Pedaling through Wisconsin's capital, Madison, which received a City Ratings score of 61 for 2025.

In 2025, cities across Wisconsin received an average, population-weighed City Ratings score of 48, behind only New York (56) and Alaska (58) as the best statewide scores for biking. We collected some of the best small, medium, and large cities for biking across America’s Dairyland to highlight what makes Wisconsin such a great state to ride a bike. Notably, many of Wisconsin’s highest-scoring locales are smaller, rural towns, proving that great biking doesn’t just happen in large, metropolitan areas.

Large Cities

Milwaukee

2025 City Ratings Score: 50

Population: 569,756

As Wisconsin’s only large-sized city, Milwaukee placed just outside the top 10 large U.S. cities in our 2025 City Ratings. Still, its two-point increase over 2024 pushed Milwaukee to a score of 50 this year, a critical threshold PeopleForBikes sees as the tipping point to becoming a great place to ride a bike.

The city recently finished the West Walnut Street Reconstruction Project, which installed raised bike lanes and concrete islands to make biking safer and easier on a heavily-trafficked stretch of road.

Medium Cities

Madison

2025 City Ratings Score: 61

Population: 275,568

Home to the state’s largest university, Wisconsin’s capital city has long been a great city for biking. In recent years, Madison completed numerous projects to make biking safer and more accessible, including a new two-way bike lane on Wilson Street in the heart of downtown as well as new miles of bike-optimized singletrack in Sycamore Park.

La Crosse

2025 City Ratings Score: 65

Population: 51,791

Along Wisconsin’s western border with Minnesota, La Crosse boasts an impressive City Ratings score of 65, raising its score more than five points since 2021. La Crosse County is home to more than 100 miles of bike paths and trails, with 15 miles of designated bike lanes and bikeways connecting residents across the city.

Eau Claire

2025 City Ratings Score: 50

Population: 69,274

Eau Claire features an expanding network of bike lanes and multi-use trails, with more than 57 miles of paved infrastructure and nearly 20 miles of off-road trails. Highlights include the scenic Chippewa River State Trail, which runs through downtown and connects riders to neighboring communities, as well as Pinehurst Park, a progressive mountain bike park.

Small Cities

Sauk City

2025 City Ratings Score: 90

Population: 3,500

New this year, Sauk City made its City Ratings debut as the #3 best city for biking in the U.S. with an impressive score of 90. The small town shines thanks to its accessible downtown and the Great Sauk State Trail, an 11.4-mile rail‑trail built in 2017 that connects Sauk City and Prairie du Sac along the scenic Wisconsin River.

Ashland

2025 City Ratings Score: 81

Population: 7,884

Situated on the shores of Chequamegon Bay at the very northern tip of Wisconsin, Ashland offers riders a scenic, 14‑mile waterfront trail that stretches all the way to the nearby city of Washburn (2025 City Ratings score: 89), with stunning views of Lake Superior available throughout the ride.

Lake Geneva

2025 City Ratings Score: 72

Population: 8,443

Just across the Illinois border in south-central Wisconsin, Lake Geneva features amazing options for riding around town as well as bigger adventures on a road or mountain bike. The popular Lake Geneva Bike Path has five different color-coded options for bikers to explore, connecting residential areas, parks, and downtown.