Minocqua • Arbor Vitae • Woodruff
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Hiking & Biking in Minocqua

Northwoods Trails and Woodland Paths

We might be known for our waterways but don't miss out on taking to dry land, with endless miles of woodland paths and back byways that offer great walking or pedaling among the most spectacular scenery you can imagine.

The Minocqua area is an outdoor lover’s paradise. With over a million acres of public forest and over 600 miles of trails, there is no excuse not to get out there. You can spend an entire season and never be on the same trail twice.  The thousands of gorgeous lakes, rivers, and streams help to create the most spectacular scenery imaginable.

TRAILS

One of the best-known trails in the area, The Bearskin, starts right in the heart of downtown Minocqua. Named for the Bearskin Creek the trail follows, this 18-mile former railroad corridor is an opportunity to experience the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

The southern half of the trail follows the winding course of Bearskin Creek, a clean, cold creek that is home to Wisconsin’s native trout species, the brook trout. The northern half of the ride is through a landscape of lake and forest, thick with pines and hardwoods. Along the way, you’ll traverse at least a dozen old railroad trestles, remnants of a bygone age.

The railroad line was built to export white pine logs from the forests of northern Wisconsin to the cities of the Midwest. Today the trail is a recreation corridor, surfaced with compacted granite ideal for walking, jogging or biking.

TRAIL MAPS

Download Minocqua Area Trail Maps (pdf)

Oneida County Trails

Vilas County Trails

Northern Highland American Legion State Forest Trails

North Lakeland Discovery Center Trails