Escape the Badger 2025 was the second year of the event, and I am so glad I attended. It is held at Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area, Wisconsin. The event is hosted by the Baraboo Area Mountain Bike Association (BAMBA). They have been using this gravel event to raise funds to develop more mountain bike trails in the area. This was the perfect event for my first organized gravel ride.
The Sauk Prairie Recreation Area has been developed into a nature preserve and recreation area because it is a superfund site. The former ammunition plant left a lot of hazardous materials behind including massive amounts of asbestos.
Riding in the remains of the plants roads and stumbling across the remains of buildings felt almost post apocalyptic, but was totally epic.
BAMBA reported 101 registered riders for the event and raised over $2500 for development of mountain bike trails in the area.
Terrain included plenty of mud, gravel roads, degraded pavement, and grass. The views of the local bluffs were impressive to say the least.
by Checked_Out_6
2 Comments
Looks like it’s still winter up there!!
Wow cool event.
There is a similar superfund site in Arden Hills, MN in what is now very pleasant prairie trails. They removed what was I believe the last remaining structure a couple years ago.
It’s not near the scale of this one you describe. Thanks for sharing