Ready to find the best Northern Wisconsin hiking? After a lot of research and recommendations from friends and followers who vacation in the area, I’m so excited to share this list with you!
We visited Vilas County, Wisconsin in the second weekend of October and the colors were at their prime. Vilas County has the most organized trail system, so keep reading to see why you need to get there stat!
Note, this trip was sponsored by Visit Vilas County, but the itinerary and all thoughts are my own!
First things first: Download the Map It Vilas Co. App
The map it Vilas Co. App is a dream come true for people who aren’t familiar with the area, like us, or even people who want to discover new places to explore. It has an awesome filtering feature where you can choose your area, activity, distance, and more and it will populate all the hikes for you that fit that criteria. And the best part is that it tracks you while you’re on your hike so you always know where you are. It even works in low service areas – don’t go on your adventure without it!
The best Northern Wisconsin hiking: Star Lake Nature Trail
Best for: Hiking along the water
Length: 2.5 miles
I’m starting things off with our favorite hike. Located in central Vilas County, the Star Lake hike follows the peninsula that juts out into, you guessed it, Star Lake. This is an easy hike with gorgeous views from pine forests to rocky shoreline. Make sure to stop by the Black Lagoon for some cool photo ops, and also take a break long the shore to take in the view!
The best Northern Wisconsin hiking: WinMan Trails
Best for: Choosing your own adventure
Length: 4 – 10 miles
Located near Manitowish Waters, every local we talked to recommended us to hike WinMan trails for the variety that it offers. With so many trails to choose from, it makes it really fun to explore. There’s trails for hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ATVs, and snowmobiles. And it has an awesome warming hut with amazingly clean restrooms, which you know are hard to find if you’re an avid hiker!
The best Northern Wisconsin hiking: Raven Trail
Best for: A little challenge
Length: 1.5 – 5 miles
You’ll find Raven Trail just east of Minocqua. It has a paved bike path and trails for hiking and cross country skiing. This is by no means a tough hike, but it is the hilliest hike we experienced in Vilas County. There’s a variety of trails to choose from here too, and it was so peaceful with the early snowfall we experienced!
The best Northern Wisconsin hiking: Escanaba – Pallette Lake Trails
Best for: An easy walk through the woods (or camping!)
Length: 2 – 8.5 miles
You find the Escanaba – Pallette Lake Trails near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin. The trails here can be long, but we chose to do the little loop between Escanaba Lake and Pallette Lake. It was only a few miles and provided an easy walk through the woods. There’s lots of great one-night, paddle-in, camp sites along this trail, and some great water views. Make sure to stop by the Escanaba Lake boat landing to get some awesome photos!
That’s a wrap for the best hikes in Vilas County, Wisconsin. If the scenery and photos haven’t convinced you to visit, ask any questions you have below! Thanks for reading!
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