North Country Trail: Wisconsin

Experience the splendor of over 200 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail through northern Wisconsin, boasting spectacular waterfalls, long vistas, deep valleys, and the ancient Penokee Mountain Range. Take in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Copper Falls State Park, Pattison State Park, and encounter Wisconsin’s diverse wildlife such as the reintroduced elk herd near Clam Lake. The Trail in Western Wisconsin, known as “the land of variety,” reveals a spectrum of vegetative conditions from old growth groves of red and white pine to newly harvested areas. The Trail’s segment through the Douglas County Wildlife Area reveals stunning prairie flowers and grasses, complemented by small, pristine lakes. In the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, explore the oldest section of the Trail within the state, passing through two popular federally designated Wilderness Areas: Porcupine Lake Wilderness and Rainbow Lake Wilderness. The eastern part of the Trail, characterized as “the land of waterfalls and rock outcrops,” lets you experience a less developed, more wild part of the state. Here, marvel at the rocky outcrops of the ancient Penokee Mountain Range, and take in the vistas where the Trail passes over the top or skirts their bases.