Great parks, trails await Polk County hikers

An outdoor recreational paradise, Polk County is full of trails to hike or ski, lakes to fish or boat, geological sites to marvel at or explore. For day hikers, a number of major parks and standalone trails can be found in the county.

Parks
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway runs the length of Polk County’s western side. Its visitor center in downtown St. Croix Falls boasts a 500-gallon freshwater aquarium.

The county also is home to two state parks – Wisconsin Interstate State Park and Straight Lake State Park. Interstate Park sits in the famous Dalles of the St. Croix gorge while Straight Lake, near Luck and Frederic, is deliberately undeveloped to serve those seeking a truly back to nature experience.

Another great state-owned land to hike is the Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area. It sports a rare plant ecosystem that resides on and around 1.1-billion-year-old volcanic rock.

Trails
Ice Age National Scenic Trail finds its western terminus in St. Croix Falls. The trail largely parallels the southernmost advance of the glacier that last covered Wisconsin some 10,000 years ago.

Several old railroad beds have been converted into trails as well. They’re very popular among backpackers and day hikers alike. The four railroad trails are:
g Gandy Dancer Trail – Starting in St. Croix Falls, the trail connects several communities on its 98-mile course north to Superior.
g Stower Seven Lakes State Trail – The 14-mile trail runs past lakes and farmland west of Amery.
g Cattail State Trail – The 18-mile trail also leaves from Amery but heads east to Turtle Lake and Almena in neighboring Barron County.
g Clear Lake-Clayton State Trail – Linking its namesake communities, the trail runs for 11 miles. Note that the railroad beds have a strict carry-in, carry-out policy.

Read more about day hiking this and nearby trails in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Polk County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Rail line converted to trail great for hiking

 Stower Seven Lakes State Trail west of Amery.

Stower Seven Lakes State Trail map

Stower Seven Lakes trail
runs thru woods, farms

Peaceful woodland, serene ponds, and picturesque farms await day hikers on the Stower Seven Lakes State Trail heading west of Amery.

Built on a former rail line, the 14-mile trail heads to a mile short of Dresser. A good segment to take is from the trailhead in Amery for about 3 miles to the southern tip of Bear Trap Lake.

With a surface of crushed limestone and the generally level grade of rail lines - to save locomotive fuel consumption, railroads sought grades of no more than 3 percent for their lines - the trail is easy for families with children to handle. Milepost signs conveniently punctuate the trail.

Pastoral scenery
In Amery, the trail begins on Harriman Avenue west of Wis. Hwy. 46. A public parking lot is near the trail just east of Harriman Avenue.

About 0.2 miles in as leaving Amery, the trail crosses between North Twin and South Twin lakes. On North Twin Lake, a popular fishing destination, watch for bald eagles diving to snare walleye or Northern pike for a meal. Loons also can be spotted here.

At just under a mile, the trail crosses Baker Avenue. Though the area is moderately built up, the trail is nicely wooded with maple and oak, keeping you isolated from the sights of modern life.

Around 1.5 miles, the trail skirts a small group of ponds to the north. After that, farmland is visible between the tree breaks to the north and soon becomes more prevalent.

Bear Trap Lake
The trail is named for Harvey and Marilyn Stower of Amery. For many years, Harvey served in the Wisconsin Legislature and as Amery’s mayor.

As nearing Deronda, the trail intersects a couple of highways, so be safe when crossing them. The first of them comes at about 2.5 miles, when the trail junctions with State Highway 115. The next comes at about 2.8 miles with County Road F.

About three miles in, the trail reaches the southern tip of Bear Trap Lake with Kinney Lake to the south. This marks a good spot to turn around.

If time and energy permits, though, continue onward. At Deronda, the trail heads three more miles to Wanderoos, then 5 miles to Nye, and finally 2.5 miles to its end at 90th Avenue near Dresser.