Marathon: Gorges, Forests and Trails

Marathon brings together striking natural landscapes, trails, river scenery and cultural events. You can also appreciate the scale of the region by looking at a long-distance trail in Marathon County: 18 miles of the 83-mile Mountain Bay State Trail run through the county. The entire trail extends through Marathon, Shawano and Brown counties.

Gorges and distinctive forest areas

The Dells of the Eau Claire protected area preserves a rocky gorge and waterfalls. It has been designated a State Natural Area since 1973. More than five miles of hiking trails run along the Dells of the Eau Claire and connect to the Ice Age Trail. If you are interested in nature and extensive trail networks, you will find two specific points of interest here: the protected gorge landscape and the hiking trails’ connection to a regional trail.

Other forest areas have their own distinctive features. Plover River Woods includes northern wet-mesic and northern mesic forest with exceptionally diverse ground flora. Big Eau Pleine County Park contains 1,450 acres of mixed forest made up of second-growth deciduous trees. Big Eau Pleine Woods, an old-growth-like northern mesic forest, is also located within the park.

Trails, river and activity

Marathon County has more than 700 miles of scenic trails in Central Wisconsin and more than 28 snowmobile clubs. The published trail mileage may change as routes are updated. The Nine Mile County Forest Recreation Area has 20 miles of bike trails on ski trails; check seasonal dates and trail use before your trip.

Wausau also offers trails of different lengths. The River Edge Parkway follows the Wisconsin River for about 1.25 miles and is used year-round by walkers and cyclists. Access details and trail conditions may change, so it is worth checking before your visit. The Barker-Stewart Island Interpretative Trail is an interpretive walk about half a mile long.

The Wausau Whitewater Park includes more than twelve natural and man-made features along an approximately one-third-mile stretch of the Wisconsin River. If you are interested in river landscapes, you can consider this clearly defined stretch as a different focus for your stay alongside the region’s longer trails and forest areas.

Cultural events and accommodation planning

Birds in Art is an annual juried exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. The Hmong Wausau Festival is also an annual regional event and includes a cultural program in late July. Exhibition dates, as well as the festival dates and venue, vary from year to year; check the specific dates for your trip. Guided and self-guided tours of historic streets are also offered in downtown historic Wausau. Check their availability and schedule before your visit as well.

When looking for a vacation rental, it helps to first consider what you want to prioritize during your planned days away: would you like nature areas and hiking trails to shape your stay, or are you mainly planning walking tours and cultural events? Then compare the location of a specific accommodation with your own plans. Marathon County also has camping options in county parks and basic camping options in county forests; these are seasonal.

Explore more destinations

Explore more destinations: Rothschild, Wausau, Weston, Schofield, Abbotsford, Mosinee, Fond Du Lac County, Burnett.

For the main travel overview: Wisconsin.