Gold Star Memorial Trail

Connecting Communities and Remembering Their Sacrifice

The Gold Star Memorial Trail (GSMT) started as a grassroots initiative with a group of Mayville area residents to provide a safe, off-road, non-motorized trail connection between the City of Mayville and the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center. The idea of developing this trail received so much support from local businesses, organizations, state legislators, municipalities and individual residents, that the GSMT project has a goal of connecting Mayville, Horicon, the Wild Goose State Trail, and Beaver Dam.

The Trail promotes recreational, economic and tourism development with links to surrounding communities and attractions for residents of Dodge County and visitors to the area. It also encourages using alternative modes of transportation to get around. The Gold Star Memorial Trail can be used year-round for running, walking, hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, improving access to healthy lifestyle opportunities for generations to come.

The Dodge County Land Use & Parks Department maintains the trail and has additional GSMT info on their website.

Honoring a request on behalf of Dodge County Gold Star families, the Trail serves as a memorial to Wisconsin military service members who have been killed in action. Memorials will be placed along the trail to honor and remember local heros that have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our country. Since 1991, Dodge County has lost 6 service members from communities that will be linked by the Trail.