Celebrate the trail’s Grand Opening June 3!
Help Us Celebrate the Grand Opening of the Rock River Trail! The grand opening celebration for the Rock River Trail will be held on Saturday,... Read More
Explore the Rock River Trail Scenic and Historic Route this Autumn
Two wheels, or four…your choice! Head out to explore the Rock River Trail Scenic and Historic Route this autumn! The Rock River offers a widely... Read More
Get Creative and Get Registered for the “Rock River Anything That Floats Race”
From the Rock River Times, June 28, 2016 – By Frank Schier, Editor & Publisher With the August 1 deadline only a month away, and with... Read More
Rock River quality ebbs, flows during past century
From the Daily Union, May 24, 2016 – Read entire article. Overlooking the Rock River, the Fort Atkinson Club community center was the perfect... Read More
2016 North American Safe Boating Week May 21-27
Safety for all while paddling the Rock River National Water Trail. Wear It! The Rock River Trail Initiative received a grant from the National Safe... Read More
RRTI and Living Lands & Waters Free Oak Trees planted in Dane County, courtesy of Dane County Parks
For the sixth year in a row, the Rock River Trail Initiative (RRTI) distributed 10,000 trees in the 11 counties of the Rock River, April... Read More
The Mighty Rock River and Friends featured in Northwest Quarterly Magazine
The Rock River was featured in the 2016 Winter/Spring edition of Northwest Quarterly.com Magazine Written by Jon McGinty Read the full article The Rock River... Read More
Earth Day Clean Up efforts along the Rock River by McDonald’s employees
To celebrate Earth Day a group of Stateline area McDonald’s employees and their family members pitched in to clean up an area along the Rock... Read More
Bass Pro Shops Big Cat Quest Tournament to be held in Rock Falls in 2016
The Bass Pro Shops Big Cat Quest Tournament Series invites everyone to the historic Rock Falls riverfront for the Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series. This... Read More
“The Mighty Rock River and Friends” article in Northwest Quarterly
The Rock River has suffered the impact of urbanization, but many dedicated groups have worked and are working to restore its health. Jon McGinty explores... Read More
RRTI Presentation for Sustain Jefferson
On March 7, 2016, Greg Farnham from the Rock River Trail initiative had the pleasure of speaking to Sustain Jefferson, a non-profit group advocating for conservation and... Read More
Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-ups Open
Washington, DC – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently announced this year’s deadline for producer applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is March... Read More
Rock River Anything That Floats Race (RRATFR) | Rockford, Illinois
Are you ready for 50,000 spectators to line the Rock River to watch a race? Ladies and Gentlemen, start your mental paddles! Remember the Rockford... Read More
Promotion of the Rock River Trail
As we look ahead to activities to move the Rock River Trail forward, it is instructive to reflect on the vision for the trail initiative... Read More
New Rock River Trail Signage in Rockford
Our thanks to Tim Dimke and David Spencer of the Rockford Park District for completing installation of signage to mark the Rock River National Water... Read More
Rock River Recovery Update from WI-DNR
From Rock River Coalition Newsletter Winter 2016 | Visit the Rock River Coalition Website By Mark Riedel, DNR Rock River TMDL Coordinator Our Rock River Basin community... Read More
“Testing the Waters” | A Paddle and Probe Adventure on the Rock River
From Rock River Coalition Newsletter Winter 2016 | Visit the Rock River Coalition Website By Suzanne Wade, Project Coordinator How exciting it will be to have the... Read More
10 Ways You Can Help Improve Our Waters
By Becky Binz, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Rock River Stormwater Group From Rock River Coalition Newsletter Winter 2016 | Visit the Rock River Coalition Website Did you... Read More
Nature At The Confluence Center to open in June 2016 along the Rock River in South Beloit
“Nature at The Confluence” is an initiative to transform the area of land where Turtle Creek meets the Rock River into a community space that celebrates the... Read More
Give a special gift this Christmas and support the Rock River Trail
Honor someone with a gift to the Rock River Trail Initiative in their name Do you know someone who loves the Rock River? We offer the... Read More
Get your Rock River Trail Patch
Show your support for the Rock River Trail by purchasing Rock River Trail patches. Whether you paddle, drive, bike or hike the Rock River Trail, we... Read More
Kids In Kayaks Program
Read more about this program at National Parks Service website Traveling along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, 8th graders at The Mount... Read More
Rock River advocates to launch inaugural Outdoor Sports Expo in Sterling
Rock River Trail Initiative council members Matthew Hilligoss and Dave Druen are making it happen in Sterling, Illinois! Make plans to attend the inaugural Outdoor Sports... Read More
A plan to create a canoe-sharing service Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
Hmmm, Could this work on the Rock River Trail? Download entire article Article from The Star Tribune – July 29, 2015 | http://www.startribune.com/national-park-service-explores-canoe-sharing-service-along-mississippi/319720951/ A canoe ride... Read More
The Yoda, MacGyver and Good Samaritan of RAGBRAI rolled into one
Our own Dean “Bareback” Mathias, Rock River Trail council representative for Rock Island County, is in the news for his good Samaritan efforts on the RAGBRAI... Read More
Restoring butterfly habitat on the Rock River
The Rock River Trail Initiative supports planting of milkweed to restore lost butterfly habitat and forage throughout the river corridor in Wisconsin and Illinois. Mary... Read More
Rock River Trail featured in Destinations Travel Magazine
The Rock River Trail was featured in the June 15 edition of Destinations Travel Magazein as part of an article on National Water Trails. Check... Read More
RRT Signs are going up in Illinois!
IDOT-Dixon has begun installation of road signs to mark the Rock River Trail Scenic and Historic Route in Ogle County. The initial installation site is... Read More
Rock River Trail Initiative honored by the Quad City Riverfront Council
The Rock River Trail Initiative was honored on May 19, 2015 by the Quad City Riverfront Council for development of bike and water trails along... Read More
Fifth year in a row that over 10,000 trees have been planted
A big thank you to Chad Pregracke, president of Living Lands and Waters’ One Million Trees program. Chad and his organzation has donated these trees to the Rock... Read More
Over 400 youth involved in tree planting project
One of the joys of distributing free oak trees by the Rock River Trail Initiative is to engage with young people in the Rock River... Read More
Successful distribution of free oak trees by Rock River Trail Initiative
The Rock River Trail Initiative distributed free oak trees to the eleven counties of the Rock River corridor this week. This marks the fifth year... Read More
Rock River Trail is distributing 10,000 oak trees from Living Lands and Waters
Celebrate Arbor Day by planting a free oak tree and learning how to help the Monarch butterfly by planting milkweed. For the fifth year in... Read More
Let’s make 320-mile course of the Rock River a Monarch butterfly corridor
For the fifth year in a row, the Rock River Trail Initiative (RRTI) will distribute 10,000 trees in the 11 counties of the Rock River,... Read More
Prepare to Launch! – Guidelines For Assessing, Designing & Building Access Sites For Carry-In Watercraft
Guidelines For Assessing, Designing & Building Access Sites For Carry-In Watercraft – by River Management Society Prepare to Launch! is a resource designed to help... Read More
Rollin’ On The Rock
Bob McCray paddle a portion of the Rock River Trail in the summer of 2014 and wrote a wonderful article about paddling on the Rock... Read More
Save the Monarch
Over the last 20 years, 90 percent of monarch butterflies in North America have died off.[1] And we know the reason: massive amounts of Monsanto... Read More
Kayakers finish 300-mile trek down Rock River in Rock Island
Kayaker Jake Boucher adjusts his sunglasses as his friends, Garrett Feik and Jon Gress, paddle ahead of him Tuesday on the Rock River. They were... Read More
First test of Rock River Trail a success!
Rock River kayakers complete 320-mile journey down Rock River By Jim HagertyStaff Writer The first kayak trip from the headwaters of the Rock River to... Read More
Rock River Trail paddle nearing end
By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer Jake Gress, Jake Boucher and Garrett Feik are nearing the end of their start-to-finish kayak trip of the Rock River.... Read More
Rock River kayakers: ‘It’s been great so far’
By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer Garrett Feik is an avid outdoorsman. If there’s an empty deer or turkey tag within reach, it’s a safe bet... Read More
Support your local honey farms along the Rock River Trail
By Susan Johnson Copy Editor Wisconsin Dane County: Brodhead — Ten Eyck Orchard, on Hwy. 11/81, 3 miles west of Brodhead, open daily from late... Read More
Rock River kayakers paddle through Rockford, head south
Rock River Trail News By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer Kayakers Jon Gress, Jake Boucher and Garrett Feik paddled through Rockford Wednesday, May 21, making stops... Read More
Stateline in sight for Rock River kayakers
Kayak for Sabercats: Day 6 By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer The three college students on the Rock River paddling trip known as “Kayak for Sabercats”... Read More
Kayak trip reaches Janesville, paddles into Rockford Wednesday, May 21
By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer Jake Boucher, Jon Gress and Garrett Feik were 117 miles into their 320-mile kayak trip of the entire Rock River... Read More
Another great paddling event coming up Saturday June 28th on the Rock River National Water Trail
Another great paddling event coming up Saturday June 28th on the Rock River National Water Trail – this time a wonderful excursion through the wilderness of the... Read More
Kayak for Sabercats: Paddlers approach Rockford
Kayak for Sabercats: Day 8 By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer A night at Hononegah Forest Preserve is all that stands between Jake Boucher, Jon Gress... Read More
Time change for arrival of kayakers
The kayakers paddling the entire Rock River will be in Rockford at 2 p.m., at the Prairie Street Brewhouse. They will not arrive at 12:30... Read More
Kayakers continue down the Rock River Trail
By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer The start-to-finish Rock River kayak trip continued Friday, May 23, as three college students from Illinois paddled toward Dixon, Ill.,... Read More
Rock River kayakers chilly, yet on schedule: Day 2
By Jim Hagerty Staff Writer The three university students headed for the Quad Cities by kayak down the Rock River began the third of their... Read More