Washburn County towns offer great hikes

Trego Nature Trail.

Several great hiking trails crisscross Wisconsin’s Washburn County, with many of them centered on five major communities. Adding to the county’s charm is that no community has a population of more than 3000, and only one town even comes close to that.

The village of Birchwood sits tucked in the county’s southeast corner on Wis. Hwy. 48. The self-proclaimed Bluegill Capital of Wisconsin, it’s a former 1800s logging camp that became a town in its own right. The Tuscobia State Trail runs through it.

Washburn’s county seat, Shell Lake, is in the opposite corner along U.S. Hwy. 63. The town is centered on its namesake, popular Shell Lake, so named because shells of freshwater bivalves were common on its lakeshore. Several hiking trails can be found in or near town, including the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

Just north of Shell Lake where U.S. Hwys. 63 and 53 join and split, is Spooner, the county’s largest city. Nicknamed “Crossroads of the North,” at one time it was a hub of the Omaha Railroad Line. A former rail line, the Wild Rivers Trail, is now a hiking/bicycling path running south to Sarona and Rice Lake and north to Trego and Superior.

Unincorporated Trego can be found at the county’s center on the Namekagon River in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Hwy. 63 goes east here to Hayward while Hwy. 53 goes north to Superior. The former heads to the scenic riverway’s visitor center and the picturesque Trego Nature Trail.

The village of Minong is in the northcentral portion of the county along Hwy. 53 at the edge of Wisconsin’s northern highlands. The Wild Rivers Trail runs through town while the Totagatic Ski Trail loops are nearby.

Learn more about these and nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Washburn County.

Trail crosses peaceful Wis. woodlands, river

Wild Rivers Trail bridge over Namekago River.

Wild Rivers Trail segment
runs along former rail line

A tranquil stroll through the woods with a bridge view of the Namekagon River awaits day hikers on a segment of the Wild Rivers Trail in Trego, Wis.

At a little under 2.2-miles round trip, the segment is just a small portion of a trail that runs for 104 miles across three counties on an old Omaha and Soo Line Railroads rail line. The trail connects Rice Lake, Wis., in the south with Superior, Wis., to the northwest.

To pick up the trail in Trego, when U.S. Hwy. 53 enters the village from the south, turn right/east onto Oak Hill Road. Turn left/north onto Park Street. When Park Street curves west, you’ll notice a large open gravel parking lot. Leave your vehicle there. The trail runs alongside the lot’s eastern side.

Take the trail northeast. Nicely forested with typical northern hardwoods, the trail is fairly isolated from built-up areas.

This section of the trail also is part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The 1200-mile Ice Age Trail essentially follows the edge of where the glacier last seen in these parts towered some 10,000 years ago.

In about a quarter mile, the trail begins to skirt the backside of the Namekagon Visitor Center grounds, which offers displays about the riverway. Unfortunately, there’s no path leading from the Wild Rivers Trail to the center; when finished with the hike, consider a drive to it (take Hwy. 53 north and turn right onto U.S. Hwy. 63), especially if children are with you.

The trail then crosses busy Hwy. 63 and in another 100 feet spans the Namekagon. From the river bridge looking west, the Namekagon breaks into a couple of back channels.

After the river, the trail re-enters the peaceful woods. You’re likely to spot white-tailed deer, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks along the way. Songbirds are plentiful, providing a sweet soundtrack to the hike. In 0.75 miles, the trail reaches Ross Road, which is a good spot to turn back; by this point, you’ve actually left the scenic riverway.

During spring and early summer, be sure to carry insect repellent when near the river. And while the trail cuts through woodlands, it is wide and mostly open, so also be sure to don sunscreen.

Learn about nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Washburn County.

Pleasant day hike through lakeside forest awaits on Wisconsin Northwoods trail

Trego Lake Trail

A pretty hike through a Northwoods forest awaits hikers on the Trego Lake Trail in the Wisconsin.

The 1.9-mile trail loops through the woods next to Trego Lake in Washburn County. Both the lake and the trail are part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Also known as the Trego Lake Ski Touring Trail, the path described here is a segment of its various routes. Up to 3.5 miles of trails are groomed for cross country skiing in winter.

To reach the trail, drive north of Trego on U.S. Hwy. 53. Go left/west on North River Road. In two miles, turn left/south into a parking lot. Take the stem trail from the lot's southern side to the main trail, where you’ll go left/east.

Autumn leaves
The trail parallels North River Road but is nicely set inside the woodland. In autumn, the trail is comely with the yellow of birch trees leaves and orange and browns of various oaks amid the mixed hardwood and pine forest. You stand a good chance of spotting white-tailed deer and ruffed grouse in the woods.

Gradually, the trail curves south then hairpins west as coming to Trego Lake. The 383-acre waterbody actually is a widening of the Namekagon River. As such, the lake isn’t particularly deep, reaching a maximum depth of just 36 feet.

About half of the trail follows the shoreline, including going onto a small peninsula. You’re likely to see fishermen on the lake, as they try to land muskie (Wisconsin’s state fish), bass (both largemouth and smallmouth flourish here), walleye, and various panfish. Northern pike and sturgeon also inhabit the lake.

After going beneath a powerline, the trail curves north, then as nearing the road, parallels it as turning east and passing under the powerline again. Upon reaching the stem trail, go left/north back to the parking lot.

Shortening, extending trail
Since the trail described here is the outer loop of the ski trails, you can shorten the walk. After hiking a brief section of the shoreline, a trail goes right/north and cuts across the woods to the parking lot. This shorter route totals 1.2 miles.

You also can extend it. After veering north away from the lake, take the next trail going right/northeast; this loops over hilly terrain and rejoins the trail proper, adding about a mile to the route for a 2.9-mile round trip. Upon rejoining the trail, go right/north back to the parking lot.

Dogs are welcomed on the trail, and restrooms can be found at the trailhead.

Learn about nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Washburn County.

Trails abound for visitors to Trego, Wis., area

Wild River Trail crossing the Namekagon River. 

A number of excellent trails await cabin-goers to the Trego, Wis., area this summer. Among them:
g Leisure Lake Trail – A 3-mile trail heads about Leisure Lake, off of Skunk Lake Road, northwest of town. The lake’s shoreline is nicely forested.
g Trego Lake Trail – A trio of loops run for 3.5 miles near the Namekagon River and Trego Lake in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. A combination of the A and B loops offer the best river and lake views.
g Trego River Trail – This 2.8-mile round trip walk heads through a variety of habitats along the Namekagon River in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Keep an eye out for snowshoe hare, Great Blue Heron, beavers, otters, turtles and the telltale signs of bobcats.
g Wild River Trail – The former C&NW Rail route turned hiking trail runs through town from Spooner to Minong. From Park Street, take an almost 2-mile round trip walk north through the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, including a bridge over the Namekagon River.

Learn about nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Washburn County.

Otter slides await along wild river day hike

The Trego Nature Trail runs alongside the Namekagon River.

Trego Nature Trail map. Click for larger version.

A pleasant walk through the woods along a wild river await hikers on the Trego Nature Trail in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Located in Washburn County, Wisconsin, the trail is best done during summer when the shaded walk keeps hikers cool. Early autumn is a good time for those who enjoy fall colors.

Abundant wildlife
To reach the trail, take U.S. Hwy. 63 north of Trego village. About 1.3 miles from visitor center and after crossing the bridge over the Namekagon River, take the first right. The parking lot is at end of this entrance road.

Look for the trailhead on the parking lot’s east side. The trail is fairly well-maintained. Watch for some steep inclines and narrow sections on curves, however.

The trail parallels the Namekagon River through a woods of pine and deciduous trees, with views of the waterway. Benches typically sit in the openings.

Hikers are likely to see a variety of wildlife or at least signs of it. White-tailed deer, turtles, fox, muskrat, bobcats, squirrels, snowshoe hares, and great blue heron abound in the riverway. Watch for otters and their slides, muddy paths cleared in the river’s bank in which they move from land to water.

Spotting sturgeon
You also might spot lake sturgeon - Wisconsin’s largest fish - especially if the water is low. They like to lay motionless beneath overhanging trees. In fact, the river’s name comes from the Ojibwe Indian words that loosely mean “place of the sturgeon.” Most of the sturgeon, however, is downriver below the Trego Dam.

After the footbridge, the trail loops back upon itself. Hikers can return to the parking lot the same way they came in. The trail comes to about the 2.8-miles round trip.

Dogs are allowed on the trail if leashed. For safety, don’t climb the river banks as they can be slick.

On the drive back home, stop at the Namekagon Visitor Center for displays about the riverway.

Learn about nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Washburn County.