Wisconsin Snowshoe & Cross Country Ski Trails

Snow-covered trails and parks welcome you to explore Wisconsin on foot in the wintertime. To make your journey run smoothly, go snowshoeing and explore our scenic landscape at a leisurely pace and comfortably, given that snowshoes are wide and won't let your feet sink in the snow.

A family winter vacation isn't complete without exploring our snow-covered landscape. So, strap on your snowshoes and join us for a short or long hike through snowy forests and to majestic sights like frozen waterfalls.

A Short, Sweet Start

If you’d like to explore the shorter trails, Wisconsin has plenty of them.

Near Madison, Lake Kegonsa State Park has over a mile of groomed snowshoe trails that run along the lake, through woods and past wetlands. In Door County, not far from Green Bay, is Whitefish Dunes State Park with a 2.5-mile Black Trail taking snowshoers on a journey through a forest and past snow-covered rocks.

A winter trip through Western Wisconsin means a stop at Willow River State Park, found along the St. Croix River, across from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The park features two miles of trails for snowshoeing, dog sledding and hiking. If it gets a little too chilly outside, the park’s Nature Center classroom serves as a warming house on weekends.

Hit the Trails

For longer trails with just as many scenic views, visit Big Foot Beach State Park on Lake Geneva, which features five miles of trails and allows snowshoeing anywhere in the park.

Another top destination for snowshoeing is the Great River State Trail in Onalaska. At 24 miles long, the ungroomed trail winds through two national wildlife refuges in the upper Mississippi River valley and is open to snowshoers, snowmobilers and cross-country skiers.

To see frozen waterfalls up-close, go snowshoeing in Wyalusing State Park. All trails, except for the ski ones, are open to snowshoers. One leads to frozen falls at Pictured Rock Cave and another trail, Sand Cave, to both Big and Little Sand caves.

Along the way, snap photos to share with family and friends back home. A day of snowshoeing will create memories worth freezing in time.