Experience the Ultimate Autumn Trail Rides
ATV & UTV TRAILS
Thrill-seekers can find year-round outdoor adventure around the state, with hundreds of miles for exploration aboard fourwheelers and side-by-sides throughout Wisconsin's diverse terrain. Gather the gang, and kick up some leaves this fall, when the natural canopy is ablaze in yellows and reds and the technicolor blanket covering the ground is as exhilarating as the chill in the air.
St. Germain ATV Club Trails
Traverse the remote ribbons of high-flying roads and trails that connect the communities of St. Germain, Eagle River, Conover, Phelps, Land O'Lakes, Arbor Vitae and Minocqua. Crank the ignition May through October, when all-terrain vehicles take riders deep into Wisconsin's scenic Northwoods. Need to equip your crew? Eagle River and Land O'Lakes hold the bulk of the area's outfitters, with knowledgeable staff who know the lay of the land and all the equipment needed for the ultimate bonerattling excursion. In a short few months, consider a winter return, when snow smooths out the trails and visitors glide along the St. Germain trails on snowmobiles.
Cable & Hayward ATV & UTV Trails
Saddle up with your serious off-roading friends to explore this back-road paradise. With 600 miles of multiuse trails, including 140 miles in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the Cable and Hayward area in Northwest Wisconsin is one of the top ATV destinations in the Midwest. Visitors to Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties enjoy this outdoor playground year-round. The Seeley Hills Loop provides moderate thrills with extraordinary scenery. If it is a challenge you seek, head for the more difficult Dead Horse Trail, where steep elevation changes and tight switchbacks will test your mettle. Either way, you'll see a scenic backcountry view of Wisconsin's natural beauty. The trails are equally as beautiful in winter, when snowmobiles take over the trails.
FUN FACT: Surrounded by the pristine Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the city of Cable is known as Trail Town USA.
Tri-County Trail System
Multiuse trails in Lafayette, Iowa and Green counties lead to the ultimate fall-color rides through the surprising landscapes of the Driftless Region of southern Wisconsin. The Cheese Country Trail (47 miles, from Monroe to Mineral Point) and Pecatonica State Trail (10 miles, from Calamine to Belmont) see most of the action. You are likely to enjoy blissful solitude on these trails as you pass through wooded areas, prairies and small towns. The trails are converted from former railroad routes with many trestles and bridges still in place. In winter, return for snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
Mountain Biking
Prefer your outdoor adventures to be silent - except, perhaps, for the huffs and grunts needed to crest the next hill? The steep ravines and narrow valleys of Wisconsin's landscape create the ultimate outdoor playground for off-road cycling. Speed through forested landscapes and navigate steep hills, deep river valleys and ridge trails. Local clubs maintain plank bridges and boardwalks to get riders through the tough spots and even prepare some of the trails in winter for fat-tire bikes to shred through the snow.
Levis Mound
Built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, the trails at Levis Mound are rated "Epic" by the International Mountain Bicycling Association. Pedal with your pals along this 25-mile network of singletrack that forms multiple loops, with areas of advanced terrain to navigate. Advanced riders cheer each other on while balancing on narrow plank bridges between rock outcroppings on the Switchback Trail or hugging the sides of cliffs on the Sidewinder Trail.
Sandstone bluffs pepper the terrain, jutting up to 300 feet into the air and creating the signature mounds. At the base of the mounds, riders can pick up some speed on curvy forest trails, hopping tree roots and flowing across boardwalks. Gear down to grind up the mounds on long, difficult climbs rewarded with big views. Get a good grip on your bike to navigate eight switchbacks and narrow passages on the way back down. Still have some power in your legs? Connector trails lead to nearby Trow Mounds for another romp through the rocks.
DON’T MISS IT: No ride through Levis Mound is complete without stopping for a photo op at Plumber’s Crack, a massive sandstone formation with a wooden bridge that cuts through two mounds.
Black River State Forest
No, this is not an optical illusion. You have not been transported to the rugged canyons of the West or to the craggy surface of the moon. On the fringe of Wisconsin's Driftless Region, Black River State Forest was left mostly untouched by the glacial erosion that smoothed out most of present-day Wisconsin. Odd geologic features pop up throughout the forest and two forks of the Black River come into play, carving out canyons that are perfect for outdoor adventurers.
Sleep beneath the stars at Pigeon Creek Campground, which provides easy access to 29 miles of mountain biking trails, with an additional jumping-on point at Castle Mound. Great for riding groups, the Smrekar Trails are wider than the trails at Levis Mound, with smooth climbs and descents that follow former forest service roads. The Wildcat and Red Oak Loop trails promise a pleasant ride through the woods, with more opportunities to enjoy the scenery than toggle through gears. In the winter, the trails transition to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling for year-round outdoor adventure in Wisconsin.
