Great day hikes run past rivers, lakes in Park Falls, Wis., area

Wintergreen Trail in Chequamegon National Forest.
Photo courtesy of  Price County Tourism Department.

Trails alongside a rapids-filled river and a peaceful Northwoods lake await day hikers in the Park Falls, Wis., area.

Located in Price County, the small town and its tiny neighbor Fifield sit between a state and a national forest. The region is popular among outdoors enthusiasts, whether their interest be hiking, camping, skiing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, fishing and more.

Among the best day hiking best near Park Falls are:
g Flambeau Hills Trail (Snuss Trail) – The trail system in Flambeau River State Forest sits just across the county line in neighboring Sawyer County west of Park Falls. A segment of the 4.3-mile (one-way) Snuss Trail is easy to reach with parking at the trailhead off of Wis. Hwy. 70.
g Holy Cross Trail (Green Loop) – Most of the six miles of wide ski trails located south of Fifield can be day hiked in summer. Try the 1.9-mile Green Loop with a parking lot at the trailhead off of Holy Cross Trails Lane.
g Newman Springs Trail (C Loop) – About seven miles of ski trails run through the Chequamegon National Forest in this system. Do the 0.53-mile C Loop, which crosses and heads alongside Newman Springs, with parking at the trailhead off of Wis. Hwy. 182 about 12 miles east of Park Falls.
g Round Lake Trail (F Loop) – More than 9 miles of ski trails await day hikers on this trail system in the Chequamegon National Forest. The 1.6-mile F Loop passes a historic logging dam and heads along placid Round Lake’s shores; park in the lot off of Forest Road 144 about 20 miles east of Fifield.
g Smith Rapids River Saddle Trail – Up to 16 miles of equestrain trails alongside the South Fork of the Flambeau River can be day hiked in the national forest. Parking is at the campground off of Forest Road 158 about 14 miles east of Fifield.
g Tuscobia State Trail (Smith Creek segment) – The eastern terminus of the rail line turned hiking trail that stretches to Rice Lake can be found in Park Falls. Park at the trailhead off of Seventh Street south of Division Street; take the trail west to Smith Creek for a 3.2-mile round trip.
g Wintergreeen Trail (A Loop) – Located in the Chequamegon National Forest five miles east of Fifield, the 7.15-mile trail system consists of several loops used for skiing and mountain biking. The A Loop at 0.73-miles round trip is easy to access with a parking lot off of Wis. Hwy. 70.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Bayfield County boasts number of great attractions for day hiking

Chequamegon National Forest

National forest,
national parks unit
both within county

Visitors to Wisconsin’s Bayfield County can enjoy a number of major recreational areas, many of which contain great day hiking trails.

Several public lands can be found in the county. The Chequamegon National Forest’s western reach stretches across the county’s southern and center section. A small portion of the Apostle Island National Lakeshore sits on the Bayield Peninsula with access to the rest of the National Park unit’s scenic and often unspoiled islands primarily from Bayfield and La Pointe. Bay View State Park – in Ashland County on Madeline Island – offers an intimate encounter with Lake Superior; most visiting the state park do so by first passing through Bayfield. Brule River State Forest, also just across the county line, lets visitors explore a waterway that at one time flowed out of Lake Superior rather than into it.

Two major trails cut through the county. The North Country National Scenic Trail, which rambles 4600 miles across seven states from New York to North Dakota, runs in Bayfield County between the southeast corner in the Chequamegon National Forest and south of Iron River on its way through the Brule River State Forest. The Tri-County Corridor Trail heads between Ashland and Superior in neighboring Douglas County, paralelling U.S. Hwy. 2 in Bayfield County.

How to get there
From western Wisconsin and southern Minnesota, U.S. Hwy. 63 offers the best access to Bayfield County. The highway runs from Interstate 94 north, entering the county near Cable on its way to that village and Drummond before terminating west of Ashland.

From northern Minnesota, U.S. Hwy. 2 enters Wisconsin in Superior then enters Bayfield County at Iron River. Wis. Hwy. 13 also runs from south of Superior to and then along the Bayfield Peninsula shoreline.

From northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula, U.S. Hwy 2 runs through Ashland and east-west across Bayfield County to Iron River.

Southeastern Wisconsin and Illinois residents can reach Bayfield County via Hwy. 13, which heads north from U.S. Hwy. 10 in Marshfield through Park Falls into Ashland. In Bayfield County, Hwy. 13 loops off Hwy. 2 around the Bayfield Peninsula, running through Washburn, Bayfield, Red Cliff, Cornucopia, Herbster and Port Wing before heading into Douglas County and ending just south of Superior.

When to visit
Outdoors activities abound year around in Bayfield County. The best months to day hike Bayfield County are May through September. Depending on the year, April and October also can be pleasant.

As with the rest of Wisconsin, summers can be humid, especially July and August, though this typically is only the case for Bayfield County’s inland areas. Rain also can occur during the afternoon even when the morning is sunny, so always check the weather forecast before heading out.

November through March usually is too cold for day hiking. Once snow falls, trails typically are used for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling or snowshoeing. Early spring often means muddy trails thanks to snowmelt and rainfall.

Read more about these and nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County.

North Country segment passes hemlocks

Lesser purple fringed orchid grows in wet, shaded woods, like those
found along the North Country Trail in Wisconsin.

Map of Chequamegon Hardwoods State Natural Area, courtesy WI DNR.
Click for larger version.

Day hikers can explore a northern Wisconsin forest with massive old growth hemlock trees and wildflowers galore below them on a segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

The segment runs 2.2-mile round trip through the contiguous Chequamegon National Forest and the Chequamegon Hardwoods State Natural Area. Stretching from New York to North Dakota, the North Country Trail crosses seven states over a 4600-mile course.

To reach the trail segment, from Mellen, Wis., drive west on County Road GG. Once inside the Chequamegon National Forest, turn right/north onto Forest Road 187. Then turn right/northeast onto Forest Road 188, which as veering east becomes Hanson Road. After passing the Beaver Dam Lake Road intersection, watch for where the North Country National Scenic Trail crosses the road. At the crossing, park off the side of the road and take the trail northeast.

Basswood forest
The trail heads through a northern mesic forest in which basswood, red oak, sugar maple, white ash and yellow birch dominate. Below it grow alternate-leaved dogwood, beaked hazelnut, and mountain maple. Beneath that shrub layer, more than 80 plant species can be found, including bloodroot, Jack-in-the-pulpit, bellwort, blue cohosh, nodding trillium, lesser purple fringed orchid, spikenard, spotted coralroot orchid, and green adders’-mouth.

Among the first of the wildflowers to bloom here in spring is bloodroot. Sometimes it pops up from soil that has just thawed. It sports a large white flower, about 1.5 inches wide, with 8-10 petals and a yellow center. The red orange juice in its stem has been used over the centuries as a dye and an insect repellent. It grows all across Wisconsin.

Jack-in-the-pulpit also blooms in spring. Its erect 2- to 3-inch long flower sits inside a green or purple hood at the top of a single stalk. American Indians cooked its below ground stem as food, so it's sometimes referred to as Indian turnip. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, however, so no part of it above ground is edible, as it causes a burning sensation in the mouth.

Large-leaved bellwort, also called merrybells, blooms in spring as well. Its drooping bell-shaped yellow flower is about 1-2 inches long with up to six petals. The long-leaved is one of two bellworts that grow in Wisconsin; four other species grow in eastern North America. Its found throughout the state.

Nodding trillium, purple fringed orchid
Blue cohosh, a 1-3-foot high bush, also flowers in spring. A cluster of yellow-green flowers with six petals sits atop the plant, which grows throughout Wisconsin. Don’t eat its blue berries, which are poisonous.

Blooming from spring into summer is the nodding trillium. The flower is a whorl of three wavy white petals that droops beneath the plant’s leaves. Don’t pick any part of this plant as the leaves then may not be able to produce enough sugar and starch for a bloom to appear the following year. It’s one of seven trillium species that grows throughout Wisconsin.

Among the sweetly fragrant flowers is the lesser purple fringed orchid. The lavender to rose six-parted flower is about three-quarters of an inch long. They forma dense, spike-like cluster. The flower blooms from June to August. It is found in most Wisconsin counties.

Spikenard blooms June to August. Though the plant can grow 2-4 feet tall, its greenish-white flowers are tiny and form parasol-shaped clusters. The plant really stands out in autumn when the pollinated flowers transform into dense groups of rich burgundy fruits. Birds enjoy these fruits, but for humans they are inedible. Spikenard is found throughout Wisconsin.

Coralroot orchid, maidenhair fern
Spotted coralroot orchid blooms from mid-June to mid-August. Each white flower sports purple spots and is not quite a half-inch long. Several of the flowers grow on a single stalk Though the plant reaches up to 31 inches high, it has no leaves. It is found in a majority of Wisconsin counties, mainly those in the Northwoods and along Lake Michigan.

Green adders’-mouth flowers from July to mid-August. A small orchid, its teensy green blooms are only millimeters wide and long. Each plant produces about 20 to 50 flowers. Exactly which insect pollinates it is unknown, but scientists suspect small flies, like fungus gnats, play a role.

The blue-green maidenhair fern often provides cover for and around these many wildflowers in this part of the forest.

At about 0.4 miles, the trail unceremoniously enters the state natural area’s southeast corner. Though originally logged off in the 1930s, large old-growth hemlock and big-tooth aspen both still can be found here; some old-growth hemlocks boast a diameter of five feet. Scattered gabbro rock outcroppings, some of which are up to 50 feet high, also can be found in the state natural area.

The trail departs the state natural area in little more than 0.1 miles. You’ll know you’ve left, as the route passes a wet area once you’ve re-entered the national forest.

Second-growth forest
Black ash, red maple, and white cedar are common on this wet-mesic forest portion of the route. Amphibians, including the red-backed salamander and wood frog, are here as well.

The rest of the trail is dry as it runs east through the northern mesic forest. The variety of trees in this second-growth forest makes for a colorful walk in autumn.

About 0.3 miles from the wetlands are a pair of knolls that mark the two high points along the trail. They top out at 1535 (the westernmost knoll) and 1538 feet (the easternmost) above sea level.

The trail’s crossing of North York Road marks a good spot to turn back. Alternately, this makes a great point-to-point hike if you have a driver disinterested in hiking.

Several great hikes located near Hayward WI

The Namekagon-Court Oreilles Portage Trail pays homage to a route that
European traders created in the 1780s.

Hayward, Wis., serves as a perfect central location for day hikers seeking a number of excellent trails during their visit up north. Among the nearby trails are:
g Black Lake Trail – Hikers can learn about the history of Northwoods logging while enjoying excellent water views on the Black Lake Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest. The four-mile loop includes interpretative signs, and a campground is nearby.
g Blue and Orange trails – Among the Northwoods’ newest hiking trails can be found at the Town of Hayward Recreational Forest. Combining the rec forest’s Blue and Orange trails into a 1.6-mile walk takes you through a woods then past a wetland and a scenic lake where wildlife is abundant.
g Namekagon-Laccourt Oreilles Portage Trail – Located near Hayward in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, the trail is very near a portage route created in the 1780s. An easy, 0.8-mile loop, hikers will head through a second-growth forest of mixed hardwoods and pines.
g Namekagon Trail East Loop – Northeast of town in the Chequamegon National Forest, the East Loop of the Namekagon cross-country ski trails can be day hiked. The 1-mile trail heads through a mixed hardwood-evergreen forest and briefly passes Taylor Creek.
g Short Swing Trail – A few miles east of town, the Flambeau River State Forest offers a number of hiking trails. Among the easiest is the 1.1-mile Short Swing Trail, a loop that is easily found from an access trail in the parking lot of County Road W.
g West Torch Trail – Northeast of town, a trio of stacked loops form the West Torch Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest. From the parking lot, take the first (and shortest) of the loops for a roughly 2-mile hike through a wooded area.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.

Lakeside walks await in Chequamegon N.F.

Walking paths and jeep trails lace northern Wisconsin’s Chequamegon National Forest, offering a variety of day hiking experiences.

While hardly an exhaustive list, some great day hiking trails in the Saywer County portion of the national forest – which is northeast of Hayward – will take you to historic streams, up fire towers, and alongside "Quiet Lakes." Trails include:
g 315-319 Trail – The 0.75–mile out-and-back jeep trail (1.5-miles round trip) heads through a thick forest of mixed hardwoods. Park off of Forest Road 319 at the trailhead, which is the first left north of County Road B; turn back at Forest Road 315.
g Black Lake Trail – A 4-mile loop around the classic Northwoods lake includes nine interpretive signs about the history of logging in the area. Park at the Black Lake campground.
g Clam Lake Lookout Tower Trail – The jeep trail climbs 64 feet over 0.2 miles (0.4-miles round trip) to a fire tower at 1522 feet elevation, providing views of more than a dozen lakes and the West Fork Chippewa River. You can more than triple the hike’s distance by continuing on the jeep trail northeast of the tower. Park off the jeep trail at its junction with Forest Road 208 north of Wis. Hwy. 77.
g Fishtrap Creek Trail – The hiking trail heads 1.1-miles (2.2-miles round trip) through a mixed hardwoods and pine forest from Log Lodge Road (immediately east of Fish Trap Lake Road/Forest Road 1661) to Fishtrap Creek. The creek connects Fishtrap Lake and the East Fork Chippewa River.
g Lost Land Lake Trail – A brief 0.4-mile round trip hike through a woods, the trail ends at an overview of Lost Land Lake, one of Wisconsin's three Quiet Lakes in which jet or water skiing are not allowed. Park off of Upper A Road at the trailhead, which is the first right east of Wilson Creek.
g Mukwonago Lake Trail – The 2.5-mile loop skirts the west shore of Mukwonago (aka Larson) Lake, climbs a hill to 1450 feet elevation, and then turns back at a pond. Park to the side of the gate at the trailhead on the south side of Hwy. 77 east of North Neumaier Road.
g West Fork Lookout Tower Trail – The 0.4-mile out-and-back jeep trail (0.8-miles round trip) is uphill for the first half of the walk to a fire tower at 1495 feet elevation, which offers great views of the surrounding countryside. Park off the side of the trail junction with Moose Lake Road, the first left west of County Road S/Forest Road 164.

Note that most of the national forest trails don’t have official names. For convenience sake, the above trails are named after the major waterbody they pass or the roads they connect. Also, a national forest pass is needed to park your vehicle at the trailheads.

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

Wisc. trails head through changing forests

Wisconsin's northern mesic forest, like that found in Chequamegon-Nicolet
National Forest, is an awesome spot for enjoying autumn leaves.

Wisconsin day hikers on several trails can experience autumn forests that are closest to the ones Native Americans and pioneers encountered during the 1800s.

Before Euro-American settlement, the northern mesic forest was the dominant ecological landscape in Wisconsin. It now covers slightly more than half of the state, mainly the northern portion. Today’s mesic forest looks far different than what pioneers found, however, because most of the forest was logged off during the late 1800s and early 20th century.

The second growth forest that replaced it is starting to become an old growth forest, though.

Sugar maple is the mesic forest’s dominant tree. Each autumn, its leaves vary from yellow to orange or red. Basswood, whose leaves turn olive in fall, and white ash, which changes to a deep maroon, usually are mixed in the canopy. In other northern mesic forests, usually those near Lake Michigan, American beech can appear.

In the subcanopy during autumn, balsam fir offers a green accent while ironwood provides light yellow leaves and American elm bright yellow. The shrub layer adds to the leaf display, most notably alternate-leaved dogwood’s deep crimson.

Oak also is common along many of the trails. Red oak often appears in northern mesic forests, and their leaves turn brown in fall, another nice accent to the oranges, reds and yellows of the other trees.

There are some differences between this forest and that which Native Americans and pioneers saw. Eastern hemlock and and eastern white pine both are nearly gone in today’s forest. Deer love the young hemlock’s leaves and so often overgraze it while aspen and maples outcompeted the white pines.

Though yellow birch does show up in today’s northern mesic forests, conditions are no longer ripe for it to reproduce, and so it’s slowly disappearing. Canada yew, a shrub, already is gone, thanks primarily to browsing by deer, whose population has exploded since the mid 20th century.

Some great Wisconsin trails to experience a northern mesic forest that’s slowly become old growth, include:
• Lakeshore Trail (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore)
• Penokee Mountain Trail (segment of North Country National Scenic Trail)
• Ridge View Trails (St. Croix National Scenic Riverway)
• Tower Trail (Potawatomi State Park, segment of Ice Age National Scenic Trail)
• West Torch Trail (Chequamegon National Forest)

Lookout tower offers great autumn vista

The Mountain Lookout Tower offers spectacular views of the surrounding
national forest in northeast Wisconsin.

Mountain lookout Tower Trail topo map.
Click for larger version.

Day hikers not bothered by heights can enjoy a spectacular vista of autumn leaves from Wisconsin’s Mountain Lookout Tower.

The 0.26-miles round trip hike sits in the vast Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The tower is at an elevation of 1,254 feet.

To reach the trailhead, in Mountain on County Road W just east of Wis. Hwy. 32, take National Forest Road 2106 (Old 32) north. In about 2.25 miles, turn right/southeast onto Mountain Tower Road. Pull off to the side of the road so you’re not blocking traffic. Hike the road up to the tower.

The road heads through a classic North Woods setting that is beautiful any time of the year but particularly so in autumn. A September walk takes you past sugar, red and mountain maples, white, red and black oaks, paper, yellow and river birch, aspen, beech, basswood, and sumac. Various green conifers – including pine, spruce, fir, and juniper – dot the hardwood forest.

At the end of the road is the Mountain Lookout Tower, which rises 100 feet high. An Aermotor tower, it is one of the few remaining lookouts in the eastern portion of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. When erected in 1935 by the U.S. Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was part of an extensive system of more than a dozen towers in Nicolet National Forest.

The tower closed in 1970. After years of falling into disrepair, it was restored in 1994 then refurbished again in 2016. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Today, it’s the only tower in the old lookout system that people can go up into it. First you’ll have to climb 132 steep steps. At the top is a 7-by-7 foot cab, from which you enjoy a 360 degrees view above the tree canopy for miles around. During autumn, you’ll see an array of harvest colors, from gold and sienna to honey yellow and crimson.

Most of those trees were planted during the 1930s by the CCC. Logging during the early 1900s wiped out the old growth forest, of which only isolated remnants remain in the national forest.

The lookout tower is open about mid-May through the end of October daily from 8 a.m. until sunset. There is no charge to enter the tower, but donations to help keep up the tower are welcomed.

Parking is available at the tower, by the way, but if you drive right up to it, then you wouldn’t be hiking, right?

Washburn Cty sits at center of hiking mecca

Blue Hills, scenic riverway,
Big Bear Lake Nature Trails

Blue Hills, scenic riverway, national forest just outside
of Wisconsin county's borders

The six counties surrounding Washburn County offer plenty of great hiking opportunities that are easy for anyone staying in Spooner-Shell Lake-Trego-Minong to reach.

To the north is Douglas County, a largely forested area with Lake Superior beaches. Going clockwise, next is Bayfield County; though Washburn shares only a corner point with Bayfield, it’s worth the visit given the vast Chequamegon State Forest. To the east is Sawyer County, where the popular Northwoods destination of Hayward sits. Washburn’s southeast corner touches Rusk County, well known for its ancient Blue Hills recreational area. Along Washburn’s southern border is Barron County; most Washburn County visitors will have to pass through it on either U.S. Hwys. 53 or 63 to reach Shell Lake or Spooner. Finally, to the west is Burnett County, which is cabin country for many Twin Cities and Wisconsin residents.

Douglas County
From Minong, U.S. Hwy. 53 heads directly into Douglas County and offers access to more of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Among the most dramatic portions of the St. Croix is its headwaters area, which sits just outside the scenic riverway. Great trails there include:
• Gordon Flowage Campground Trail - Day hikers can explore the northernmost reaches of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway on the Gordon Flowage Campground Trail. The roughly 2-mile round trip is a jeep trail running through the woods bordering the river. The trail actually is unnamed, but for convenience’s sake, we’ve christened it here after the campground where it begins in Gordon Dam County Park.
• Buckley Creek Barrens Trail - Day hikers can truly get back to nature with a walk through a pine barrens near the northern reach of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The Buckley Creek Barrens Trail is an undesignated out-and-back footpath that runs 1.2-miles round trip through the Buckley Creek Barrens State Natural Area west of Gordon.

Bayfield County
From Trego, U.S. Hwy. 63 heads through Hayward then into southern Bayfield County. Most notable in southern Bayfield County is the scenic village of Cable, a gateway to the Chequamegon State Forest. Two great trails in the Cable area are:
• Birkie Ridge Trail - With more than 66 miles of trails, all maintained by the nonprofit American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, “The Birkie Trail,” as its fans affectionately call it, offers multiple trailheads, loops and variations between Cable and Hayward. One segment that’s easy to locate and hike is the Birkie’s opening section, a 2.6-mile round trip when treated as an out-and-back trail.
• Forest Lodge Nature Trail - Among the best hikes to learn about the Wisconsin Northwoods is the Forest Lodge Nature Trail, east of Cable. Located in the Chequamegon National Forest, the 1.5-mile loop is maintained in cooperation with the Cable Natural History Museum.

Sawyer County
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway heads from Washburn County east into Sawyer County. The riverway and area centered on the outdoors-minded community of Hayward provides a number of hiking opportunities. A pair of excellent trails sit close to Hayward:
• Namekagon-Laccourt Oreilles Portage Trail - Though the Namekagon-Laccourt Oreilles Portage Trail memorializes a famous 18th century route where fur traders and explorers carried their canoes between rivers, hikers will head through a landscape much changed from that day. In fact, those fur traders and explorers probably wouldn’t recognize the wild area. Located near Hayward in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, the modern trail is very close to the original portage route.
• Totagatic River State Wildlife Area jeep trail - Day hikers can ramble alongside one of Wisconsin’s few remaining wilderness streams on a jeep trail in the Totagatic River State Wildlife Area. Though not a designated trail, the old logging road runs about a mile (2-miles round trip) through a forested area along the Totagatic Flowage’s northwest side.

Rusk County
Birchwood marks a good springboard for exploring northern Rusk County, which includes the scenic Blue Hills. To explore that area, try:
• Blue Hills West Trail - Across northwest Barron County and northwest Rusk County, a hazy blue stretch of hills appearing vaguely like distant mountains offers a scenic backdrop. The site is the ancient Blue Hills, a range that runs for about 20 miles, primarily in Rusk County. The Blue Hills West Trail’s first stacked loop at 2.3 miles total is particularly good for day hiking.

Barron County
If taking U.S. Hwy. 53 into Washburn County, you’ll be tempted to stop at the number of great recreational areas along a chain of lakes from Chetek to Rice Lake. U.S. Hwy 63 also offers some major attractions, most notably in the Cumberland region.
• Wild Rivers State Trail, Rice Lake segment - A walk through pleasant woodlands and scenic farmland await users of the Wild Rivers State Trail near Rice Lake. The trail runs for around 100 miles across three counties on an old Omaha and Soo Line Railroads rail line connecting the city to Superior. A good place to experience the trail is at its southern end. Park north of the Rice Lake city limits at the Tuscobia trail junction on County Road SS, near its intersection with U.S. Hwy. 53.
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Waterman Lake Area County Forest segment - Day hikers will have several opportunities to spot the impressive white-tailed deer on a segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in northwest Barron County. The 2.6-miles round trip segment of the Ice Age Trail runs through Waterman Lake Area County Forest.

Burnett County
Two major routes run from Washburn County through forest-laden lands into Brunett County. From Spooner, take Wis. Hwy. 70 west to Siren; from Minong, head west on Wis. Hwy. 77 to Danbury and the St. Croix River. Two excellent trails in the county include:
• Big Bear Lake Nature Trails - The Big Bear Lake Nature Trails offer three great day hiking opportunities for those in the lake country of Burnett County. All three trails are accessible from the same trailhead. The Grouse Walk Trail is the shortest at a half-mile.
• Namekagon Delta Trail - Families can day hike to a scenic delta at the confluence of the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers. A number of unnamed and non-maintained trails run near the delta in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. For convenience’s sake, we’ve named this 2.7-mile out-and-back trail the Namekagon Delta Trail after its primary geographic feature.

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

Hike segment of national North Country trail

Lake Owen

Multi-state trail runs through
Chequamegon National Forest

Visitors to Drummond, Wis., can hike a segment of the 4,600-mile North Country National Scenic Trail in a nifty route I’ve christened the “Lake Owen Loop.” 

The North Country trail stretches from North Dakota to New York, cutting through four Wisconsin counties along the way. The Badger state boasts the highest percentage of completed and the longest continuous stretch of the trail in the country. In Bayfield County, the trail cuts through the popular Chequamegon National Forest. 

About 5 miles long, the Lake Owen Loop is best done in autumn when the bug count is down and the trees are ablaze with color. Early spring is good for avoiding mosquitoes but may force you to cross two intermittent streams flush that time of year with snowmelt.

To reach the trail, from US Hwy. 63 in Drummond, take N. Lake Owen Drive (aka Forest Road 213, south). You’ll pass Roger Lake. When you come to Lake Owen, look for the intersection with Forest Road 216 (aka as Lake Owen Station Road). Stay on FR 213 and round the northern tip of Lake Owen. Turn right into the picnic grounds, where you’ll park. A swimming beach also is on site.

Mixed hardwoods and pines
From the picnic area, look east and pick up the trail where it intersects the forest road. The North Country trail is fairly flat with elevation shifting about 50 feet during the hike.

Walk south, cutting between the northern tip of Lake Owen and a 35-foot deep pond. An intermittent stream connects it to the lake.

The trail follows the north shore of Lake Owen, which forms a U. Mixed hardwoods and pines line the lake. Hemlock, oak, maple and white pine often tower over the dirt path.

As reaching the bottom of the U’s western side, you’ll cross a road. You’re unlikely to see many people, though, as this side of Lake Owen is little used compared to the other shores, which sport camps and boat ramps.

At 1,323 acres with a maximum depth of 95 feet, Lake Owen boasts very clear water, making it an ideal habitat for largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskie (Wisconsin’s state fish), northern pike, walleye and panfish.

Call of nesting loons
About midway at the U’s bottom, there’s a second intermittent stream to cross. You’ll then spot Twin Lakes Campgrounds on the opposite shore.

As coming up the U’s eastern side, the trail veers away from lake. Watch for the wildlife that makes this area home. Whitetail deer, squirrels, chipmunks and frogs are certain to be seen, but also keep an eye out for other animals’ tracks, especially those of raccoons. Keep your ears peeled for the call of loons, which nest on the area’s lakes.

After crossing a forest road, you’ll walk past a pond to the right and then one to the left. Finally, you’ll head past yet another pond, this one up to 14 feet deep, on the right.

Rejoining Forest Road 213, you can walk alongside it back to your vehicle. On the way you will first pass Forest Road 217, aka Cutacross Road, which goes north, and then Horseshoe Road, which goes south.

Upon reaching your start point, end the day with a picnic and swim.

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

St. Croix riverway abundant with day trails

St. Croix River south of St. Croix Falls, Wis.

National Park unit
includes 252 miles
of scenic shore

With the quiltwork of state parks, forests, and natural areas, county parks and other historical sites in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, attractions abound – swimming beaches, boat ramps, campgrounds, shopping in historic towns, ski trails, and more. Well over 70 day hiking trails can be found along the two rivers.

Scenic riverway’s location
From south to north, the scenic riverway begins in Prescott, Wis., where the St. Croix River meets the Mississippi River. This wide stretch of the St. Croix often is referred to as Lake St. Croix, which sports two state parks. At Afton, Minn., and Hudson, Wis., the Interstate 94 bridge handles the greatest amount of vehicle traffic over the river. From there, Willow River State Park sits on a tributary to the St. Croix in what is Lake St. Croix’s most populous stretch, with the cities of Bayport, Oak Park Heights and Stillwater on the Minnesota side and Hudson and North Hudson on the Wisconsin side.

North of Stillwater, the population falls off greatly, with William O’Brien State Park in Minnesota sometimes outpacing the census of the neighboring town, Marine on St. Croix. Then another cluster of villages appears – Osceola, Dresser and St. Croix Falls on the Wisconsin side and Taylors Falls in Minnesota. There the twin jewels of Minnesota and Wisconsin Interstate State Parks straddles the St. Croix O’ the Dalles, a beautiful gorge that the river flows through.

North of this region, the river bulges westward, with a state park in Minnesota and several state forests and state natural areas on both sides, before curving eastward to Danbury, Wis. A few miles north of town, the river ceases to be the state border as it heads northeast, taking in the Namekagon, and then coming to the Saint Croix Flowage near Gordon, Wis. The scenic riverway ends at the dam creating the lake.

West of the flowage, the St. Croix continues northward as a narrow waterway to its headwaters at Upper St. Croix Lake. In all, it’s a 169-mile journey.

The St. Croix’s largest tributary, the Namekagon, meanders for 101 miles, crossing four Wisconsin counties. It’s a major recreational area, with a number of boat landings and campsites, especially in Sawyer and Washburn counties.

From west to east, the Namekagon dips south to Trego, Wis., before heading northeast through Hayward, Wis. Its headwaters are at Namakagon Lake in the Chequamegon National Forest. The tributary runs 101 miles.

Attractions
The National Park Service operates two visitor centers in the riverway. The St. Croix River Visitor Center is in downtown St. Croix Falls and open from mid-April to Oct. 27. It boasts a 500-gallon freshwater aquarium. The Namekagon River Visitor Center is a mile east of Trego and open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. Hours for both visitor centers are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Major parks, nature centers, and public forests on or near the scenic riverway (from south to north and west to east) include:
g Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center (Hastings, Minn.)
g St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park (Hastings)
g Kinnickinnic State Park (Prescott)
g Afton State Park (Afton)
g Willow River State Park (Hudson)
g William O’Brien State Park (Marine on St. Croix)
g Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area (Osceola)
g Wisconsin Interstate State Park (St. Croix Falls)
g Minnesota Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)
g Wild River State Park (North Brach, Minn.)
g Governor Knowles State Forest (Grantsburg, Wis.)
g Chengwatana State Forest (Beroun, Minn.)
g St. Croix State Park (Hinckley, Minn.)
g St. Croix State Forest (Sandstone, Minn.)
g Brule River State Forest (Solon Springs, Wis.)
g Chequamegon National Forest (Cable, Wis.)

Read more about day hiking the scenic riverway in my guidebook Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Day hike forest to site of Wisconsin’s first Thanksgiving

Trailhead to the site of Wisconsin's first Thanskgiving.

Primitive trail runs through Chequamegon National Forest

Day hikers can walk through the area where Wisconsin’s first Thanksgiving took place just a few decades after the Pilgrims held the very first one at Plymouth Plantation.

The unnamed trail – which I’ve christened the Forest Road 1919B/BA Trail because of the jeep trails it follows in the Chequamegon National Forest – takes hikers on a 1.14-mile round trip to the headwaters of the Chippewa River. Near that waterway in what is now the southeastern corner of Bayfield County, local Native Americans rescued three starving French explorers by providing a feast in a story with remarkable parallels to the Pilgrims’ harvest banquet.

To reach the trailhead, from Clam Lake, Wis., take County Road M northwest. Once past Day Lake, rather than turn left to head for Cable, continue straight onto Forest Road 191 (aka as Old Grade Road and on some maps as Taylor Lake Road). Then turn left/southwest onto Forest Road 1919 (aka Job Corps Road). Follow this to its terminus above Chippewa Lake, parking off the road.

A jeep trail heads to a campsite on the shores of Chippewa Lake. Though expansive at 280 acres, the lake is fairly shallow at only 11 feet. From it rises the West Fork Chippewa River.

Starving to death
Near the lake in late 1658, French explorers Pierre Esprit Radisson and Médard Chouart Sieur des Groseilliers ran out of food during the particularly harsh winter.

To survive, they ate their dogs then retraced their steps to former camps so they could dig the refuse of their previous meals from snowbanks for food. Then they crushed bones into powder and boiled guts and skin for sustenance. Finally, they ate wood. “…the rest goes downe our throats, eating heartily these things most abhorred,” Radisson wrote.

From the lakeshore, walk back to Forest Road 1919 and turn right/south onto Forest Road 1919B. The trail heads through a Northern hardwood forest, a beautiful hike in autumn when gold, orange and crimson leaves dominate the skyline.

In 1659, a group of Odowa (Ottowa) Indians came across the two explorers. The Odowa gave them new clothes and most importantly provided a banquet of wild turkey and rice as well as other fowl. Groseilliers gave “a speech of thanksgiving.”

Saved from certain death
Where the trail splits, go left onto Forest Road 1919BA. This heads to the edge of the West Fork Chippewa River. The bulk of the hike is on FR 1919BA.

Upon reaching the river, to the northwest are marshlands surrounding Chippewa Lake. Downstream, the fork meanders before joining with the East Fork Chippewa River and forming the Chippewa River proper, which flows for 130 miles into the Mississippi River.

Just as the Wampanoags had saved the Pilgrims from starvation by showing them how to raise crops such as corn and squash, so the Odowa similarly saved the French explorers from certain death by the sharing of food. With that gesture, Radisson and Groseilliers were able to return to their base in eastern Canada. The Wisconsin Historical Society considers it the state’s first Thanksgiving celebration involving Europeans and Native Americans.

From the West Fork Chippewa River’s shoreline, return the way you came to your vehicle.

FR 1919BA is a primitive trail, so you'll need to wear jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. Being so near to the lake and wetlands, you'll also want to don and carry mosquito repellent.

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

Five best hikes for exploring Ashland WI

Copper Falls State Park/ Photo courtesy of Wisconsin DNR.

Located along Lake Superior in northcentral Wisconsin, Ashland County is an outdoor recreational paradise. During summers, bicyclists and off-road vehicle enthusiasts explore a number of wooded trails while fishermen cast lines on freshwater lakes and campers set up tents across a sprawling national forest. Come autumn, the roads turn busy with drivers enjoying the colorful blaze of autumn leaves lining the countryside. Throughout winter, snowshoers, cross country skiers and snowmobilers sail across white paths while ice fishing shacks pop up on frozen lakes. And, of course, day and backcountry hikers alike during three seasons enjoy the county’s hundreds of miles of trails, some routes well-groomed and others primitive, but all rambling through fabulous scenery.

Four major attractions await day hikers and backpackers in the loosely L-shaped Ashland County. The massive Chequamegon National Forest covers about a third of the county, filling up the southwest corner. A number of campsites can be found in the forest, which boasts the granite rock formation St. Peter’s Dome and Wisconsin’s second highest waterfalls, Morgan Falls. Just slightly above above the county’s center sits Copper Falls State Park, which offers dramatic waterfalls and cascades over ancient lava flows. The 4600-mile North Country National Scenic Trail winds its way through the county, primarily in the national forest with a spur running through the state park. Lastly, the county’s northern portion includes the Lake Superior shoreline and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, the latter of which consists of 21 protected islands that only can be reached by boat in the world’s largest freshwater lake.

Among the best trails to see these attractions and experience Ashland County are:
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
• Morgan Falls St. Peter’s Dome Trail
• Black Lake Trail
Copper Falls State Park
• Doughboys’ Nature Trail
North Country National Scenic Trail
• Copper Falls State Park segments
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
• Michigan Island Trail
• Stockton Island Trails

Read more about family friendly day hiking trails in my Headin' to the Cabin guidebooks.

Maps of 5 great Bayfield County day hikes

Visitors to Wisconsin’s Bayfield County can enjoy a number of major recreational areas, many of which contain great day hiking trails.

Five great county day hikes and maps for them include:

Bay View Trail, Boardwalk, nature trail
Incredible views of Lake Superior await hikers traveling to Big Bay State Park. Taking the Bay View Trail along with a boardwalk and a self-guided interpretive trail affords hikers a 5-mile round trip, though this can be cut in half if turning around at the boardwalk.

Birkie Trail
Though known primarily for the annual ski race held on it, Wisconsin’s massive Birkebeiner Trail system also makes a great hiking route in summer. With more than 66 miles of trails, all maintained by the nonprofit American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, “The Birkie Trail,” as its fans affectionately call it, offers multiple trailheads, loops and variations between Cable and Hayward. One segment that’s easy to locate and hike is the Birkie’s opening section, a 2.6-mile round trip when treated as an out-and-back trail.

Forest Lodge Nature Trail
Among the best hikes to learn about the Wisconsin Northwoods is the Forest Lodge Nature Trail, east of Cable. Located in the Chequamegon National Forest, the 1.5-mile loop is maintained in cooperation with the Cable Natural History Museum. Any dry summer day is excellent for hiking the trail, and fall colors are spectacular with trees usually remaining golden until the third week in October.

North Country National Scenic Trail, Erick Lake segment
The Erick Lake segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail heads along a ridgeline through a new growth forest. About 61 miles of the North Country Trail crosses Bayfield County. The Erick Lake segment of it runs four miles one-way.

Drummond Woods Interpretive Trail
Massive trees from an old growth forest and vibrant autumn colors await day hikers on the Drummond Woods Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest. The 0.75-mile trail runs through the Drummond Woods, where a number of trees survived the 1800s logging of the Wisconsin Northwoods. The route sometimes is referred to on maps and in literature as the “Drummond Woods Trail.”

Read more about these and nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County.

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.

IAT segment offers chance to see cranes

The Ice Age Trail runs through a vast forest in northcentral Wisconsin.

Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Chippewa Lobe segment
topo map. Click map for larger version.

Hikers can see sandhill cranes and orchids on the Chippewa Lobe segment of Wisconsin’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

The 7.8-miles round trip segment from Mondeaux Avenue to Forest Road 108 sits in the Chequamegon National Forest. The Ice Age Trail marks the edge of the glacial advance when ice sheets were last in these parts, about 8000 BCE. The trail stretches more than 1100 miles long across the state and largely cuts northeast-southwest through Taylor County.

To reach the segment’s trailhead, from Medford take Wis. Hwy. 13 north. Turn left/west onto county Road M then right/north onto County Road E/Mondeaux Drive/Forest Road 107. Next, go left/west onto the gravel Mondeaux Drive/Forest Road 102. After crossing the North Fork Yellow River, watch for a small parking area. The trailhead is just west of it.

Hardwood forest
A dirt trail heads west into the wilderness. At 0.5 miles is a small pond. Past the waterbody, the path enters a hardwood forest.

One end of the Chippewa Lobe Loop Trail, a side trail south of the main route, appears at 1.4 miles. Continue straight-right/southwest

This takes you through a stretch of birch and pine.

At 1.9 miles, the IAT crosses the White Birch Trail, a grassy spur trail that goes north to Forest Road 102 and south to the Chippewa Lobe Trail. Continue straight/west

Next the trail heads through an open hardwood forest. Be aware that in spring after a winter of heavy snowfall or following a lot of rain, the trail here can be underwater.

Sandhill cranes
At 3.1 miles is the other end of Chippewa Lobe Loop side trail. If looking for a campsite, there’s a nice primitive one about 0.1 miles south on the loop. It sits on high, dry ground, offers a benches and a stone fire ring, and there’s a short spur leading to a small bog lake where you can get water. Presuming you’re not staying overnight, continue straight-right/southwest.

A wetland appears on the south side of the trail. Keep an eye out for sandhill cranes in the marshes during migration seasons and look for an impressive display of orchids in the wetlands’ northwest corner each June.

Sandhill cranes are easy to pick out when they stop over on their migration. Tall and graceful, the slate gray bird has a long neck, legs and wingspan. Their wings can stretch up to 2.2 yards across from tip to tip.

The IAT next crosses Lake 19 Road/Forest Road 108 at 3.9 miles. FR 108 goes north to FR 102 while south heads to Lake Nineteen. This is a good spot to turn back.

A few more miles
If you have some extra energy, continue straight/southwest. The trail zigzags north then northwest, rising into an upland forest and heads through a birch stand. A boardwalk along the way crosses a small, unnamed stream.

Look for a large boulder. Next to it is the entry to a primitive campsite that sits under a hemlock canopy.

From there, the trail ascends to the top of Hemlock Esker and stays on it for about a mile. The esker rises about 80 feet above the surrounding forest. This is part of Lost Lake Esker State Natural Area. A bench and signature register is at the ridge’s highest point.

Past that, the trail drops off the esker and turns southwest.

At 6.9 miles, the trail crosses Forest Road 571. North goes to Forest Road 111 and south to Jerry Lake. The forest road marks a good place to turn around for a 13.8-mile round trip.

National trail, state park deliver great hiking options to Mellen, Wisconsin, visitors

Mellen sits at the northeast corner of the Chequamegon National Forest.

With the North Country National Scenic Trail and Copper Falls State Park nearby, Mellen, Wis., offers a number of great day hiking options. Among the selections:
g Doughboys’ Nature Trail – Hikers can tour Wisconsin’s geological history in some of the most breathtaking scenery this side of the Mississippi on this Copper Falls State Park trail. The route follows the Bad River and Tyler Forks past Copper and Brownstone waterfalls and a series of cascades.
g Juniper Rock Overlook segment – West of town, pick up the North Country National Scenic Trial off of Forest Road 202. Walk east for a little more than a half-mile to the overlook of the Marengo River. You can extend the hike for another mile to old Swedish settlements and additional overlooks.
g Penokee Mountain Trail – A cross country ski trail in winter, a day hiking trail in summer, these walking loops are part of the North Country National Scenic Trail running through the Chequamegon National Forest. It consists of three loops, which depending on your time and energy levels, can be done separately for as short as a 2 mile hike to one up to 5.3 miles.
g Red Granite Trail – The 2.5-mile round trip trail runs to Red Granite Falls in the southern portion of Copper Falls State Park. Dogs are welcomed on the walking path.
g Takesson Trail loops - An inner loops runs for 1.6 miles and an outer loop for 2.5 miles, offering picturesque views of the Bad River in Copper Falls State Park. Both loops ramble through a mature hardwood forest, but the outer loop is hillier.

Read more about family friendly day hiking trails in my Headin' to the Cabin guidebooks.

Top fall hikes in northeast Wisconsin, Part II

Governor Thompson State Park's Forest View Trail

There’s no better way
to experience autumn colors in northeast Wisconsin than a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet

and russets of

oaks...the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm rays of sunlight before winter arrives...

the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots

...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails across northeast Wisconsin to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Langlade County
Mature maple, birch, oak, aspen and pine near a blue, pristine lake await hikers at Veteran’s Memorial Park. The 1.1-mile loop heads through a wood and then past the undeveloped Jack Lake makes for an pretty walk in autumn. Several other connecting trails lead to nearby Game and High lakes as well as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. From Antigo, take U.S. Hwy. 45 north. Turn right/east onto County Road J, which becomes Park Road. Go left/east into the park; the trail heads south from the parking lot.

Lincoln County
An old-growth forest with a large stand of white pines that escaped the logger’s ax await at Council Grounds State Park. The 0.9-mile Blue Trail runs through the Krueger Pines State Natural Area in the park. The trees are immense, and so are the number of leaves they produce – the gold of paper birch and bigtooth aspen, the tan to russet of white oak, the yellow to red of black oak, the bronze to purple of hazelnut, and the maroon of downy arrowhead. The park sits on beautiful Lake Alexander, created by the damming of the Wisconsin River. From Wis. Hwy. 64 in Merrill, take Wis. Hwy. 107 north. Turn tight/south onto Council Grounds Drive. Follow the road as it loops through the park. Park in the lot on the loops’ southeast side and walk north alongside the road; the trailhead is on the road’s left/west side.

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Each autumn, gold, orange and russet leaves line the Hiawatha Trail, which crosses the Wisconsin River in Tomahawk, a rail-to-trail route that links to the Bearskin State Trail. This easy to hike segment of the Hiawatha runs 1.3-miles round trip from Sara Park to West Mohawk Drive. Tall oak, aspen, birch and various evergreens rise along the former rail line. From the junction of Wis. Hwy. 86 and West Somo Avenue, take the latter west. Leave your vehicle in the lot for Sara Park on the street’s right/north and walk east along the Wisconsin River to the trailhead.

Marinette County
A walk through a forest in the state’s rare Northeast Sands eco landscape awaits hikers at Governor Thompson State Park. The 3.5-mile Forest View Trail loops through a forest of yellow-leafed aspen, orange and red maples, and marigold scrub oak dotted with evergreen jack pine and hemlock. Less than 3 percent of Wisconsin falls into the sands eco landscape. From Crivitz, take County Road W west. Turn right/north onto Parkway Road then left/west onto Ranch Road. Enter the parking by going right/north on Paust Lane. Park in the lot for Woods Lake and walk north alongside Paust Road to the trailhead.

Menominee County
When they tell you that the outline of Menominee County can be seen from space, they aren’t kidding. Some of the oldest – and hence tallest – stands of hardwood, pine and hemlock grow in a county that is 95 percent forested. There are few spots to hike in the county, which is the Menominee Indian Reservation, but one spot is the first road between Ducknest and Sullivan falls on the Wolf River. From Keshena, take Wis. Hwy. 55 north. Turn left/west on Indian Road 24/Sullivan Falls Road. When the road swerves north at the river, park on the shoulder. Ducknest Falls is directly ahead. During autumn, walk the road, lined with colorful leaves and evergreens, for a 0.75-miles round trip to Lower Sullivan Falls.

Oconto County
Day hikers not bothered by heights can enjoy a spectacular vista of autumn leaves from Mountain Lookout Tower. The 0.26-miles round trip hike sits in the vast Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The tower is at an elevation of 1,254 feet. The road heads through a classic Northwoods setting that is beautiful any time of the year but particularly so in autumn. A September walk takes you past sugar, red and mountain maples, white, red and black oaks, paper, yellow and river birch, aspen, beech, basswood, and sumac. Various green conifers – including pine, spruce, fir, and juniper – dot the hardwood forest. From the village of Mountain on County Road W just east of Wis. Hwy. 32, take National Forest Road 2106 (Old 32) north. In about 2.25 miles, turn right/southeast onto Mountain Tower Road. Pull off to the side of the road so you’re not blocking traffic. Hike the road up to the tower.

***

Hikers can head to the county’s highest point for great views of the surrounding forest. The 1.3-mile Butler Rock Trail climbs 160 feet to 1093 feet above sea level. It includes a 0.7-mile spur trail that stays at ground level as circling to the face of Butler Rock in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The newly developed trail crosses a forest whose canopy in autumn turns orange, red and yellow-green. From Wis. Hwy. 64 south of Mountain, take Old Hwy. 64/Forest Road 2308 east. Turn left/north onto Butler Rock Road then left/northwest onto Butler Lookout Lane. The trail starts where the road ends.