Variety of sights await Lake Wissota hikers

Trailhead for Prairie Wildflower Trail at Lake Wissota
State Park in western Wisconsin.

A picturesque lake, ancient effigy mounds, and a former beaver pond await day hikers at Lake Wissota State Park in western Wisconsin.

Ten major trails, many of which can be done in combination with another, can be found at the park northeast of Chippewa Falls. Campgrounds and picnic grounds are at the park.

To reach the state park and trailhead, from Chippewa Falls head north on Wis. Hwy. 178. Turn right/east onto County Road S. Immediately after the Chippewa River bridge, go right/east on County Road O. The park entrance is about 2 miles on the right.

Among the major trails at the park, from northwest to southeast, are:
• Old Abe State Trail link –The paved railroad grade trail runs for 20 miles and connects the state park to Brunet Island State Park in Cornell or heads south across the Chippewa River into Chippewa Falls.
• Lake Trail – Day hikers can walk alongside ancient effigy mounds on a bluff overlooking scenic Lake Wissota. The trail runs 1.4 miles (2.8-miles round trip) with connectors running to other walking paths.
• Plantation Trail – A square route with the access trail runs about 1.4 miles through a red pines plantation. Hikers can reach the trail via the northwest corner of the Red Pine Trail.
• Red Pine Trail – The Nevada-shaped trail runs past a meadows and through a red pine forest for 1.5 miles (stem is 0.5 miles one-way, loop is 0.5 miles). Start from the lot off the main park road just beyond the campground.
• Prairie Wildflower Nature Trail – The self-guided 0.5-miles trail in the middle of the park offers an up-close view of tall grasses and a variety of other plants. In July, many flowers bloom, making for a beautiful walk.
• Eagle Prairie Trail – Shared by hikers and off-road bicyclists, the 0.5-mile (one-way) trail connects the Red Pine and Fox trails, and must be accessed via one of them.
• Fox Trail – The roughly square-shaped trail runs about 0.5-mile and is shared by hikers and off-road bicyclists. It can be reached either via Red Pine-Eagle Prairie tails or by heading up a segment of the Jack Pine Trail.
• Jack Pine Trail – The 0.75-mile loop is largely wooded. Reach it via the parking lot off the park entry road, just before the group campground.
• Staghorn Trail – Located in the park’s southern section, the 2-mile loop intersects several other park trails. Access it via the parking lot off the park entry road, just before the group campground.
• Beaver Meadow Nature Trail – An overlook of an abandoned beaver pond awaits day hikers on what many park visitors consider to be among Lake Wissota’s most scenic trails. Both summer and autumn mark great times to hike the 1.2-mile round trip trail, with each season offering its own play on the area’s natural beauty.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of the Chippewa Valley guidebook.

Beaver pond awaits day hikers on park trail

A boardwalk runs over a beaver dam built several decades
ago but that still stands near Lake Wissota.

Hike heads through comely
woodland at Lake Wissota

An overlook of a former beaver pond awaits day hikers on the Beaver Meadow Nature Trail in Wisconsin’s Lake Wissota State Park.

Many park visitors consider the 1.2-mile round trip to be among Lake Wissota’s most scenic trails. Both summer and autumn mark great times to hike it, with each season offering its own play on the area’s natural beauty.

Bluff top view
To reach the state park and trailhead, from Chippewa Falls head north on Wis. Hwy. 178. Turn right/east onto County Road S. Immediately after the Chippewa River bridge, go right/east on County Road O. The park entrance is about two miles on the right. Park in the lot off the park entry road just before the group campground.

The trail heads south from lot across the park road and runs on a bluff top overlooking Lake Wissota. The man-made lake covers more than 6000 square acres.

Beaver Meadow Nature Trail map,
courtesy Wisconsin DNR.

After passing a small inlet of Lake Wissota, the stem comes to the loop. Go left/east on it.

Along the way, you’ll pass through a pine forest and by a marsh. It’s mostly shaded, however.

On the loop’s east side, the pathway comes to a junction with Staghorn Trail. Stay on the main trail (or veer left).

Beaver pond overlook
You may want to bring a guidebook about Wisconsin plant life with you. The trail includes mushrooms, the rare ghost plant (aka as the Indian pipe), and ferns.

Coming to the loop’s end, the trail reaches an overlook of an abandoned beaver pond. Beavers build dams to keep predators at bay and to create ponds so that they have a ready supply of food during winter. Like human engineers, beavers begin their dam construction by diverting the stream’s flow to lessen the amount of water pressure on their main dam when it’s being built.The dam has since been abandoned, but an overlook and a bridge over the dam give a good sense of how they terraformed the area.

After taking in the views, cross the stream draining into the inlet, and follow the stem trail back to the parking lot.

As the trail heads past a bog and stream, it can be buggy. Hike the trail at midday when the heat will keep the insects at bay, and be sure to don and carry mosquito repellent with you in summer.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of the Chippewa Valley guidebook.

Pass effigy mounds, pretty lake on Wis. trail

Lake Wissota at sunset. Photo courtesy of Wisconsin DNR.

Map of Lake Trail, courtesy of Wisconsin DNR.

Swimming beach
awaits at end of hike

Day hikers can walk alongside ancient effigy mounds on a bluff overlooking a scenic blue lake at Lake Wissota State Park in Wisconsin.

The Lake Trail runs 1.4 miles (2.8-miles round trip) with connectors to other pathways. In all, 18 miles of hiking trails crisscross the park’s 1000-plus acres of forests and prairieland.

To reach the state park and trailhead, from Chippewa Falls head north on Wis. Hwy. 178. Turn right/east onto County Road S. Immediately after the Chippewa River bridge, go right/east on County Road O. The park entrance is about two miles on the right. Park at the northernmost lot on park road.

Man-made lake
At the lot’s southwest corner, head to an overlook of Lake Wissota. The Chippewa River and several other waterways that merge in the general area feed the lake, which was formed in 1917 when a hydroelectric dam flooded the valley floor. The dam was built by the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light and Power Company, and an engineer on the project named the lake by combining part of “Wisconsin” (Wis) and of “Minnesota” (sota). The dam still is still in operation and is owned by Xcel Energy.

Today, the lake covers 6,024-acres and reaches a maximum depth of 72 feet. Walleyes and smallmouth bass dominate the lake, but fishermen also land largemouth bass, muskie, pike, panfish and even catfish.

From the overlook, follow the trail southeast as it parallels Lake Wissota. About 0.3 miles in, a connector leads back to the park road and the Red Pine Trail, so be careful to not make an accidental turn.

As the trail continues southward, it passes two long panther effigy mounds. These Native American ceremonial centers likely were used for centuries. The panther mound represents their builders’ beliefs about the cosmos and society being divided into two parts – the upper world (sky) and the lower realm (Earth/water). A sign points out the mounds.

A little more than halfway to the trail’s endpoint, the family campground appears on the left/northeast. Basswood, maples, oaks, and white pines cover the campground. A stairway heads down the bluff from the campground and trail to the lakeshore below.

Local wildlife
The next trail intersection is the official Red Pine Trail, which heads left/north into an evergreen forest and tree plantation. Also called Norway pine, it’s a common tree in Wisconsin and tends to grow in drier areas while being a favorite for tree plantations.

Within a few steps is another intersection with the connector heading left/west to the park road and the Jack Pine and the Fox trails.

Speaking of fox, common animals you’ll see in the park - and you’ll likely spot signs of some of them on the Lake Trail – include badger, beaver, fox, mink, otter, porcupine, weasel, and whitetail deer.

The Lake Trail ends at a swimming beach with a beach house. A fishing pier is just beyond it.

After taking a swim to cool off, retrace your steps back up the trail to the parking lot.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of the Chippewa Valley guidebook.