Wisconsin is more than just cows and beer, although both play an important role in the economy of the state. Though the southern half of the state runs to agriculture and manufacturing, the northern half is still heavily forested, recovering from the great clearcut of a century and more ago, and is dotted with lakes, streams, forests and hills, where lumber and mining have played an important part in the region's development. Glaciation is responsible for the topography in the northern half of the state, leaving behind hills and lakes -- hundreds of them in the northern part of the state. Tantalizing traces of the virgin forest remain in spots. Wildlife is abundent in the forest areas -- deer leading the list, of course, but plenty else. Bear are not unknown, and there's a small population of wolves. On the way though the state, the trail passes through two state parks, one national forest, and much state and county forest land.
The North Country Trail takes the short route across the state, only going through four small towns -- but passing through a lot of forest along the way. Despite it having the smallest amount of trail of the seven NCNST states, the quality of the trail developed, and being developed, is high. Though the concept of the North Country National Scenic Trail first arose in Wisconsin -- the trail, in fact, borrowed its name from the trail in the Chequamegon National Forest -- trail development has been slow there until recently for a number of reasons. Those appear to be in the past; Wisconsin in recent years has been a hotbed of North Country Trail development, and the state appears to be in a neck-and-neck race with Pennsylvania to be the first to have certified trail from border to border.
In general, small towns with maildrop and resupply potential are adequately placed, and but in most areas only a limited supply of hiker-specific items is available.
Douglas and Bayfield Counties, WI
82.7 mi total 4.2 certified 0.0 connecting 19.0 marked 63.7 bare
One of the reasons that trail development has picked up quickly in Wisconsin is the "Northwest Wisconsin Plan", currently still in development by the NPS. For some years, the plan in western Wisconsin was to follow the St. Croix National Scenic River southwestward into Minnesota, then come back north on the Minnesota-Wisconsin Border Trail. However, similar to the problems in eastern Minnesota, this route had its problems -- a very limited base of public land along the St. Croix, then much swampland along the route in Minnesota. While the latter was a good snowmobile route in winter, much of it was impassable in summer. "Why struggle south in Wisconsin when we'd have to struggle right back north in Minnesota?" was a NPS comment in the early '90s. In 1995, the NPS began to take a serious look at the problem, and threw out the old route entirely, replacing it with a new, shorter one that follows the St. Croix for a short distance, then takes off on a more direct, more workable route to Minnesota's Jay Cooke State Park. Even though the plan isn't finished, it stirred a lot of thinking in the Wisconsin trail community, a new NCTA chapter -- the Brule-St. Croix -- was formed and work has already begun on the trail, though at this point directed more at the eastern end of the section between the state line and the Chequamegon National Forest. There are private land problems toward the western end of the section, but the central section, east of Pattison State Park, is mostly county forest lands where much potential for new trail in the near future exists.
The dotted line snown on the accompanying maps represents the route of the trail projected by the NPS as of mid-1997, and not necessarily completed trail. However, the route will probably not change much as the plan is finished and trail is developed. The suggested route given here stays as close as possible to the projected plan, and hikers should contact the NCTA for the latest updates on new trail in this area. This section is mainly a roadwalk at present, with a few short patches of off-road trail. Opportunities for resupply are limited, with only one small town of limited potential located along this section. The maps given in this section should be adequate for the hiker. Some local information can be had from the Superior and Douglas County Tourist Information Center, 305 Harbor View Parkway, Superior WI 54880 (800)942-5313.
0.0 [0.0] MINNESOTA STATE LINE
The route picks up at the Minnesota state line south of Jay Cooke State Park, where CR18 turns into CR W. Just inside the state -- 0.1 mile -- Perham Rd (CR C) forks off to the south.
0.1 [0.1] TURN SOUTH ON PERHAM RD (CR C)
The suggested route on Perham Road (CR C) heads south for about 1.2 miles, then makes a bend to the southeast for another 1.0 mile, where a railroad track begins to parallel. The road then turns east; after 1.1 mile, CR W is crossed at the named crossroad of Dewey (no services). The suggested route continues east along CR C, which bends to the northeast shortly after leaving Dewey, and after 3.1 miles reaches the named crossroad of Borea, where Irondale Rd. intersects from the north and Dedham Rd. from the south.
6.5 [6.4] TURN SOUTH ON DEDHAM RD.
The route has been basically level up to this point, but Dedham Road winds around and goes up and down as it crosses several minor streams, and one larger one, the Nemadji River. A smaller stream, Balsam Creek, is crossed to the south, and a railroad line converted to a snowmobile trail is also crossed. It's 4.5 miles on the gravel Dedham Rd. before reaching paved CR B.
11.0 [4.5] TURN EAST ON CR B
Paved CR B is followed east for 3.7 miles, until reaching SR35 at Pattison State Park. Just before reaching SR35, but within the park, a side trail leads a short distance north to Big Manitou Falls. A parking area is located nearby, but a state park permit is needed to enter the park.
PATTISON STATE PARK is home to Big Manitou Falls, the highest waterfall in Wisconsin, at 165 feet. The park also has Little Manitou Falls, lower at only 31 feet, but still a very beautiful waterfall. The 1370-acre park has an excellent tent/RV campground with 59 sites, and 3 backpack campsites; also, a nice beach on Interfalls Lake, flush toilets and showers, and several miles of trails. Campground reservations are usually necessary, especially on weekends. For more information, contact Pattison State Park, 6294 S. State Road 35, Superior, WI 54880 (715) 339-8073.
14.7 [3.7] JOIN PARK TRAILS
Follow SR35 northward about 0.1 mile, across the Black River. On the north side of the bridge, a pathway leads into the park. past the nature center and park office. From the nature center, the trail runs south past the bathhouse, and is now named the Beaver Side Nature Trail. The trail leads south along the shore of the lake; about half a mile south of the bathhouse, the Logging Camp Trail splits off to the southeast. (Only the segment between the Nature Center and this point are expected to become certified; the proposed route uses the Logging Camp Trail to get to an as yet unbuilt exit point.) The suggested route continues on the Beaver Side Trail south to a bridge across the Black River, about another 0.5 miles south of the trail junction. The suggested route follows the Little Falls Trail south from the bridge to the Little Falls parking area, about 1.0 mile, then heads out the access road to the northwest, returning to SR35.
17.4 [2.7] TURN SOUTH ON SR35
SR35 is followed southward for 3.9 miles, until reaching Milchesky Road, a broad gravel road leading eastward.
21.3 [3.9] TURN EAST ON MILCHESKY RD.
After about 1.5 miles, Mil-chesky Rd. crosses the Black River. From this point to near Solon Springs, the projected route is virtually all on county forest land, and the suggested route crosses a great deal of it, although there are patches of private land. The road continues on for about another 3.3 miles, until reaching paved CR A near Amnicon Lake.
26.1 [4.8] TURN SOUTH ON CR A
CR A heads south, winding around a little at first. After 3.6 miles, Pioneer Trail comes in from the west; 1.0 mile further, Hunter's Trail (a single-lane woods road) comes in from the east.
30.7 [4.6] TURN EAST ON HUNTER'S TRAIL.
The suggested route follows the narrow gravel Hunter's Trail east through the forest for 4.8 miles; the projected trail route for the NCNST is generally to the south. The first half of the route is straight and fairly level; the second half winds around a little before emerging on Lucas Road, a somewhat wider woods road. About a mile before reaching Lucas Rd. the suggested route briefly re-enters the Mississippi River drainage; it will be there until reaching the other side of Solon Springs.
35.5 [4.8] TURN SOUTH ON LUCAS RD.
After 1.9 miles, paved CR A rejoins from the west. Continuing south for another mile, CR A bends to the east. After about 1.2 mile, cross the Moose River. Half a mile further east, CR A jogs to the south for half a mile, but turns back to the east, reaching Roos Rd. after another mile. Solon Springs is 4.5 miles east on CR A, but the suggested route given here takes the long way around to stay close to the projected route.
38.7 [3.2] TURN SOUTH ON ROOS RD.
Roos Rd. heads straight south for 4.0 miles, until reaching paved CR M.
42.7 [4.0] TURN EAST ON CR M
The suggested route follows CR M east for 3.0 miles, until reaching Stucky Rd.
45.7 [3.0] TURN NORTH ON STUCKY RD.
Stucky Rd starts out north through an open prairie, soon bends to the northeast, then turns back to the north, reaching a complicated intersection of Cemetery, Meade Church, Center-Bird and Cutaway Roads after 1.4 miles.
47.1 [1.4] TURN NORTH ON CEMETERY RD.
Though the intersection seems complicated, the suggested route follows the obvious main road north along Cemetery Rd. The route follows Cemetery Rd for 3.1 miles, winding around a little, to where Fire Lane Rd. comes in from the west and Baldwin Ave. comes in from the east.
50.2 [3.1] TURN EAST ON BALDWIN AVE.
The suggested route follows Baldwin Ave. east for a mile, into the village of Solon Springs. Just before reaching US53, the route jogs to the south for a short distance, then turns back to the east, to cross divided 4-lane US53, and a railroad track. Be careful of traffic.
SOLON SPRINGS, WI 54873 (Pop. 590), nestled on the shores of the Upper St. Croix Flowage is the first chance at resupply for the NCNST hiker since the Duluth area. However, supplies are limited to a small grocery store, convenience store, and general store. A private campground is located half a mile to the south of Baldwin Rd.
51.1 [1.0] TURN NORTH ON US53 EAST FRONTAGE RD
The suggested route follows the US53 east frontage road to the north. After about 0.3 miles, reach Lucius Woods County Park, a rare remaining stand of virgin timber that missed getting cut a century ago; the park was donated by the Lucius family. Continuing north, after another 0.3 miles, CR A rejoins from the west.
51.7 [0.6] CONTINUE NORTH ON CR A
The route continues north on CR A; after 0.5 mile, it bends to the east, then to the north through the outskirts of the village, then continues northeast through a cottage area. After about 1.9 miles on CR A, Nyqulat Rd. (CR AA) joins from the west; 0.2 mile farther, Sjoberg Rd. joins from the north. The route continues northeast for another 1.3 miles, where CR A makes a sharp turn to the south, and the road straight ahead continues as CR P. About 0.2 miles south on CR A from the CR P intersection, reach the NCNST trailhead.
54.9 [3.2] TURN EAST ON BRULE-ST. CROIX PORTAGE TRAIL
The next few miles of trail, though among the newer of NCNST trail segments, is actually one of the oldest segments in used, for it lies on the historic Brule-St. Croix portage, where voyageurs, early explorers and settlers crossed from the Lake Superior watershed to the Mississippi River's. When the long-disused route through the Brule River State Forest was reopened for the NCNST, several stone markers, placed by a local civic group, honoring some of those who had used the portage in centuries past were found along the route. The first known passage of this trail was by Duluth, in 1680; other markers honor Lefueur, 1693; Carver, 1768; Curot, 1803; Cadotte, 1819, and Schoolcraft, 1820. An initial 4.2 miles of this historic portage trail were certified in 1997; work continued to push the trail eastward by the Brule-St. Croix chapter of the NCTA. The trail follows the south side of the Brule River eastward; the stream is small and marshy, and the route is well back from the river. Near Jereth Creek, 4.0 miles east from the trailhead, a side trail leads to a parking area used during the construction. The trail continues east for another 2.9 miles, until reaching CR S, where it ends as of this writing; trail construction by the Brule-St. Croix Chapter is planned to continue to the eastward.
61.8 [6.9] TURN SOUTHEAST ON CR S.
CRS is followed southeastward for 0.1 miles, until a county snowmobile trail crosses.
61.9 [0.1] TURN NORTHEAST ON SNOWMOBILE TRAIL
At one time, this snowmobile trail was planned to be the North Country Trail, and it is labeled as such on topographic maps. However, in order to have certified trail, a new trail must be cut, and it will remain within a mile of the snowmobile trail. Though the new trail will be a little shorter, it will be somewhat more rugged. Until the new trail is cut, however, the snowmobile trail can be used, although the description will be limited. From CR S, the snowmobile trail winds generally eastward, dipping to the southeast to cross Motts Ravine Rd. after about 3.5 miles. The snowmobile trail continues east for about 0.5 mile, then turns north; after about 0.7 mile, cross Motte Rd. The trail continues north for about 0.5 mile, then bends to the northeast, crossing SR27 after about another 1.5 miles.
68.6 [6.7] CROSS SR 27
The snowmobile trail starts out east from SR27, but bends to the north, and zigzags back and forth toward the northeast for 2.7 miles before emerging on Voelker Rd. The projected route for the NCNST lies to the west, along a bluff overlooking the Brule River valley.
71.3 [2.7] TURN NORTH ON VOELKER RD.
Gravel Voelker Rd. is followed north. After about 0.8 miles, Rush Lake Rd. crosses. The suggested route continues north for another 2.5 miles, until reaching Troy Pit Rd. which crosses.
74.6 [3.3] TURN SOUTHEAST ON TROY PIT RD.
The suggested route follows gravel Troy Pit Road to the southeast. After 1.2 miles, enter Bayfield County. Troy Pit Rd. turns east at this point, and continues with the same name for another mile, until reaching Banana Belt Rd.
76.8 [2.2] TURN SOUTH ON BANANA BELT RD.
Wouldn't you love to know the background of that name? Gravel Banana Belt Rd. is followed south for 1.0 miles, until it turns to the east.
77.8 [1.0] TURN EAST ON BANANA BELT/PERO RD.
The road changes names about 0.1 mile to the east; it's still Banana Belt Rd. until reach Huffgard Rd. at that point. From there on east, it's Pero Rd. It winds around a bit in the first 1.5 miles still in gravel, but straightens out and continues east for 3.1 miles, until reaching Gravel Pit Rd.
82.2 [4.7] TURN SOUTH ON GRAVEL PIT RD.
Gravel Pit Road (gravel, naturally) is followed south for 0.5 miles until reaching paved Bayfield CR A.
82.7 [0.5] REACH BAYFIELD CR A
The trailhead for the North Country Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest is directly to the east of the intersection. There is a small parking area. The description for this segment ends at this point.