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."
| Trail Name | Year Established | Route | Counties | Trail Management | Trail Pass Needed? | Trail Type | Total Miles (in use) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 State Trail | 1988 | Reedsburg-Elroy | Sauk, Juneau | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 22 | ||
| Ahdawagam Trails | - | Wisconsin Rapids (local) | Wood | Municipal | No | Municipal Trail | 21 | ||
| Ahnapee State Trail | 1970 | Sturgeon Bay-Casco; Luxemburg-Kewaunee | Door, Kewaunee | County | No | Rail Trail | 48 | ||
| Badger State Trail | 2000 | Madison-Freeport, IL | Green, Dane,Stephenson (IL) | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 40 | ||
| Bearskin State Trail | 1973 | Minocqua-Harshaw | Oneida | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 22 | ||
| Buffalo River State Trail | 1976 | Fairchild-Mondovi | Eau Claire, Jackson, Trempeleau, Buffalo | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 36 | ||
| Bugline Trail | 1983 | Menomonee Falls-Merton | Waukesha | Municipal | No | Rail Trail | 16 | Paved asphalt trail. | |
| Capital City State Trail | 2000 | Madison-Fitchburg | Dane | County | Yes | Local Trail | 17 | ||
| Cattail State Trail | 1999 | Amery-Almena | Polk, Barron | County | No | Rail Trail | 18 | ||
| Chippewa River State Trail | 1985 | Eau Claire-Durand | Eau Claire, Dunn, Pepin | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 30 | ||
| Devil's River State Trail | 2003 | Denmark-Rockwood | Brown, Manitowoc | County | No | Rail Trail | 15 | Eight miles acquired, but not yet in use. | |
| Eisenbahn State Trail | 2003 | Eden-West Bend | Fond du Lac, Washington | County | No | Rail Trail | 25 | ||
| Elroy-Sparta State Trail | 1965 | Elroy-Sparta | Juneau, Monroe | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 32 | ||
| Fox River State Trail | 1991 | Hilbert-Green Bay | Brown, Calumet | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 25 | ||
| Fox River Trail | - | Pewaukee-Brookfield | Waukesha | County | No | Local Trail | 3 | Not to be confused with the state trail of the same name. | |
| Friendship State Trail | 2000 | Brillion-Forest Junction | Calumet | County | No | Rail Trail | 4 | ||
| Gandy Dancer State Trail | 1989 | St. Croix Falls-Superior | Polk, Burnett, Douglas | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 62 | ||
| Glacial Drumlin State Trail | 1984 | Waukesha-Cottage Grove | Waukesha, Jefferson, Dane | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 52 | ||
| Great River State Trail | 1985 | Onalaska-Marshland | La Crosse, Trempeleau | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 24 | ||
| Great Sauk State Trail | 2017 | Sauk City - Sumpter | Sauk, Juneau | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 5 | ||
| Green Circle State Trail | 1992 | Stevens Point area (local) | Portage | County | No | Local Trail | 31 | ||
| Hank Aaron State Trail | 1996 | Milwaukee-West Allis | Milwaukee | DNR | No | Rail Trail | 12 | ||
| Hillsboro State Trail | 1988 | Hillsboro-Union Center | Vernon, Juneau | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 4 | ||
| Ice Age Trail | 1988 | Statewide | 30 counties statwide | Varied | No | Varied Statewide | 674 | ||
| La Crosse River State Trail | 1978 | La Crosse-Sparta | La Crosse, Monroe | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 22 | ||
| Lake Country Trail | - | Oconomowoc-Pewaukee | Waukesha | Municipal | No | Rail Trail | 15 | Paved asphalt trail. | |
| Lake Michigan State Water Trail | 2012 | Lake Michigan shoreline | Several | Varied | No | Water Trail | N/A | ||
| Mascoutin Valley State Trail | 1996 | Ripon-Berlin; Rosendale-Fond du Lac | Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Winnebago | County | No | Rail Trail | 21 | ||
| MECCA Trails | 1973 | Mercer (local) | Iron | Private Board | No | Local Trail | 15 | The trails are designed for cross-country skiing, meant as a component of area tourism. | |
| Military Ridge State Trail | 1981 | Fitchburg-Dodgeville | Dane, Iowa | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 40 | ||
| Mound View State Trail | 1974/2018 | Belmont-Platteville | Lafayette, Grant | County | No | Rail Trail (partial) | 7 | ||
| Mountain-Bay State Trail | 1993 | Wausau-Green Bay | Marathon, Shawano, Brown | County | No | Rail Trail | 83 | ||
| New Berlin Trail | 1984 | New Berlin-Waukesha | Waukesha | County | No | Local Trail | 7 | Paved asphalt trail. | |
| Newton Blackmour State Trail | 2003 | New London-Seymour | Outagamie | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 22 | One mile acquired, but not yet in use. | |
| Nicolet State Trail | 1999 | Gillett-Michigan state line near Tipler | Oconto, Forest, Florence | County | No | Rail Trail | 89 | ||
| North Country Trail | 2001 | N/A | Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron | Varied | No | National Scenic Trail | 140 | The trail spans Northern Wisconsin, from Minnesota to Michigan's upper peninsula. | |
| Oak Leaf Trail | various | N/A | Milwaukee | County | No | Local Trail | 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 rail trail. | |
| Oconto River State Trail | 1997 | Oconto-Stiles Junction | Oconto | County | No | Rail Trail | 8 | ||
| Old Abe State Trail | 1990 | Chippewa Falls-Cornell | Chippewa | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 20 | ||
| Pecatonica State Trail | 1974 | Belmont-Calamine | Lafayette, Grant | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 10 | ||
| Red Cedar State Trail | 1973 | Menomonie-Dunn | Dunn | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 15 | ||
| Saunders State Trail | 1991 | Boylston Junction-Minnesota state line near Dewey | Douglas | County | No | Rail Trail | 8 | ||
| Stower Seven Lakes State Trail | 2003 | Amery-Dresser | Polk | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 14 | ||
| Sugar River State Trail | 1972 | New Glarus-Broadhead | Green | DNR | Yes | Rail Trail | 24 | ||
| Tomorrow River State Trail | 1996 | Plover-Manawa | Portage, Waupaca | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 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 | Rail Trail | 75 | ||
| Wau-King Trail | Waupaca-King | Waupaca | County | No | Local Trail | 4 | Mainly paved asphalt trail. | ||
| White River State Trail | 1999 | Elkhorn-Lyons; Burlington-Kansasville | Walworth, Racine | County | Yes | Rail Trail | 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 | Rail Trail | 34 | ||
| Wild Rivers State Trail | 1993 | Rice Lake-Solon Springs | Barron, Washburn, Douglas | County | No | Rail Trail | 104 | One mile acquired, but not yet in use | |
| Wiouwash State Trail | 1992 | Oshkosh-Hortonville; Split Rock-Aniwa | Winnebago, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca | County | No | Rail Trail | 41 | ||
| Wolf River State Trail | 2003 | Crandon-White Lake | Langlade, Forest | County | No | Rail Trail | 37 | Six miles acquired, but not yet in use |