Reviewed by: John , from Madison, WI

Summary:
Cripes, there's my tour up above. I lived and biked in La Crosse for 2 years and used to do that ride at least twice a week for quite some time. I never got yelled at, but I think the land up there is private. You also have to ride up Old Vinyard road or the cops will either ticket you or wait to bust ya for anything else if they're bored. The trails themselves range from difficult to insane. The larger ones are old washed out roads of some sort, probably from when they used to quarry up there. They're now sort of like little rock slides and kicked up rocks can ding your frame if you don't spill in the first place. DH'ing on the loose trails will make your arms go numb if you don't have a front shock, but most of the riding is singletrack. There are tons of smaller trails amongst the main trails so you can explore up here for some time. After a dozen 3 hour rides up there I'd still stumble upon a new one every now and again. There are some spots where a wrong move could cost you some serious hospital time at the very least, but there are also plenty of trails away from the cliffs. I'm considering moving back to La Crosse just for the biking up there... at least what's there until they fill it with houses. I honestly still can't belive biking can be that good in WI.

Recommended Route:
From the Old Vinyard trailhead, take the right trail (with the gate) and follow it all the way right until you get a great view of South La Crosse. After a little breather from the climb, go back more or less the way you came (lots of little trails up there), but instead of going back down the rocky hill you just climbed, stick to the right and eventually you'll go past an old burnt out car and through a cool bluff-top meadow. If you stick to the left, you can do a cool downhill, then a short climb that takes you out to Hedgehog itself (from South to North it's King's Chairs, Hedgehog, Grand Dad's, un-named). If you follow the mail trail on hedge, they lead out to a point after a short loose rock climb. If you turn back around then, you can go more or less the way you came and go back up to the meadow, but take the other way. It'll wind past a field if I remember, through some light woods on a fun, fast single-track, then it dumps out onto some strange "gravel" road with rocks the size of your fist. If you follow that uphill, you suddenly pop out in some neighborhood near the Alpine Inn. Take a left and stop in the Alpine for a refreshing Sam Adams. Go back up the hill you just came down and take a left on the first road you come to. You'll go way the hell back past a weather station and the horses and there will be another road off to your left. Go out there and close to the point you should find a trail off to the right (north) side of the bluff (again, I don't know it's name). Follow that down and you end up spilling out on Mormon Coulee, but out in North La Crosse.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Bluebird is a lot of fun (see other reviews).

Reviewed by: Jim D. , from La Crosse

Summary:
I stopped riding these trails because I thought they were illegal along with Hixton trails that many here have discussed. Maybe Hedgehog is legal on top, but I know you will have to poach Hixton if you want to ride those trails. However when I did ride them I found they were a lot of fun. There are some beautiful views of the river and City if you take the time to look. The climb to the top was alway a challenge for me mostly because my bike back then wasn't too good.

Recommended Route:
I have none. I just went wherever my nose pointed.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Trails are fun and technical, bute thought of getting a ticket for tresspassing has kept me off these trails for quite a while so I don't know its condition.

Reviewed by: Richard , from LaX

Summary:
Unbelievable trails, if you know where to go. Will challenge the most fit, and the most tech riders out there. Go w/ someone who knows the area well and you are assured a great time. Can link to trails that go to Granddads and down through Hixon.

Recommended Route:
Same as above

Reviewed by: Guru , from LaX

Summary:
These trails are illegal to ride. The only part your not supposed to ride are the two small beginning trails from the road to the top. Once on top you are free to ride. I went to school with the landowners son (same guy who has the nice big A-Frame, last house) You can find many numerous trails that can challege anyone. I have my secret loop that shoots you out on top of Granddad's and down through Hixon. The best DH in LaCrosse starts at the radio tower by the horse stables. Try to find it, you won't be disappointed. Stay right!

Recommended Route:
Same as above.

Reviewed by: Ryan , from Boise, ID

Summary:
So that's the name of the trail!
I used to ride this all the time when I was in school from 90 to 94. It was a great section of trail with log hops, to technical uphill's and downhill's. Always thought it was illegal though considering some of the landowners used to yell at us, but it was never truely posted by anyone then. My girlfriend and I also helped put out a fire up there back in 94 that some kids started. This trail still exists......very cool!

Recommended Route:
same as recommended by the original poster

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Hixon Forest (if you don't get caught)