St Germain

St Germain offers a variety of ways to spend your vacation outdoors and enjoy different activities: cycling, mountain biking, hiking, and snowshoeing, as well as the attractions at Elmer’s Fun Park. When choosing a destination, you can consider which of these options matters most to your family. The trails vary in length and type, and snowmobile enthusiasts also have an annual event to look forward to.

Cycling in and from St Germain

The surrounding communities maintain a paved bike trail from Mercer to St. Germain. Along the way, it passes the Big, Upper Gresham, Jag Group, North Trout, South Trout, Firefly, Crystal, Musky, and Plum Lake campgrounds. If you’re planning a cycling vacation, this gives you a specific route between two towns that passes several campgrounds. Another point of reference is the Heart of Vilas Paved Bike Trail System, which begins in downtown St. Germain. The Bike & Hike Park behind the St. Germain Area Chamber of Commerce office is another starting point for bike rides in the town center. These two locations may be useful for planning if you’d like to make cycling a focus of your stay.

Mountain biking, hiking, and snowshoeing

The Fern Ridge Trails include four miles of singletrack mountain bike trails. There is also a separate 1.4-mile trail for hiking and snowshoeing. The options therefore differ both in activity and trail length. If you’d like to include mountain biking and hiking in your travel plans, you can consider these trails separately and choose based on your interests.

Another hike covers 2.2 miles around Shannon Lake and through the Northern-Highland American Legion State Forest. Additional loops can make the hike longer. This lets you distinguish the route’s stated base length from longer options: if you’d like to cover more ground, you can take the additional loops. The route links the lake with a section through the state forest, offering a separate option alongside the Fern Ridge Trails.

Recreational activities for different interests

Elmer’s Fun Park has two go-kart tracks, an 18-hole miniature golf course, and scenic horseback rides along the river. It also features a children’s play area with a bounce house and small electric jeeps. This gives families considering activities beyond bike paths and hiking trails several different options to choose from. You can weigh whether time together on a go-kart track or miniature golf course, a horseback ride, or the children’s play area best matches your vacation interests.

Snowmobile activities in St Germain and the region

The Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain hosts the annual “Ride with the Champs” snowmobile ride. It’s a recurring event for travelers interested in snowmobiles. The offerings farther afield in the region are separate: Bo-Boen maintains more than 100 miles of snowmobile trails in Vilas and Oneida Counties. When planning, you can therefore distinguish between an annual event in St. Germain and a larger regional trail network. These details offer two distinct options for a snowmobile trip; they don’t have to be part of the same route.

Find more places in Phelps, Boulder Junction, and Eagle River.

For the broader travel overview: Vilas County.