Taylor: Forests, Trails, and Regional History

Taylor County combines expansive forests, distinctive natural areas, extensive trails, and regional history. The Taylor County Forest covers 17,500 acres in the northeastern part of the county. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest offers even larger natural areas, extending across one-third of Taylor County and into the surrounding counties. Those looking for a vacation rental or vacation home in Taylor can therefore easily plan their trip around whether they want to focus on extensive hikes, water activities, winter sports, or cultural insights.

Forests, Wetlands, and Distinctive Landscapes

The Pershing Wildlife Area in northwestern Taylor County contains more than 1,000 acres of wetlands across approximately 8,800 acres. Mondeaux Hardwoods is a 2,826-acre State Natural Area with northern mesic, wet-mesic, and wet forest communities, alder thickets, a northern sedge meadow, temporary ponds, springs, and spring-fed streams. Other protected areas also showcase very different landscapes: Diamond Lake includes open bog, swamp, and lowland conifer swamp forest. Lost Lake Esker is centered around a prominent esker that rises more than 80 feet above the surrounding ground-moraine plain.

Nature enthusiasts should also visit the undisturbed conifer swamp at Twin Lakes Bog and the wooded section of Brush Creek with its rocky, cascading stretches. An old-growth floodplain forest lies at the confluence of the Mondeaux River and Silver Creek. The Gerstberger Pines Nature Trail passes one of Wisconsin’s last remaining old-growth forest sections, where some trees are up to 200 years old.

Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Winter Days

The Ice Age Trail offers more than 60 miles of hiking trails through Taylor County along its high-point sections. For different trail lengths, there is also the 1.2-mile Aldo Leopold Trail, the 10-mile non-motorized Timm’s Hill Trail, and the Forest Springs Trail with more than 12 miles of gravel routes for mountain biking. Engraved signs along the Aldo Leopold Trail provide information about Aldo Leopold’s life, ideas, and legacy.

The Pine Line Trail is a 26.2-mile former railroad corridor between Taylor County and Price County. It is open to cyclists and hikers from April through November. Access points in Taylor County include the Allman Street parking area in Medford as well as municipal roads in Ogema, Westboro, Chelsea, and Whittlesey. These specific starting points can help when choosing accommodations if a travel group wants to focus on cycling or hiking without ruling out other excursions.

Water Activities and Snowy Landscapes

Of Taylor County’s numerous lakes and impoundments, 21 have publicly accessible boat launches. Chequamegon Waters, also known as Miller Dam Lake, is a 2,714-acre impoundment in western Taylor County. On the Upper Big Rib River near Rib Lake, there are Class I, II, and III sections as well as opportunities for trout fishing. In total, approximately 60 miles of waterways in Taylor County are suitable for fly-fishing.

The range of activities remains varied in winter as well. The Perkinstown Winter Sports Area offers tubing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. In the Rib Lake area, there are 18 miles of free, regularly groomed ski and snowshoe trails for diagonal skiing, skating, and snowshoeing. Those looking for a vacation rental in Taylor can therefore choose between a travel period focused more strongly on nature and water and a stay featuring winter activities.

Regional History at the Taylor County Historical Museum

The Taylor County Historical Museum features exhibits on dairy farming, agriculture, household life, the military, and regional wildlife. The museum also includes a print shop with numerous printing presses, a one-room rural schoolhouse fully equipped with school materials from around the turn of the century, and a log cabin containing artifacts that may date from the settlement period of Taylor County. This makes it possible to combine an active day outdoors with insight into the region’s development.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

When searching for a vacation rental or vacation home in Taylor, the most important factor is therefore your personal focus: trails and forest areas favor a nature-oriented itinerary, water access points make excursions to lakes and impoundments possible, while the museum and Aldo Leopold Trail offer additional cultural connections. If members of your travel group have different interests, you can combine the landscapes, routes, and exhibits mentioned above into varied vacation days.

For additional orientation: Dodge County, Sawyer County, Vernon County, Door County, Pierce, Barron County and Kewaunee County.

For the broader travel overview: Wisconsin.