Trail Sections — Heartland Trail Spur

  • Length:

    2.6 miles

  • Surface:

    Asphalt paved trail

  • Activities:

    Hiking, jogging, biking, pets

The Heartland Trail is a paved path that parallels Patch Street, offering excellent views of active trains in the Stevens Point rail yard. Green Circle users can access the trail at the intersection of the Iverson Park and McDill Trails. The path travels from Michigan Avenue at its west end to the Portage County Business Park on the east side of Interstate 39. A safe underpass trail beneath the highway was completed in August of 2010, initiated by the Heartland Bike & Nordic Ski Club of Central Wisconsin, for which the trail is named. A network of pedestrian trails crisscross the Business Park. Click here for more information.

 

Features

Trains in Stevens Point

The railroad has always been an important part of Stevens Point’s history. After the first train arrived in 1871, Stevens Point became the rail hub of central Wisconsin. By the mid 1880s, the city had five westbound and three southbound passenger trains, along with three freight trains in each direction. Special lumber trains brought logs from the north and west for the sawmills (Land & Lumber: A History of Portage County by Michael J. Goc, 1999). The railroad company became the largest employer in the city. Traveling along the Heartland Trail, you can still watch active switch yards, repair shops, a yard office, roundhouse, and depot. Trains constantly move in and out of the yard. This is part of the Stevens Point Historic Southside Railroad Complex.

 

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