List of hiking trails in Wisconsin
This is an incomprehensive list of hiking trails in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, including multi-purpose biking trails that also function as hiking trails.The list does not include many smaller trails found within places such as Wisconsin state, county or municipal parks.
Most state-owned trails included require a current state trail pass from the Wisconsin DNR for any activities other than hiking, which can be obtained at various vendors around the trails. The current price of a pass is $5 daily, or $25 annually.[1]
Much of Wisconsin's state trail system follows the beds of now-defunct railroad lines; these are known as "rail trails."
List of trails
| Trail name[2][3] | Year established | Route | Counties | Trail management | Trail pass needed? | Rail trail? | Length in use (mi) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 State Trail | 1988 | Reedsburg-Elroy | Sauk, Juneau | DNR | Yes | Yes | 22 | |
| Ahdawagam Trails | - | Wisconsin Rapids (local) | Wood | Municipal | No | No | 21 | |
| Ahnapee State Trail | 1970 | Sturgeon Bay-Casco; Luxemburg-Kewaunee | Door, Kewaunee | County | No | Yes | 48 | |
| Badger State Trail | 2000 | Madison-Freeport, IL | Green, Dane,Stephenson (IL) | DNR | Yes | Yes | 40 | |
| Bearskin State Trail | 1973 | Minocqua-Harshaw | Oneida | DNR | Yes | Yes | 22 | |
| Buffalo River State Trail | 1976 | Fairchild-Mondovi | Eau Claire, Jackson, Trempeleau, Buffalo | DNR | Yes | Yes | 36 | |
| Bugline Trail | 1983 | Menomonee Falls-Merton | Waukesha | Municipal | No | Yes | 16 | Paved asphalt trail. |
| Capital City State Trail | 2000 | Madison-Fitchburg | Dane | County | Yes | No | 17 | Local trail. |
| Cattail State Trail | 1999 | Amery-Almena | Polk, Barron | County | No | Yes | 18 | |
| Chippewa River State Trail | 1985 | Eau Claire-Durand | Eau Claire, Dunn, Pepin | DNR | Yes | Yes | 30 | |
| Devil's River State Trail | 2003 | Denmark-Rockwood | Brown, Manitowoc | County | No | Yes | 15 | Eight miles acquired, but not yet in use. |
| Eisenbahn State Trail | 2003 | Eden-West Bend | Fond du Lac, Washington | County | No | Yes | 25 | |
| Elroy-Sparta State Trail | 1965 | Elroy-Sparta | Juneau, Monroe | DNR | Yes | Yes | 32 | |
| Fox River State Trail | 1991 | Hilbert-Green Bay | Brown, Calumet | County | Yes | Yes | 25 | Near the Fox River (Green Bay tributary). |
| Fox River Trail | - | Pewaukee-Brookfield | Waukesha | County | No | No | 3 | Near the Fox River (Illinois River tributary), not to be confused with the state trail of the same name. |
| Friendship State Trail | 2000 | Brillion-Forest Junction | Calumet | County | No | Yes | 4 | |
| Gandy Dancer State Trail | 1989 | St. Croix Falls-Superior | Polk, Burnett, Douglas | County | Yes | Yes | 62 | |
| Glacial Drumlin State Trail | 1984 | Waukesha-Cottage Grove | Waukesha, Jefferson, Dane | DNR | Yes | Yes | 52 | |
| Great River State Trail | 1985 | Onalaska-Marshland | La Crosse, Trempeleau | DNR | Yes | Yes | 24 | |
| Great Sauk State Trail | 2017 | Sauk City - Sumpter | Sauk, Juneau | County | Yes | Yes | 5 | |
| Green Circle State Trail | 1992 | Stevens Point area (local) | Portage | County | No | No | 31 | |
| Hank Aaron State Trail | 1996 | Milwaukee-West Allis | Milwaukee | DNR | No | Yes | 12 | |
| Hillsboro State Trail | 1988 | Hillsboro-Union Center | Vernon, Juneau | County | Yes | Yes | 4 | |
| Ice Age Trail | 1988 | Statewide | 30 counties statewide | Varied | No | Varies | 674 | Longest hiking trail fully in the state, comprising various surface materials and trailbed locations. |
| La Crosse River State Trail | 1978 | La Crosse-Sparta | La Crosse, Monroe | DNR | Yes | Yes | 22 | |
| Lake Country Trail | - | Oconomowoc-Pewaukee | Waukesha | Municipal | No | Yes | 15 | Paved asphalt trail. |
| Lake Michigan State Water Trail | 2012 | Lake Michigan shoreline | Several | Varied | No | No | N/A | |
| Mascoutin Valley State Trail | 1996 | Ripon-Berlin; Rosendale-Fond du Lac | Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Winnebago | County | No | Yes | 21 | The trail comprises two disconnected sections. |
| MECCA Trails | 1973 | Mercer (local) | Iron | Private Board | No | No | 15 | Local trails designed for cross-country skiing, meant as a component of area tourism. |
| Military Ridge State Trail | 1981 | Fitchburg-Dodgeville | Dane, Iowa | DNR | Yes | Yes | 40 | |
| Mound View State Trail | 1974/2018 | Belmont-Platteville | Lafayette, Grant | County | No | Partial | 7 | |
| Mountain-Bay State Trail | 1993 | Wausau-Green Bay | Marathon, Shawano, Brown | County | No | Yes | 83 | |
| New Berlin Trail | 1984 | New Berlin-Waukesha | Waukesha | County | No | No | 7 | Paved asphalt trail. |
| Newton Blackmour State Trail | 2003 | New London-Seymour | Outagamie | County | Yes | Yes | 22 | One mile acquired, but not yet in use. |
| Nicolet State Trail | 1999 | Gillett-Tipler (Michigan state line) | Oconto, Forest, Florence | County | No | Yes | 89 | |
| North Country Trail | 2001 | N/A | Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron | Varied | No | No | 140 | The National Scenic Trail spans Northern Wisconsin, from Minnesota to Michigan's upper peninsula. |
| Oak Leaf Trail | various | N/A | Milwaukee | County | No | No | 135 | The trail system spans Milwaukee County. It includes the Menomonee, Kinnickinnic, Root River, Oak Creek, South Shore, Milwaukee River and Zip Lines, along with the Bradley and Drexel Connectors, and Lake Park and Whitehall Park Loops. A portion of the system is Yes. |
| Oconto River State Trail | 1997 | Oconto-Stiles Junction | Oconto | County | No | Yes | 8 | |
| Old Abe State Trail | 1990 | Chippewa Falls-Cornell | Chippewa | County | Yes | Yes | 20 | |
| Pecatonica State Trail | 1974 | Belmont-Calamine | Lafayette, Grant | County | Yes | Yes | 10 | |
| Red Cedar State Trail | 1973 | Menomonie-Dunn | Dunn | DNR | Yes | Yes | 15 | |
| Saunders State Trail | 1991 | Boylston Junction-Dewey (Minnesota State Line) | Douglas | County | No | Yes | 8 | |
| Stower Seven Lakes State Trail | 2003 | Amery-Dresser | Polk | County | Yes | Yes | 14 | |
| Sugar River State Trail | 1972 | New Glarus-Broadhead | Green | DNR | Yes | Yes | 24 | |
| Tomorrow River State Trail | 1996 | Plover-Manawa | Portage, Waupaca | County | Yes | Yes | 29 | A short unfinished section of trail exists just east of Amherst Junction. |
| Tuscobia State Trail | 1966 | Park Falls-Rice Lake | Price, Sawyer, Washburn, Barron | DNR/County | No | Yes | 75 | |
| Wau-King Trail | Waupaca-King | Waupaca | County | No | No | 4 | Mainly paved asphalt trail. | |
| White River State Trail | 1999 | Elkhorn-Lyons; Burlington-Kansasville | Walworth, Racine | County | Yes | Yes | 19 | Eleven miles acquired, but not yet in use. |
| Wild Goose State Trail | 1986 | Fond du Lac-Clyman Junction | Fond du Lac, Dodge | County | No | Yes | 34 | |
| Wild Rivers State Trail | 1993 | Rice Lake-Solon Springs | Barron, Washburn, Douglas | County | No | Yes | 104 | One mile acquired, but not yet in use |
| Wiouwash State Trail | 1992 | Oshkosh-Hortonville; Split Rock-Aniwa | Winnebago, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca | County | No | Yes | 41 | |
| Wolf River State Trail | 2003 | Crandon-White Lake | Langlade, Forest | County | No | Yes | 37 | Six miles acquired, but not yet in use |
See also
References
- ^ "State Trail Pass | Wisconsin State Park System | Wisconsin DNR". dnr.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "StateTrailSystemFacts.pdf". widnr.widen.net. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "State Trails, Wisconsin State Park System". Wisconsin DNR. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hiking trails in Wisconsin.
- State Trails from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Hiking Trails from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism