Explore national fish hatchery on day hike

Iron River National Fish Hatchery. Photo courtesy of USFWS.

Interpretive trails, visitor center make for fun afternoon

A day hiking trail north of Iron River, Wis., offers the opportunity to learn about the lives of fish and the importance of national fish hatcheries.

Three miles of trails cut through 1,200 acres of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Iron River National Fish Hatchery facility. A 2.4-mile segment of those interpretive trails with a stop at the visitor center can make for a fun and educational day.

Pine barrens
To reach the hatchery, take County Road A north from Iron River for 6.6 miles. Turn left/east on Fairview Road. The hatchery entrance is in one mile.

Park at the visitor center. Continue walking south on the road you drove in on. After about 0.2 miles, turn right onto a jeep trail heading southeast. The trail enters a wooded area.

The fish hatchery’s location should come as no surprise. It’s only a few miles from Lake Superior, as evidenced by the pine barrens on the Bayfield Peninsula that the trail passes through.

In 0.3 miles, take the trail south. After another 0.2 miles, the trail curves west.

Two million trout
The hatchery annually rears about 2 million trout that are then placed in Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and some of their tributaries. Research also is conducted. It was established in 1979.

About 0.5 miles later, the trail reaches Weidenaar Road. To avoid walking alongside the highway, turn back there. Upon returning to the parking lot, be sure to stop at the visitor center.

When at the hatchery, remind children with you to keep their hands out of the raceways. Doing so helps prevent disease from spreading among fish.

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County, Wisconsin, in my Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County guidebook.

Great day trails run through Iron River area

Flag River is a popular trout stream in the Poplar-Brule area.
Photo courtesy of UW-Superior.

An impressive number of day hiking trails await visitors to the Iron River, Wis., region in Bayfield County.
g Ahmeek Lake Walking Trail – Southeast of town off Luke Hughes/Pero Road, a 4.4-mile trail runs to County Road A past ponds through a new growth forest. The route is part of the North Country Scenic Trail.
g Anderson Grade Trail – The 4-mile trail crosses the Rainbow Lake Wilderness Area from east to west over rolling terrain. Balsam fir, Northern hardwoods, paper birch and pines line the trail.
g Flag River Walking Trail – North off town on Flag Road a half-mile from Battle Axe Road, the trail meanders west near the Flag River. Groves of Northern hardwoods and evergreens shade the path.
g Iron River National Fish Hatchery trails – North of town off of Fairview Road, three miles of trails cut through 1,200 acres of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service facility. A visitor center helps explain the important role of national fish hatcheries.
g Long Lake Picnic Area Trail – This 1.2-mile trail in the Chequamegon National Forest circles Long Lake and includes a boardwalk into a marsh. A picnic area is on the grounds; a parking fee is required.
g North Country National Scenic Trail segment – West of town, a segment of this multi-state trails runs through the Brule River State Forest. From the parking lot off of Wis. Hwy. 27 near Radio Station Road, take the trail north for about 2 miles to Rush River Road; turn left onto Rush Road River, crossing Hwy. 27, for views of Big Lake.
g Ruth Lake walking trails – On Ruth Lake Road, a half-mile from the County Road A intersection, trails begin both sides of the highway. Go west to skirt the wooded southern end of Lake Ruth in the Chequamegon National Forest.
g Tomahawk Lake trails – Off of Moore Road about 1.5 miles from the Island lake Road intersection, walking paths run through wooded areas. Trails begin on either side of the road.
g Tri-County Corridor Trail segment – The trail connecting Superior and Ashland runs through Iron River. East of town, take the segment east from Topside Road past Wentzel Lake and a pond to Forest Road 417 for a 3.8-mile one-way hike.

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County, Wisconsin, in my Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County guidebook.