
  • By uploading these photos, you are granting the Rock River Trail Initiative to use these photos on the website or social media.
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    320-Mile Wall Of Fame

    PADDLING

    Nels Akerlund, Rockford, IL
    Date: Fall 1994

    Dan Akerlund, Rockford, IL
    Date: Fall 1994

    John Sullivan, La Crosse, WI
    Date: August 1999

    Jon Gress, Pekin, IL
    Date: May 2014

    Garrett Feik, Aledo, IL
    Date: May 2014

    Jake Boucher, Aledo, IL
    Date: May 2014

    Perry Folts, Beloit, WI
    Date: July 13, 2018

    Gary Meier, Beloit, WI
    Date: July 13, 2018

    Terry Meyers, Beloit, WI
    Date: July 13, 2018

    Chris Luedke, Oconomowoc, WI
    Date: June 29, 2019
    Chris set the benchmark time for fastest descent of the Rock River with a time of 4 days and 12 hours or 108 hours.

    Tim Gunderson, Rockford, IL
    Date: May 10, 2020

    Jeff Bahls, Beaver Dam, WI
    July 27, 2018- July 24, 2020

    BICYCLE

    Carl Nelson, Dekalb, IL
    Date: June 14, 2018

    Dan Libman, Dekalb, IL
    Date: June 14, 2018

    Kurt and Kristy Handrich, Beloit, WI | Tandem
    Datse: June 23–28, 2020

    Stanley and Laurie Frey – Palatine, Il | Tandem
    Dates: August 10-15, 2020

    Dave Kuntzelman – Chicago, IL
    Dates: May 5-9, 2021

    Michael Smith – Rockford, IL
    Dates: May 5-9, 2021

    Jason Schneider – Sterling, IL
    Dates: September 19-22, 2022

    Chris Kowalski – Rockford, IL
    Dates: 05/19/2023-05/23/2023

    Tommy Schade – Rockford, IL
    Dates: 05/19/2023-05/23/2023

    HIKING

    Lyle Lidholm
    Date: Sept-Oct 2019

    AUTOMOBILE OR MOTORCYCLE

    Greg Farnham, Juneau, WI
    Date: June 2013 | Method: Automobile

    Kovas and Aleks Palubinskas, Downers Grove, IL
    Date: May 28-29, 2017 | Method: Automobile

    Joseph McDade, Rockford, IL
    Date: June 6-8, 2017 | Method: Motorcycle

    Dale Kallenbach
    Date: September 30-October 10, 2017 | Method: Automobile – (GeoCaching)

    Lucy Kallenbach
    Date: September 30-October 10, 2017 | Method: Automobile – (GeoCaching)

    David Bushaw, Rockford, IL
    Date: September 3 – 9, 2018 | Method: Automobile

    Marc VanderPal, Beloit, WI
    Dates: Aug 1, 2019 – May 1, 2020 | Method: Motorcycle

    Steve, Sandy and Marissa Osgood – Campbellsport, WI
    Dates: August 26-27, 2020

    Gary & Sharon Vaughan, Kimberly, WI
    Dates: Aug 8 2020 – Sept 4 2020

    John and Dawn Krebs, Adams, Wisconsin
    October 17, 2021 – July 30, 2022

    AIRPLANE

    Emmons Patzer
    Date: July 2, 2018

    Alex Leites – Bettendorf, IA  
    Alex Bond – Davenport, IA 
    Date: June 18, 2022