List of hiking trails in Wisconsin explained

This is a highly 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.

Many 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[2] [3]

Trail NameYear EstablishedRouteCountiesTrail ManagementTrail Pass Needed?Trail TypeTotal Miles (in use)Notes
400 State Trail1988Reedsburg-ElroySauk, JuneauDNRYesRail Trail22
Ahdawagam Trails-Wisconsin Rapids (local)WoodMunicipalNoMunicipal Trail21
Ahnapee State Trail1970Sturgeon Bay-Casco; Luxemburg-KewauneeDoor, KewauneeCountyNoRail Trail48
Badger State Trail2000Madison-Freeport, ILGreen, Dane,Stephenson (IL)DNRYesRail Trail40
Bearskin State Trail1973Minocqua-HarshawOneidaDNRYesRail Trail22
Buffalo River State Trail1976Fairchild-MondoviEau Claire, Jackson, Trempeleau, BuffaloDNRYesRail Trail36
Bugline Trail1983Menomonee Falls-MertonWaukeshaMunicipalNoRail Trail16Paved asphalt trail.
Capital City State Trail2000Madison-FitchburgDaneCountyYesLocal Trail17
Cattail State Trail1999Amery-AlmenaPolk, BarronCountyNoRail Trail18
Chippewa River State Trail1985Eau Claire-DurandEau Claire, Dunn, PepinDNRYesRail Trail30
Devil's River State Trail2003Denmark-RockwoodBrown, ManitowocCountyNoRail Trail15Eight miles acquired, but not yet in use.
Eisenbahn State Trail2003Eden-West BendFond du Lac, WashingtonCountyNoRail Trail25
Elroy-Sparta State Trail1965Elroy-SpartaJuneau, MonroeDNRYesRail Trail32
Fox River State Trail1991Hilbert-Green BayBrown, CalumetCountyYesRail Trail25
Fox River Trail-Pewaukee-BrookfieldWaukeshaCountyNoLocal Trail3Not to be confused with the state trail of the same name.
Friendship State Trail2000Brillion-Forest JunctionCalumetCountyNoRail Trail4
Gandy Dancer State Trail1989St. Croix Falls-SuperiorPolk, Burnett, DouglasCountyYesRail Trail62
Glacial Drumlin State Trail1984Waukesha-Cottage GroveWaukesha, Jefferson, DaneDNRYesRail Trail52
Great River State Trail1985Onalaska-MarshlandLa Crosse, TrempeleauDNRYesRail Trail24
Great Sauk State Trail2017Sauk City - SumpterSauk, JuneauCountyYesRail Trail5
Green Circle State Trail1992Stevens Point area (local)PortageCountyNoLocal Trail31
Hank Aaron State Trail1996Milwaukee-West AllisMilwaukeeDNRNoRail Trail12
Hillsboro State Trail1988Hillsboro-Union CenterVernon, JuneauCountyYesRail Trail4
Ice Age Trail1988Statewide30 counties statwideVariedNoVaried Statewide674
La Crosse River State Trail1978La Crosse-SpartaLa Crosse, MonroeDNRYesRail Trail22
Lake Country Trail-Oconomowoc-PewaukeeWaukeshaMunicipalNoRail Trail15Paved asphalt trail.
Lake Michigan State Water Trail2012Lake Michigan shorelineSeveralVariedNoWater TrailN/A
Mascoutin Valley State Trail1996Ripon-Berlin; Rosendale-Fond du LacFond du Lac, Green Lake, WinnebagoCountyNoRail Trail21
MECCA Trails1973Mercer (local)IronPrivate BoardNoLocal Trail15The trails are designed for cross-country skiing, meant as a component of area tourism.
Military Ridge State Trail1981Fitchburg-DodgevilleDane, IowaDNRYesRail Trail40
Mound View State Trail1974/2018Belmont-PlattevilleLafayette, GrantCountyNoRail Trail (partial)7
Mountain-Bay State Trail1993Wausau-Green BayMarathon, Shawano, BrownCountyNoRail Trail83
New Berlin Trail1984New Berlin-WaukeshaWaukeshaCountyNoLocal Trail7Paved asphalt trail.
Newton Blackmour State Trail2003New London-SeymourOutagamieCountyYesRail Trail22One mile acquired, but not yet in use.
Nicolet State Trail1999Gillett-Michigan state line near TiplerOconto, Forest, FlorenceCountyNoRail Trail89
North Country Trail2001N/ADouglas, Bayfield, Ashland, IronVariedNoNational Scenic Trail140The trail spans Northern Wisconsin, from Minnesota to Michigan's upper peninsula.
Oak Leaf TrailvariousN/AMilwaukeeCountyNoLocal Trail135The 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 rail trail.
Oconto River State Trail1997Oconto-Stiles JunctionOcontoCountyNoRail Trail8
Old Abe State Trail1990Chippewa Falls-CornellChippewaCountyYesRail Trail20
Pecatonica State Trail1974Belmont-CalamineLafayette, GrantCountyYesRail Trail10
Red Cedar State Trail1973Menomonie-DunnDunnDNRYesRail Trail15
Saunders State Trail1991Boylston Junction-Minnesota state line near DeweyDouglasCountyNoRail Trail8
Stower Seven Lakes State Trail2003Amery-DresserPolkCountyYesRail Trail14
Sugar River State Trail1972New Glarus-BroadheadGreenDNRYesRail Trail24
Tomorrow River State Trail1996Plover-ManawaPortage, WaupacaCountyYesRail Trail29A short unfinished section of trail exists just east of Amherst Junction.
Tuscobia State Trail1966Park Falls-Rice LakePrice, Sawyer, Washburn, BarronDNR/CountyNoRail Trail75
Wau-King TrailWaupaca-KingWaupacaCountyNoLocal Trail4Mainly paved asphalt trail.
White River State Trail1999Elkhorn-Lyons; Burlington-KansasvilleWalworth, RacineCountyYesRail Trail19Eleven miles acquired, but not yet in use.
Wild Goose State Trail1986Fond du Lac-Clyman JunctionFond du Lac, DodgeCountyNoRail Trail34
Wild Rivers State Trail1993Rice Lake-Solon SpringsBarron, Washburn, DouglasCountyNoRail Trail104One mile acquired, but not yet in use
Wiouwash State Trail1992Oshkosh-Hortonville; Split Rock-AniwaWinnebago, Outagamie, Shawano, WaupacaCountyNoRail Trail41
Wolf River State Trail2003Crandon-White LakeLanglade, ForestCountyNoRail Trail37Six miles acquired, but not yet in use

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Trail Pass Wisconsin State Park System Wisconsin DNR . 2024-06-23 . dnr.wisconsin.gov.
  2. Web site: StateTrailSystemFacts.pdf . 2024-06-23 . widnr.widen.net.
  3. Web site: State Trails Wisconsin State Park System Wisconsin DNR . 2024-06-23 . dnr.wisconsin.gov.