Set out on an outdoor urban adventure.
With 60 acres of park space (equivalent to 45 football fields!), 7 miles of trails, and 3 miles of Menomonee River, you can choose your own adventure down in the Valley.
Hank Aaron State Trail
The Hank Aaron State Trail is a 13-mile paved continuous east-to-west connection from the shores of Lake Michigan, through the Menomonee River Valley, and to the Milwaukee/Waukesha county line.
Find some of Milwaukee's top destinations along the route as well as a variety of environments ranging from urban, to river views, to prairie and wooded surroundings.
Grab a Bublr Bike and hit the trail!
Three Bridges Park
Nature and stunning views of Milwaukee’s skyline await you at every corner of the award-winning Three Bridges Park, a 24-acre urban oasis in the Menomonee River Valley.
Photo: Eddee Daniel
Menomonee Valley Community Park
The Menomonee Valley Community Park is under the 35th Street Viaduct on the north and south sides of Canal St and has picnic tables, bench swings, and walking trails.
Eco-Area on
St. Paul Avenue
This award-winning area is at 940 W St. Paul Avenue under the Marquette Interchange, across from the Wisconsin DNR and Brass Light Gallery, was transformed from an empty lot to an eco-space with neighborhood connecting trails in 2021. See how the space was transformed.
In addition to a plaza, a snaking trail weave under the interstate from W St. Paul Avenue to the intersection at W Michigan St and W 10th Street. Bioswales with native plantings have the capacity to capture 293,000 gallons of stormwater from the interstate, filtering it before it flows to the Menomonee River and on to Lake Michigan.
Menomonee River
The Menomonee River is one of Milwaukee's three primary rivers and is visited by people fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and boating.
Experience the river's urban industrial charm and its place in history as you float past the steel dock walls that witnessed the city's growth.
Bublr Bikes
Bublr Bikes is Greater Milwaukee’s nonprofit bike share program. Pay by the ride, day, weekend, month, or year. Bublr has both standard and ebikes.
Multiple stations have bikes in and near the Valley - see here.
Businesses can even reserve bikes for a group ride with an optional tour guide from Menomonee Valley Partners!
Wildlife is returning...
Within the parks, there are more than 45 acres of native plants that are improving wildlife habitat and water quality. The Urban Ecology Center Community Science Program, volunteer community members who conduct academic research, regularly monitors ever increasing usage from creatures - two-legged, four-legged, winged, and crawlers - in Three Bridges Park. In 2016, they discovered a Stream Bluet damselfly, the first record of this species in Milwaukee County since 1907!
Outdoor Art
The Menomonee River Valley has plenty of outdoor art to enjoy. Whether on a bike ride or taking a nice stroll, you can experience a variety of world-class art. Hear directly from many artists about their installations in video clips.
Urban Ecology Center
The Urban Ecology Center brings the wonders of the outdoors and curious people together. The Center’s unique and ever evolving programming for children and adults brings the city’s children and families into nature, helps our kids acquire the science skills they need to succeed, and helps adults keep on learning about how our changing world around us works.
