For Earth Day we invite you to do GrateWorks for your River! Adopt a stormwater grate in your community and keep it clear of garbage and debris. By  adopting and cleaning a stormwater grate you’ll prevent garbage and debris from washing into Rock River and the tributary streams that feed into the Rock River. Pollution... Read More

Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day by planting a free oak or pecan tree! For the 14th year in a row, the Rock River Trail Initiative (RRTI) will distribute saplings along the Rock River corridor in mid-April. Chad Pregracke, president of Living Lands and Waters’ One Million Trees program, has graciously donated over 147,000 trees to... Read More

Congratulations to Jason Schneider of Sterling, IL for completing the entire Bike Route of the Rock River Trail! He traveled from September 19 – 22, 2022. Jason says of his adventure: ” What an awesome adventure and I am thankful for the opportunity to get to do this. There is so much to see by bicycle... Read More

The Rock River Trail visitor center is located at Nature At The Confluence in South Beloit. We are pleased to co-host this event with Nature At The Confluence in celebration of Earth Day 2022.  Join Nature At The Confluence’s 2022 Earth Day Walkabout and you’ll be among the first to see, and learn, firsthand the... Read More

Kudos to the City of Jefferson, WI and Jefferson County on partnering together to make a beautiful, new park on the Rock River. This park was built on the former former Jefferson County Highway department site, which was full of gravel, concrete and debris of old buildings. The park not only provides a kayak launch,... Read More

One of the goals of the Rock River Trail Initiative is to enhance the river ecosystem through natural resource conservation, stewardship and environmental planning and design. A number of dedicated individuals are actively engaged in river stewardship. Gae Bergmann, a certified master gardener in Dodge County, WI, shares her thoughts on actions we can take... Read More

In this recorded program Archaeologist Ryan J. Howell provides an excellent overview of ancient Native American history in Southern Wisconsin dating from the last Ice Age and the historical presence of the Ho-Chunk from ancient to modern times. He helps you visualize what this area looked like 13,000 years ago, what animals lived here then,... Read More

Patch Birding or Yard Birding is a fun way to watch and keep track of all the birds in a specific areas. Patch Birding or Yard Birding is a way to list all of the bird species you have seen from a very specific, small site, like your yard or a specific patch of woods... Read More

Frank Schier (1954-2017) founded the Rock River Trail in 2010. Frank was an adventurer, writer, poet, entrepreneur and instigator…and without his vision, talents and tenacity, the Rock River Trail would not exist. On this day that we lost him from cancer, Jan 17, 2017, we share some of his words from his unfinished book about... Read More

  Something BIG & Historic is going to cross the Rock River in WI and IL! The Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 Steam Locomotive will cross the Rock River on Thursday, July 25 near Ashipun, WI as part of the “Great Race across the Midwest” tour to celebrate the 150th anniversary Of The Transcontinental... Read More

This new video was created by renowned photographer and videographer Nels Akerlund. Nels is from Rockford, IL and intimately knows every turn of the Rock River, as he and his father Dan Akerlund paddled the whole 320 miles in 1994. Please enjoy this video and start planning your Rock River Trail adventure! Share it!

The Rock River Trail Initiative is proud to have received the 2018 Eddy Award for River Activity for its efforts “which went against the current in relentlessly pursuing excellence on our rivers.” The award is a hand-crafted miniature of the Rapids RiverWay Art Project in East Moline, Illinois. The Eddy Awards program was initiated in... Read More

The Rock River Trail is pleased to announce we have received a 2019 Environmental Grant in partnership with Nature At The Confluence from Illinois American Water to support a new Rock River Trail visitor information center at Nature At The Confluence, which is located at the half-way point on the trail in South Beloit, IL. Grant funds will be... Read More

Your taste buds will be tantalized on our Rock River Wine & Craft Beer Trail! Taste award-wining wines and craft beers when you visit the unique wineries and craft breweries along the Rock River! And when you’ve enjoyed your tours and tastings, head to the water to enjoy a wonderful meal at one of our... Read More

The Rock River Trail Initiative Council is comprised of individuals and organizations from along the trail that meet regularly to look for innovative ways to encourage people to explore the river and its communities. Established in 2010, the trail offers 320 miles of beautiful river to discover, starting in Horicon, Wisconsin at the Horicon National... Read More

Article by Dick Ellis, September/October 2018 Issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors at OnWisconsinOutdoors.com Another smallmouth rises from the softly flowing waters of the Rock River to sting the plastic being offered by Tom Beyer on a still and humid August afternoon. This fish though, is even better than a pair of 16- inch fish and... Read More

The Rock River corridor is rich in birds and wildlife! You’ll find outstanding places to view birds as the Rock River winds its way through 11 counties in Wisconsin and Illinois. We’ve created the Rock River Birding Trail map to enable birders and others to discover the best places to observe birds.  The Rock River... Read More

Emmons Patzer approached the Rock River Trail Iniative a few years ago recommending an Air Route that includes all 10 airports along the Rock River. The Air Route was approved, official signs were made and installed at all airports and the Air Route officially was opened in June 2016. Emmons is now the first official... Read More

Beloit, WI – Friday, July 13 – After 7 days on the Rock River in Wisconsin, Gary Meier, Terry Meyers and Perry Folts of Beloit, Wisconsin will arrive in Beloit, Friday, July 13, at approximately 4:00 p.m. at The Rock Bar and Grill, 101 Maple Avenue, completing their 320-mile Rock River Trail adventure. After completing the Illinois portion... Read More

The two cyclists who were the first to pedaling the complete Rock River Trail Bike Route made it to the Mississippi River on June 14, 2018 and were welcomed by well wishers and local media.  Dean Mathias of the Quad Cities Bicycle Club and the Rock River Trail Initiative Rock Island County representative presented the... Read More

David Spencer of Rockford Park District (left) and Nels Akerlund of Nels Akerlund Photograph, Rockford, represented the Rock River Trail Initiative at the awards ceremony today in Rockford, Illinois for the Anything That Floats Race held on the Rock River last year. The race raised funds for three worthwhile non-profits in the greater Rockford area... Read More

Co-Coordinator of The Rock River Trail Initiative and Nature At The Confluence’s Executive Director, Therese Oldenburg received the “Elly” Environmental Leadership Award from the Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce February 27, 2018 at their annual dinner attended by over 500 people. Keynote speaker at the dinner was WI Governor Scott Walker with special appearance by Secretary... Read More

In 2018 the Rock River Trail Initiative celebrates eight years since the inaugural river paddle in April 2010 set in motion implementation of plans to establish a system of recreational trails along the Rock River through Wisconsin and Illinois.  It has been an exciting journey and all who have been partners in this adventure can... Read More

Nature At The Confluence in South Beloit, Illinois, recently held a “Safe Paddling 101” program so paddlers can learn how to be better prepared and stay safe on the water. There has been quite a few days of high water on Turtle Creek (Beloit, South Beloit – tributary of the Rock River) and Rock River... Read More

The grand opening ceremony of the Rock River Trail was held June 3rd at Rotary River Center in Beloit, Wisconsin, with celebration activities in a number of river communities in Wisconsin and Illinois. The ceremony was a successful one with 150 trail enthusiasts, friends and officials on hand to formally open the Rock River Trail... Read More

The Beloit Daily News has unearthed an intriguing story that links two Rock River paddling journeys…But the journeys are separated by 122 years, one took place in 1894 and the other will take place in 2017. May 24, 2017 – Beloit Daily News – Two men will launch a Rock River kayak journey on June... Read More

Therese Oldenburg from the Rock River Trail Initiative proudly watched from the floor as the Wisconsin Assembly voted on May 10 on Joint Resolution 44 recognizing the Rock River Trail grand opening on June 3 and honoring the work of founder Frank Schier. Much appreciation and thanks to Representative Mark Spreitzer for authoring the resolution... Read More

The Rock River Trail Initiative is pleased to announce that Nels Akerlund, reknowned photographer and adventurer from Rockford, Illinois, will be our keynote speaker at the Rock River Trail Grand Opening, June 3, 10am in Beloit, WI. Nels and his father Dan paddled the whole Rock River in 1994 and Nels is credited for being... Read More

Remembering Frank Schier The Rock River Trail Initiative would like to share a wonderful tribute that Frank Schier’s newspaper The Rock River Times published on January 25, 2017. Frank, the founder of the Rock River Trail Initiative, lost his batter with cancer on January 17, 2017. While we are all still coming to grips with... Read More

Come appreciate our creativity! Let the local roads of Wisconsin and Illinois take your heart along the Rock River Trail Art Route. Get ready to have your spirit and mind touched by public and private displays of creativity depicting the human condition on the River of Heartland. Travel to more than 61 Wisconsin and  Illinois public sculptures... Read More

  We invite you to savor the wonderful flavors of the Rock River Trail on our new Chocolate Trail! The Rock River Trail covers 320 miles in 11 counties in Wisconsin and Illinois and many of the communities along the way offer many ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. The Rock River Chocolate Trail highlights our... Read More

With a little help from our aviation friends, the word is getting out about the Rock River Trail Air Route. Eric Bickel, the owner of Skydive The Rock, located at the Beloit Airport attended the January 19, 2017 Rock River Trail quarterly meeting in Beloit, WI and offered to take one of our new Rock... Read More