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Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoeing at
Justin Trails Resort in Sparta, WI - 7452
Kathryn Ave, Sparta, WI 54656
Justin
Trails Resort (www.justintrails.com;
608-269-4522, 800-488-4521) in Sparta, WI is the center for recreation,
relaxation, and romance. There are cabins and suite accommodations amidst
the vistas of hills and valleys in southwest Wisconsin known as the
Driftless region.
The groomed trails are 10-15 feet wide and there is 15 km for xc skiing and more marked paths for snowshoers. There are 2 groomed hills for tubing or sledding (600 and 400 feet long) skijoring, dog sledding and more. 45 pairs of snowshoes to rent for adults or kids with modern and wooden gear to try Mountain Safety Research snowshoes are available to demo and purchase. Snowshoe rentals are $5 and xc ski rentals are $10. There is a $5 daily fee to use trails or the tubing hill. Guests use trails for free. A 15-minute xc ski clinic is available.
The lodge has a snack shop, booths and a couch for lounging and a gas Franklin fireplace. The accommodations include Foursquare (farmhouse) has suites starting at $115 per night for 2 guests (400 or 500 square foot) with whirlpool and fireplace except the garden suite, the Paul Bunyun log cabin with satellite TV, DVD/CD player, fireplace, WiFi for $250 per night for 2 people midweek or $325 on weekends. Additional person for $25 per night. The Little House on the Praire cabin is for $195 for 2 people per night. The resort also offers a separate building on site for massage services.
The
trails include easy on Bambi-eze 1km, more difficult on Bambi Lane 2
km and Meadow Loop 2km, and most difficult on Big Buck Run 3.2 km, Doe
Chase 3.5 km, and Scenic Overlook 1 km. Skijoring is available on a
2 km trail to take the dog where you can ski with your own dog or use
the Justins' Siberian Huskey named George. There's dog sledding, too.
Also - pet friendly accommodations, complete list of local restaurants (click restaurants), and the local scene includes gift shops, Amish country, scenic drives, and state parks. The famous Elroy-Sparta Trail is a nearby rail trail for 4-season activity. There's also mountain biking on the trails at the resort in the summer and new this year at Justin Trails are sites for remote tent camping starting in May 2009.
Other
season activity at Justin Trails Resort includes Disc Golf, an
eco-friendly sport played in the great outdoors for a $5 fee per person.
There are two 18-hole courses with Mach three baskets including a 2-hour
course and a 3-hour three mile course. Disc golf can be enjoyed by first
timers but there is also a tour of serious players and Justin Trails
Resort has been a stop on the tour. Scorecards and discs are available.
The experience includes amazing vistas, wide open fairways, tightly
wooded shots and dramatic elevation changes.
Directions: From Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison take I-90 to Exit 25 (second Sparta exit) make a left (south) on Highway 27, a right on County J (west) go 1.5 miles to Kathryn Ave. For other directions see Web site map at http://www.justintrails.com/directions.html.