We have a summer getaway that borders the Kettle Moraine (in fact I'm looking at it now) and we take advantage of the Forest at every opportunity. We like the hiking (and cc skiing) at the Zillmer and New Fane trails, climbing the Parnell Tower, canoeing and kayaking the Milwaukee River, fishing at Long Lake, Butler Lake and Mauthe Lake, and especially driving through the hills, lakes and winding roads during the height of color in early October. We are so lucky to have such a gem available to us,See more..
Great place for hiking. Lots of trails/hills to choose from. Variety of wildlife. Look out tower offers amazing views! It’s my favorite spot for hiking. See more..
4.5Nine Mile Forest(26 reviews) - Great Skiing at Nine Mile Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Forests
I have been coming to Nine Mile Forest for cross country skiing for years and love it. The trails are well-groomed and provide a diversity of skiing options. I especially like the spacious warming shelter with the wood burning stove. The shelter is open this year with restrictions so plan accordingly. They have reduced the number of tables and are limiting capacity.See more..
This is a favorite place of ours which is very close to where we reside! They manage to keep this place as pristine as one can expect to observe in a natural setting. They have craft events here and other workshops of which many people in this area support and attend. One can easily meditate and reduce a considerable amount of stress, simply by showing up and walking about in silent obsservation! WOW The workmanship of the perfect landscape...See more..
We split our time between Pinewoods Campground and Ottawa Lake Campground. Both have decent shower buildings and nice camping facilities. There is plenty to do in the area from Mountain Biking on the John Muir trails to hiking the Ice Age Trail. We go here with the boys every summer, and often take spontaneous camping trips here on the weekends.See more..
5.0Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest(8 reviews) - Takes you back in time Clean beautiful Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails • Forests
Takes you back intimate clean beautiful Long stretches of quiet little traffic and some trails to find. Lots of lakes spread throughoutSee more..
5.0Retzer Nature Center(8 reviews) - Gem in Waukesha County Spent 1-2 hours Hiking Trails • Forests
etzer Nature Center is preserving and maintaining over 450 acres of prairie, forest, wildlife habitat, nature trails and environmental learning facilities in Waukesha County. Includes; Planetarium; Nature displays.See more..
In southern part of Wisconsin, majority of parks and wildlife areas are in the swampy eastern part of the state. Western, so called Driftless Area, is strangly devoid of parks. Don't get me wrong - there are parks and State Natural Areas and other nature preserves, just not enough of them in proportion to the vastness of the Driftless. This medium sized park is a beautiful addition to the Driftless, offering several nice hikes and couple stunning views. Hikes are steep though, except one, so you need to be physically fit.See more..
This visit we specifically did the Sandrock Cliffs Trail. It was mighty cold with a fresh snow, so we bundled up and gave it a go! We were the only ones there, so it was very quiet, peaceful, and tranquil. The trail was easy although the marking when you get near the campsites wasn't as good. Either way, it was not a difficult hike though there are inclines. You can get down to the river level if you want. Overall, we covered just over three miles in an hour and 20 minutes. I would recommend this as more scenic than other trails in this state forest area.See more..
5.0Beaver Creek Reserve(4 reviews) - Snowshoe trails! Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests
We did southtrail and did the 2 miles. Very nice! They have many winter activities here! Super cold today, full of snow, nice!See more..
This trail is not unlike multiple others in the area - it's hard to tell one from another. But for those who love North-woods, you've got to try them all. This trail stands out for being pretty short - a mile or so - so unlike some other trails where you wander into unknown and then have an arduous hike back, this trail is pretty doable for everyone. On top of that, portion of this trail is wheelchair-accessible. The trail goes through gorgeous old-growth forest, affords a view of the lake, and offers plenty of mushrooms if you're into that pastime.See more..
3.0Kettle Moraine State Forest(2 reviews) - Family Friendly Spent More than 3 hours State Parks • Forests I live in Milwaukee, Wisc which is about 45 minutes from Lake Ottawa. I was recently introduced to the beach due to a triathlon that will be held there July 2019 and boy, am I glad I now know about this area. Upon entering the actual area you are required to pay a parking fee of $8.00 unless you have the recreation pass. This was one of the cleanest beaches I have visited in a long time. There are several covered areas to keep you out of the suns heat, changing stations to accommodate those who are looking to swim and then change back into dry clothes afterward; picnic tables surround the area, there is a small dock and the wildlife will most definitely surprise you. While swimming this past weekend, I noticed both hot and cold spots in the lake which was refreshing. So many families were out on this day and the children of all ages were enjoying a great summer day.See more..
4.0Maiden Rock Bluff(2 reviews) - Lovely fall hike Spent 1-2 hours Forests
Two miles of hiking through hills to multiple scenic views of Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River. We started on the narrow trail but returned by the wide meadow trail. Lots of wildflowers, eagles soaring over the meadowSee more..
Nice easy trails for a short walk in the forest. Use bug spray. Can find a nice walking stick at the trailhead or on the trail, if you want. See more..
4.0Carl Schurz Forest(2 reviews) - Wonderful place to visit if you can find it Spent 2-3 hours Forests
This forest is great to visit. However, you cannot find it on your GPS or cell phones. They direct you to a park and not the forest. It is poorly marked and there is no parking except for on a county highway.See more..
3.0Hemlock County Park(1 review) - Used to be a good park, perhaps will be so in the future Bodies of Water • Parks • Forests
I discovered this park at the bad time. The water was drained from the lake (It's actually a slough, not a proper lake), exposing nasty looking muck that is a bottom of the lake. According to the Sauk County parks department, it's not an accident but planned event - to drain the lake. They are doing something, that hopefully will benefit this place in the long run. In the meantime, for the 2 seasons that I visited here, the place is all but ruined. However, the picnic tables are still there, so one can enjoy some deep shade under the hemlocks (yes, they are there - the name is not accidental), and short trail going along the lake (and one into the woods).See more..
