Cameo Rose is the gateway to Belleville, Basco and to the Badger State Trail which extends 41 miles from Madison to the Illinois state line and to the Jane Adams Trail in Illinois. The trail is attracting as many as 500 users per day.

The trail is being blacktopped by September 2010 from just north of Cameo Rose at Purcell Road to the Capitol City Trail in Madison. In addition the Badger Trail connects to the Cheese Country Trail heading west from Monroe and the Sugar River Trail near Monticello.

The Wisconsin Badger State Trail is for biking, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and limited snowmobiling and ATV Use. The Badger State Trail is one of Wisconsin's hidden gems and it is right in view from the Cameo Rose - a Madison WI area Bed and Breakfast and Victorian country inn on 120 scenic acres between vibrant Madison and beautiful Belleville.

Badger Trail is a very scenic trail. It is the old Illinois Central Railroad corridor converted to a bicycle and recreational trail. In the winter you can ski, snowshoe, snowmobile and use ATVs on a limited basis. It is part of the Rails to Trails program.

The Badger Bike Trail is making Cameo Rose an easy access by bike from Madison – the world’s biking Capital. The Badger Trail will then connect to the Capitol City Trail at Madison, the Military Ridge Trail at Verona and the Sugar River Trail near Monticello or before at New Glarus by side road.

At Belleville, you’ll cross the Sugar River, see scenic Lake Belle View and Library Park with a decorative fountain, gazebo and historic old library museum, cross a historic bridge and pass through Steward Tunnel to the South.

The trail runs past New Glarus (where you could link to the Sugar River Bike Trail by a side road trip). It runs through Green County (famous for cheese factories and two breweries) to Monticello where the trail does cross the Sugar River State Trail and to Monroe where Twinning Park has parking, picnic tables, shelters and restrooms. At Monroe, the trail crosses the Cheese Country Trail. Further South is the Illinois border where the trail joins the Jane Addams Trail to Orangeville and Freeport, IL to connection with the 500 Grand Illinois Trail System.

Along the way are rock outcroppings and views of the countryside.

In the future, winter all-terrain vehicle use will be permitted between Monroe and Monticello on a trial basis and a 2-mile parallel horse trail is planned.

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