The Sugar River is a tributary of the Pecatonica River

Pecatonica River

The Pecatonica River is a tributary of the Rock River, long, in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the United States.The word Pecatonica is an anglicization of two Algonquian language words: Bekaa , which means "slow", and niba, which means "water", forming the conjunction Bekaaniba or...

, approximately 91 miles (146.4 km) long, in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

s of Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 and Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

.

It rises in the hills of southwest Wisconsin, in southwest Dane County

Dane County, Wisconsin

As of the census of 2000, there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile . There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...

, approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....

. The headwaters are at the southern terminus of the last North American glacier. West of the river, the land elevates from lack of glaciation and joins what is known as the "driftless area", known for its abrupt hills and valleys, covering most of southwest Wisconsin. From its source, the river meanders southeast, past Paoli

Paoli, Wisconsin

Paoli is an unincorporated community in the town of Montrose, in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States.-Notes:...

 and Belleville

Belleville, Wisconsin

Belleville is a village in Dane and Green Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,908 at the 2000 census.The Dane County portion of Belleville is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Green County portion is part of the Monroe Micropolitan Statistical...

, where it is dammed to form Lake Belle View. From there it meanders east of Monticello

Monticello, Wisconsin

Monticello is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Wisconsin:*Monticello, Green County, Wisconsin*Monticello, Lafayette County, Wisconsin...

 where it is joined by the Little Sugar River

Little Sugar River (Wisconsin)

The Little Sugar River is a tributary of the Sugar River in the U.S. state of Wisconsin.It rises in Dane County, just north of New Glarus, and flows southeasterly, joining the Sugar River at the mill pond in Albany...

 and flows south through Albany

Albany, Wisconsin

Albany is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,191 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Albany.-Geography:...

, and Brodhead

Brodhead, Wisconsin

Brodhead is a city in Green and Rock Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,180 at the 2000 census. In February 2000, the city annexed a portion of land from the Town of Spring Valley in Rock County.-History:...

. It crosses into northern Illinois flowing past an extensive area of the Winnebago County Forest Preserve system. These preserves are Sugar River Alder, Colored Sands, and Sugar River. The river joins the Pecatonica River

Pecatonica River

The Pecatonica River is a tributary of the Rock River, long, in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the United States.The word Pecatonica is an anglicization of two Algonquian language words: Bekaa , which means "slow", and niba, which means "water", forming the conjunction Bekaaniba or...

 in northern Winnebago County

Winnebago County, Illinois

Winnebago County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 295,266, which is an increase of 6.1% from 278,418 in 2000...

 near Shirland

Shirland, Illinois

Shirland is an unincorporated community in Shirland Township, in Winnebago County, Illinois, and is located northwest of Rockford. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

, approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of the state line and approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) north-northeast of Rockford

Rockford, Illinois

Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...

.

The Sugar River State Trail

Sugar River State Trail

The Sugar River State Trail is a long, , recreation rail trail in Wisconsin.This trail connects four communities: New Glarus, Monticello, Albany and Brodhead...

is 23 miles (37 km) of a winding path that is perfect for walking or riding a bike. In the winter, you can snowmobile or cross-country ski along the trail.