Milwaukee RIver Greenway

Sometimes called Milwaukee’s Central Park, the Milwaukee River Greenway is 800 acres of river valley protected within a mile of downtown and includes 70% Milwaukee County Parkland. This grassroots advocacy effort started in 2006 to write legislation to preserve the “viewshed” – the view one has when on the water or along the trails that has no visual intrusions, such as buildings or smoke stacks or power lines. You’d never know you were in the city!

The Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition, working together in partnership for 15 years in 2021, assists Milwaukee County Parks (through an MOU) and municipalities take care of and enhance this natural urban gem for all to enjoy!

Milwaukee River Greenway logo

878 acres of trails and greenspace

28 miles of hiking, biking and water trails

Covers 6 miles of the Milwaukee River

LInks 12 public parks

What is the greenway?

The Milwaukee River Greenway is 878 acres of trails and greenspace along the Milwaukee river within the City of Milwaukee and nearby suburbs. There are currently over 28 miles of hiking, biking, and water trails along 6 miles of the Milwaukee River. Twelve public parks are linked together through proposed and existing public easements on private land; 70% of the land is owned by Milwaukee County Parks. The Greenway is the result of a community-driven effort to protect and responsibly manage the river valley. Hundreds of citizens, the City and County of Milwaukee, the Village of Shorewood, Rotary Club of Milwaukee and the following organizations have collaborated on the Greenway:
  • Cambridge Woods Neighborhood Association
  • Friends of Estabrook Park
  • Friends of Lincoln Park
  • Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)
  • Milwaukee County Parks
  • Milwaukee Environmental Consortium
  • Milwaukee Friends Meeting/Quakers
  • Milwaukee Riverkeeper
  • Milwaukee River Advocates Co-Op
  • Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD)
  • River Revitalization Foundation
  • Sierra Club/Nearby Nature
  • Urban Ecology Center

River Revitalization Foundation (RRF) is the lead organization in the Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition, a group of stakeholders engaged in protecting the ecological and recreational value of over 800 acres of greenspace. The Coalition worked with the Village of Shorewood and the City of Milwaukee to adopt protective ordinances, which passed in 2006 and 2010 respectively, that permanently protect the Milwaukee River Valley from insensitive development. The Milwaukee River Greenway Master Plan was completed in 2010 with much public input and provides a comprehensive vision for the river as a unique urban wilderness containing restored natural communities and shared recreational opportunities.

view of river and trees in the greenway book cover

new greenway book released!

 Get your copy of The Milwaukee River Greenway: A Wealth of Nature in the Heart of the City by Eddee Daniel!

Available to purchase from BookBaby.com. Also available at a discount from the author. Contact: eddee@eddeedaniel.com.      Click HERE for more info and to view Eddee’s other books!

Where is the greenway?

The northern part of the Greenway begins in Lincoln Park on Silverspring Drive and continues south past North Avenue eventually ending at RRF on Riverboat Road.

Greenway Partners

City of Milwaukee

City of Glendale

Village of Shorewood

Cambridge Woods Neighborhood Association

Friends of Estabrook Park

Friends of Lincoln Park

Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)

Milwaukee County Parks

Milwaukee Friends Meeting/Quakers

Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Milwaukee River Advocates Co-Op

River Revitalization Foundation logo

River Revitalization Foundation

Sierra Club's Nearby Nature Initiatve

Urban Ecology Center