Linking state
Exploring Wisconsin is a wonderful way to recreate. One unique way to explore is to get off the roadways and onto a trail system, whether hiking, biking, by ATV or by snowmobile.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has worked seven years developing a trail plan completely linking the state. The plan uses some existing corridors, and makes suggestions for adding new, often in the paths of railroad corridors.
There are some exciting plans for trails in northern Wisconsin.
According to the DNR, in the northwest 18 counties there are plans for hundreds of miles of trails.
Some of the major links include:
* Bayfield to Hudson -- the abandoned rail grade from Hudson to Spooner could link the Wild Rivers and Cattail trails and connect to trails in Minnesota near the state line. The proposed trail continues on old, abandoned rail grade from Hayward to Bayfield. The Hayward to Bayfield portion of the corridor would connect to the Tri-County Recreational Corridor and link to Hayward-area trails already in place.
* Ashland to Rhinelander -- beginning in Ashland and extending southeast to Gurney this potential corridor includes a section of abandoned rail line mostly owned by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. From Gurney to Hurley, Iron County's 22-mile Iron Horse Trail is part of this segment. The section from Hurley to Manitowish, a rail line abandoned in the early 1980s, is a state-funded snowmobile and ATV trail.
From Manitowish, a potential trail corridor extends southeast through Vilas County to the City of Rhinelander.
* Mellen to Hurley -- the rail line from Mellen to Hurley could connect the two communities, Copper Falls State Park, and the Iron Horse Trail in Hurley. It would also connect up to the proposed Washburn to Spencer and Washburn to Fond du Lac grades
* Washburn to Abbotsford -- this is a major, 135-mile-long, north-south corridor that uses rail line from Washburn to Ashland to Prentice, the 26-mile-long Pine Line Trail from Prentice to Medford, and rail line from Medford to Abbotsford where it links with Segment 50 in the West Central Region.
This segment also links to the Tri-County Trail in Ashland, the Mellen to Hurley grade, the North Country Trail, Copper Falls State Park near Mellen, the Tuscobia State Trail in Park Falls and the Dresser to Cavour line. This corridor, if acquired, would be a major link in the Northern Region to many of the other proposed trail routes. Right now most of corridor is an active rail line.
This proposed corridor runs from the Bayfield Peninsula of Lake Superior through heavily forested lands in Ashland and Price Counties, and the Chequamegon National Forest.
In the proposal, some trails will be exclusively for biking and hiking, others will allow motorized use.
Creating the trail network will likely take several lifetimes -- some of the proposed trailways are still active railways and acquiring right of ways is often a slow process.
But its a worthy plan that gives us all one more great way to enjoy our state.
The plan can be viewed online at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parkd/reports/trails/index.html Copies are available by calling 608-266-2181.
If you want to comment, write to DNR Bureau of Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707-7921 or e-mail grubeb@dnr.state.wi.us or phone at 608-267-7459