Rusk County: Nature, Trails and Winter Experiences

Rusk County combines expansive natural areas with diverse outdoor experiences and regional history. Among forests, rivers, lakes and distinctive rock formations, you will find many ways to shape your trip: with hikes, paddling tours, bike rides, winter sports or cultural discoveries. When choosing your vacation rental, you can therefore first consider which focus should define your days.

Forests, Rivers and Distinctive Landscapes

The Silvernail Wildlife Area is located in the northern central part of Rusk County. The relatively undisturbed, 1,044-acre area serves forest wildlife and recreation. The Ice Age Trail offers a different landscape experience: it runs for approximately 12 miles through Rusk County and passes secluded lakes and distinctive rock formations. These include rock fields with expansive areas of rugged rocks. The trailhead in the Rusk County Forest is located near the Murphy Flowage Recreational Area in the northwestern part of the county.

The rivers also open up a range of trip ideas. The Flambeau River has stretches of whitewater; Jump and Thornapple offer quieter, scenic paddling tours. The Chippewa River combines rapids with calm water. Along the route from Bruce to the Flambeau River, you can observe common loons, wood ducks, mergansers and herons. The easy paddling route from the launch near the bridge in Bruce to the takeout point above the confluence with the Flambeau River takes nine hours. Those looking for another long river trip can consider the seven-hour route from Big Falls Dam to Ladysmith; it ends in Memorial Park in Ladysmith.

Trails for Biking, Skiing and Hiking

The Blue Hills Trail System includes more than 35 kilometers of versatile loop trails. The Sisters' Farm Trail System offers trail loops with a total length of 10 miles, as well as singletrack and multi-use cycling routes. It is located at a bend in the Flambeau River southwest of Ladysmith. In winter, its trails are groomed for cross-country skiing. The Reclaimed Flambeau Mine Nature Trails offer views of the Flambeau River, meadows, wetlands and forests. They can be used by bicycle and horseback and are also suitable for cross-country skiing in winter. Copper Park adds approximately 10 miles of non-motorized multi-use trails along the Flambeau.

Winter Days and Further Excursions

Christie Mountain has 22 illuminated downhill runs, including four runs with a black difficulty rating. The vertical drop is 350 feet, and the longest run is 4,000 feet long. There is also a snowboard terrain park and snow tubing. The Crag at Christie Mountain is a natural 30-foot-high rock face with four climbing routes of varying difficulty. Snowmobile travelers have access to 330 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and four heated shelters along the routes in Rusk County.

Culture, Markets and Regional Discoveries

The Rusk County Historical Society Museum features exhibits on Ojibwe culture and the first residents of Rusk County. At the Rusk County Visitor Center and Rail Museum, railroad cars can be viewed from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Ed's Machine Shed displays more than 40 restored historic plows and tractors; some pieces are more than 100 years old.

The year-round Rusk County Farmers Market offers produce, meat, cheese, eggs, preserves, jams and jellies, honey, maple syrup and baked goods. Local arts and crafts are also sold. Changing educational themes and an activity area for children round out the market offerings. When searching for a vacation rental, you can incorporate these varied interests into your trip planning and choose accommodation according to your preferred balance of nature, activity and culture.

To compare other destinations in the same broader area, you can also view Bayfield County, Crawford County, Oneida County, Dane, Price County, Taylor and Iowa County.

For the broader travel overview: Wisconsin.