Ride safely - Wisconsin Department of Tourism

1Wild Rivers
State Trail
JUST THE FACTS
DISTANCE: 104 miles one way from
Rice Lake to just south of Superior.
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TRAILHEAD LOCATION(S): Parking
and trail access is available in Rice Lake,
Sarona, Spooner, Trego, Minong, and
Superior. Access only in Gordon.
SEASON: Open year-round.
OTHER TRAILS IN THIS REGION:
Tuscobia State Trail, Gandy Dancer State
Trail, Tri-County Corridor, Saunders
Grade, and Stony Brook Trail.
NOTE: Just north of Rice Lake, the Wild
Rivers State Trail connects with the
Tuscobia State Trail. ATVs are prohibited
on the Tuscobia from Rice Lake to near
Angus and Birchwood.
FEES: None.
AREA ATTRACTIONS: The Tommy G.
Thompson State Fish Hatchery, Railroad
Memories Museum, and Wisconsin
Great Northern Excursion Train in
Spooner; Vista Fleet Cruises, Fairlawn
Mansion, S.S. Meteor Museum, and
Bong WWII Heritage Center in Superior;
and the Brule River State Forest in Brule.
LEGEND: For a complete listing of all
icons, see page 4.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Wild Rivers State Trail
715/635-4490
www.dnr.state.wi.us/
Minong ATV Club Trail Conditions
715/466-5000
www.minongtrails.com
Rice Lake Tourism
715/234-8888
www.ricelaketourism.com
Spooner Chamber of Commerce
715/635-2168
http://chamber.spooneronline.com
Washburn County Tourism
800/367-3306 or 715/635-9696
www.washburncounty.org
Superior-Douglas County Chamber
of Commerce
800/942-5313 or 715/394-7716
www.visitsuperior.com
Barron County Tourism
715/537-6200
www.co.barron.wi.us/tourism.htm
6 Visit travelwisconsin.com
Barron, Washburn & Douglas Counties
One of the longest trail systems in the
state, the Wild Rivers State Trail traverses
three northwestern Wisconsin
counties. The 104-mile trail is a former
Omaha and Soo Line
Railroad grade that parallels
US Hwy 53 from
Rice Lake to Superior.
Located in the Red
Cedar Valley of
Wisconsin, Rice Lake is a
hotbed of outdoor recreation.
The southern trailhead
is located near Hwy 48 and Cty SS. Three
miles north of town, the Wild Rivers State
Trail connects with the Tuscobia State Trail.
While it might be tempting to take the
Tuscobia east, ATV use is prohibited from
Rice Lake to near Birchwood (about 10
miles).
The Wild Rivers Trail continues north
following Cty SS as it crosses to the west
side of Highway 53 through the town of
Haugen and into Washburn County. It’s an
easy ride into Sarona, where you can make
a quick pit stop for gas. North of Sarona
the trail meanders along Hwy 53 for a few
miles before veering northwest into deep
forest sections. Riders will enjoy the wide
sweeping turns and spectacular views. If
you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of
deer and other wildlife.
In Spooner you’ll find plenty of food
and lodging choices. Off the 4-wheeler,
you can tour the Tommy G. Thompson
State Fish Hatchery (715/635-4147) or the
Railroad Memories Museum (715/635-
3325, www.spoonerwi.com). If you’re a
real railroad buff, you might like a train
ride aboard the Wisconsin Great Northern
Railroad Excursion Train (715/635-3200,
www.spoonertainride.com).
From Spooner, the trail cuts back to
the northeast around the northern edge of
Spooner Lake. An easy ride brings you to
Trego and the Namekagon River, which is
part of the St. Croix National Scenic
Riverway. Be sure to stop on the bridge
north of town to take in the vista of the
rolling, winding waterway.
Heading north, the trail winds past
Lampson skirting the eastern shore of