Weeks 3 and 4 of the Trails of Newport State Park Challenge

The Monarch Trail is full of grasslands, wildflowers and other plants, including a little grove of daisies. There’s also a short section that dips into the forest for a brief, quiet reprieve from the prairie. Photo by Erica Bouska

Prairie Grasslands and Varied Terrains

With each week of the Newport Challenge, the length of the hikes increases. These two are both about two miles each, but they provide very different experiences.

The first works well for a group looking to walk and talk in a beautiful field or a soloist seeking an easy stroll. The second provides a more challenging hike with interesting nature stops, and it’s one that’s better for non-white shoes.

Read about both trails below to see how you’d like to experience and explore Newport.

The Monarch Trail: 1.75 miles

If you’ve ever dreamed of waltzing through a prairie in a vintage outfit, the Monarch Trail is for you: It’s a mown grass path with grasslands and wildflowers on both sides.

The trailhead is right at the entrance to the park, but it can be a bit confusing to reach. Using the foldout maps available outside the office is very helpful.

The Monarch Trail is about a 40-minute loop that connects to a few other trails, including the Newport Trail, which is one of the longest in the park. But this trail was a nice shorter journey that was enjoyable despite the light rain throughout my hike. The path is unpaved and lacks gravel cover, but it’s mostly flat. I found it easy to walk on and never found myself out of breath.

There was no debris in the way, and the clearing rain clouds made for some beautiful scenery. The path is wide enough that two or three people could walk side by side, so it would be a good trail for a group to take an easy walk.

The Upland Trail: 2 miles

The Upland Trail is the opposite of the Monarch Trail. It also starts at the park entrance, but because it goes through the woods and has plenty of ups, downs, rocks and branches to navigate, it got my heart rate up. 

But that isn’t to say it was a bad hike. Where the Monarch Trail is more casual, the Upland Trail provides a traditional hiking experience that’s more difficult and covers a variety of terrain.

Though the trail may seem confusing at points, there are arrows directing hikers along the path. It also offers a self-guided nature tour (pamphlets are available at the trailhead) and is on historical grounds, with a fascinating root cellar.

It took me a little over an hour to complete the fun pathways and take in the beautiful forest outcroppings.

Next Up

July 14: Sand Cove/Duck Bay Trail, 2.5 miles

July 21: Lynd Point Trail, 2.5 miles 

If you’d like to join the trail challenge, show up any Thursday at 9 am at the trailhead that’s designated for that week’s hike. Check the Newport State Park Facebook page or dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/location/newport for the exact meeting locations and hike details.