If you like camping, biking, both, or neither, this event is not to be missed. Camp starts Friday, we bike all day Saturday, and wake up on Sunday morning chafed, hungover, and wondering why we didn’t just put on more body glide already.

2026 Details

Stay tuned!

Biking Options

The trail runs between Elroy (open in Google Maps) and Sparta (open in Google Maps). There are various ways to accomplish it.

• The Whole Enchilada: ~65 miles of riding on a single day
  Leave the Elroy campsite around 9 or so on Saturday. Arrive in Sparta around noon. Have a picnic lunch at the trailhead OR go into town, then head back. Try to arrive at the campsite before dark Saturday night.This is what most people have done previously.
  
• The Partial Enchilada: ?? miles of riding on a single day
  Don’t feel like biking that much? Then don’t. Bike exactly half as far as you want to, then turn around. It’s that easy!
  
• The 2 Day Party: ~32 miles of riding for 2 days
  Stash a car that can carry bikes in Sparta. Join the Enchiladers for some portion of their ride on Saturday, either to or from Sparta. You could bike from Sparta to Elroy on Friday, and then back Saturday morning; or from Sparta to Elroy on Saturday, and back on Sunday. The world is your oyster.
  
• Never Leave Camp: 0 miles of riding
  Hang out at the campsite. You could walk on the trail or enjoy your hammock. Recommended if you have any broken bones.
  
• Show Up, Hang Out: 0 miles of riding
  You are welcome to attend any part of this adventure using whatever conveyance can get you wherever. Join the WhatsApp chat if you need to know where we are.
  

A Word About Lunch

After struggling for years to find lunch options in Sparta that are open, fast, not terrible, and prepared to handle a random influx of like 15 bikers, at least a contingent of us do a picnic lunch in Sparta (Cheaper! Ability to swear loudly! You can sleep wherever you want! You can vape openly!) If you still want to bike into town, that’s fine too; especially if you’re speedy, the two hours it usually takes to eat in town will not affect you as badly. Or you can stop and picnic after the last tunnel, if you want to avoid that 10 mile climb uphill on the way back.

What You Should Bring

• Most important: functional bike lights. Those tunnels get dark.
• A lighter overlayer if you are prone to chill. Those tunnels get cold.
• A change of socks, closed toed shoes. Those tunnels get wet.
• Your camp wagon, if you have one. The campsite has gorgeous views and is quite secluded, but it’s also at the top of a pretty big hill. The price we pay for a good site, I guess! Bring a wagon and ask for help if you need it; folks will definitely come to your aid.
• Water. Optionally, your own water if you don’t like well water. The pump was broken in 2024, meaning you should plan to fill up at the bottom of the hill or bring your own.
• A bundle of firewood, if you can.
• Snacks for the trail. Beer for the trail. We tend to average about 4-6 stops each way.
• A picnic lunch, if you are picnicking.
• A camp chair, if you enjoy sitting around the fire.

Traditionally, attendees tend to bring their own food, rather than having people volunteer to take responsibility for group meals. If you want to take responsibility for a meal, I strongly recommend you choose the meal and what you want to make and specifically ask how many people you should plan to cook for, rather than yelling “I have meat!” into the void and hoping that will somehow clarify your meal-prep expectations.

There are usually a few picnic tables for resting things. We will have a canopy.

More Camp Details

The camp is quite sizable and lovely once you have conquered the hill (bring your wagon!). The map below shows the layout – you can either cross Hwy 71 to get from parking to the service road, or use the underpass if you have a lot of gear in a wagon and want to be safer.  We are at site #7. You can lock yoru bikes to a tree at the bottom of the hill if you don’t feel like bringing them to camp. Check in at 3pm Friday, check out at 1pm Sunday. There is a serviceable grocery store nearby. There is a pump for water but it has been broken since 2023. Our site has a few picnic tables, and there is a gazebo nearby. There is a pit toilet.

A parking pass is required to park at the Elroy Campsite. We’re not sure how much they enforce this, to be honest.

More About the Trail

32.5 miles one way, on crushed limestone. There are three tunnels. Water and bathrooms are available at Wilton and Norwalk at least, and maybe at Sparta if they haven’t closed for the day.

Here’s a cool history of the trail if you’re bored: Interactive History

A trail pass ($5) is technically required, but we’ve never been stopped, sooo….