Get ready for some of the best off-road riding the Northwoods has to offer. Part of the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association's (CAMBA) 300-plus mile system of trails, the Rock Lake Trails have been a favorite for a decade. The forest is so dense that you often ride in a tunnel of trees. The mix of pines, spruce, birch, oak and maple fill the air with a fragrance as pure as creation. When you burst into the open at Rock Lake, the panorama will surely bring a "Wow" to your lips. In autumn, the changing colors against the blue sky and lake are truly spectacular.

Single-track riding on the Rock Lake system varies from moderate to extreme. The trail design switches back on slopes at relatively low grades making riding easier and keeping water from building erosion-producing speed. That doesn't mean there isn't plenty of challenge here. Rock Lake riding is full of twists and turns, rocks, roots and frequent grade changes.

On the furthest loop around Hildebrand Lake, the CAMBA trail design-demons chose to pitch some warp-10 difficulty at riders tough enough to get that far. As if there weren't enough rocks in the original trail, designers strategically placed more stone to increase the difficulty. In places you'll find multi-step drops, narrow passages, thread-thin side hill sections, and the crowning glory, a single-plank bridge at the lake's outlet.