The Northwoods

Boulder Junction calls itself the Musky Capital of the World® — a registered trademark it's held since 1950 and defended in federal court. But the truer claim might be simpler — this is a town that knows what it is and doesn't try to be anything else. Tucked into the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, surrounded by nearly 200 lakes, it's the kind of place where you lose cell service and don't notice for hours. Winter buries it in snow. Summer floods the lakes with loons. Either way, you'll want to stay longer than you planned.

The Glide Ice Skating Ribbon

A 0.8-mile outdoor ribbon carved through the trees — lit at night, free to use, and utterly unlike any rink you've skated before. The Glide opened in late 2024 and immediately became one of the best reasons to visit the Northwoods in winter. The path winds through a stand of pines at Boulder Junction Winter Park, lit by solar lights, with a warming shelter and a fire pit at the trailhead. Skate rentals are available at Coontail in town. Show up after dark for the full experience. We wrote about visiting Boulder Junction — including a near-miss with The Glide — in A Weekend in the Northwoods.

Guide's Inn

Est. 1984. Order the Shrimp St. James. Sit at the bar. Talk to whoever walks in. Guide's Inn is the kind of supper club that made Wisconsin famous — wood paneling, relish trays, a Friday fish fry that draws people from three counties. It's not trying to impress anyone, and that's exactly why it does. If you're in Boulder Junction and hungry, this is the only recommendation you need.

Coontail

The outfitter in town for XC ski rentals, snowshoe kits, and knowing which trails are in best shape. The staff at Coontail are skiers themselves — ask them where to go before you head out. They also carry a solid selection of Northwoods-appropriate gear and apparel. In summer, the focus shifts to paddling and hiking. A good first stop before any day outside.

Escanaba Lake XC Trails

A quiet network in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. Groomed but never crowded. The loops wind through pine and hardwood forest with views of five different lakes, with enough variety for intermediates and enough distance for a proper workout. There's a shelter with a fire ring out on the trail — bring a thermos and take a break between loops. For a longer day, connect to the Lumberjack Trail system to the north. A Wisconsin State Trail Pass is required.

Cable is a small town with an outsized reputation. This is where the American Birkebeiner begins — the largest cross-country ski race in North America — and where hundreds of miles of trail fan out through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. In winter, the woods fill with kick wax and klister. In summer, it's tire rubber and trail dust. Cable doesn't have much in the way of stoplights, but it has everything you need to spend a week in the woods and not want to leave. Pair it with a day in Hayward, twenty minutes south, where the Birkie finishes.

American Birkebeiner Trailhead

The start of the largest and most beloved cross-country ski race in North America. Every February, thousands of skiers line up at the trailhead in Cable and push 50 kilometers through the forest to Hayward. But the trail is worth visiting any time of year — the forest alone is worth the drive. In summer, it becomes a hiking and running corridor. In autumn, the hardwoods turn and the whole thing lights up gold and red. Stand at the start line and imagine thousands of skiers stretching back into the trees. We watched the finish in Hayward — read the trip report.

CAMBA Trail Network

More than 130 miles of singletrack and 200 miles of mapped gravel routes spread across multiple clusters throughout the Chequamegon area. One of the finest mountain bike systems in the Midwest, full stop. The trails range from smooth beginner loops to technical descents that will test anyone. CAMBA is a nonprofit that builds and maintains the network, and their trail maps are essential. Start with the Rock Lake cluster for flowy singletrack, or try the Namakagon Town trails for something more challenging.

North End Ski Trails

Excellent intermediate and expert groomed Nordic trails in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Less traffic than the main Birkie corridor, more solitude, and some of the best terrain in the region. The system connects to the larger Birkie trail network, so you can build a route as long or short as you want. If you're staying in Cable for a ski weekend, this is where the locals go when they want to avoid the crowds.

Eagle River anchors the eastern edge of the Northwoods and does it loudly. This is a town that hosts the oldest snowmobile race in the world, sits at the center of the world's largest chain of inland lakes, and treats both facts with the casual pride of a place that's been at this for a long time. The vibe is more accessible than the deep-woods quiet of Boulder Junction — there are proper restaurants, gear shops, and a downtown that hums in both seasons. It's a good base camp for exploring the region, and Minocqua is just a short drive to the west.

World Championship Snowmobile Derby

Every January, Eagle River hosts the oldest and most prestigious snowmobile race in the world. The oval track roars. The stands are packed. The cold doesn't matter. The Derby has been running since 1964 and the atmosphere is pure Northwoods spectacle — engine noise, fried food, and the kind of crowd energy you don't get from watching a screen. Even if you've never been on a snowmobile, the event is worth the trip. The track is right off Highway 45, and the whole town gets into it.

Chain O' Lakes Paddling

Twenty-eight lakes connected by navigable channels. The Eagle River–Three Lakes Chain is the largest inland chain of freshwater lakes in the world — rent a kayak or canoe and disappear into it for a few hours or a few days. The paddling ranges from calm, sandy-bottomed channels to wide-open lake crossings. You can plan a route that keeps you on quiet water all day, or push into bigger lakes for more wind and waves. Outfitters in town rent boats and can suggest routes.

Hayward sits twenty minutes south of Cable and wears its history well. This is where the American Birkebeiner ends — more than 10,000 participants across Birkie Week pouring through downtown every February in one of the great spectacles of winter sport. But Hayward's identity runs deeper than a single race. The Lumberjack World Championships have been held here since 1960. The downtown is walkable, unpretentious, and stocked with the kind of restaurants that serve walleye because they should, not because it's trendy. In summer, the Namekagon River draws paddlers. In winter, the whole town runs on ski wax. We spent a full day here during the Birkie — read the trip report.

Birkie Finish Line on Main Street

Every February, thousands of skiers pour through downtown Hayward to cross the finish line on Main Street. The noise, the steam, the cowbells — it's the kind of event that makes you sign up for next year on the spot. Even if you're not racing, the energy is infectious. Line the street with locals, grab a hot cider, and watch some of the fastest skiers in North America charge through the final straightaway. If you've never seen the Birkie in person, put it on the list. The race starts up in Cable at the Birkebeiner Trailhead.

Fish Hatchery Park Ski Trails

A beginner-friendly network right in town. Freshly groomed, well-signed, and a good first taste of Wisconsin Nordic if you've never done it before. The loops wind around the historic fish hatchery — established in 1899, one of the oldest in the state — and through pleasant mixed forest. It's not epic backcountry terrain, but that's the point. Bring the family, rent gear in town, and spend a morning getting comfortable on skinny skis.

Lumberjack World Championships

Log rolling. Speed climbing. Axe throwing. Every July, Hayward becomes the improbable center of the competitive lumberjack universe. The event has been running since 1960 and draws competitors from around the world. The atmosphere is pure county fair — bleachers, hot dogs, and kids running around with foam axes. It's absurd and wonderful and one of the most genuinely Northwoods things you can experience. Pair it with a weekend of mountain biking on the CAMBA trails nearby.

Minocqua sits on a narrow peninsula between Lake Minocqua and Lake Kawaguesaga, and the water defines everything about the place. The downtown — locals call it the Island — is walkable, lake-flanked, and full of small shops, galleries, and restaurants that have been here for decades. It's the Northwoods' most accessible small town: close enough to Eagle River for a day trip, connected to the Boulder Junction trail networks to the north, and packed with enough character to justify a long weekend on its own. Come for the fish fry, stay for the sunset.

Downtown Island District

Browse the galleries, grab a Friday fish fry, and watch the sunset over Lake Minocqua from the town docks. The kind of evening that needs no itinerary. Downtown Minocqua has held onto its character without turning it into a museum — there are new coffee shops next to old bait shops, craft cocktail bars across from supper clubs that haven't changed their menus since 1978. Walk the main drag, duck into whatever catches your eye, and end up at the waterfront. That's the whole plan.

Torpy Park Beach

A sandy beach right off downtown with a swimming area, picnic tables, and a view across the lake. Free and open all summer. Torpy Park is where Minocqua's families spend their afternoons — there's a playground for kids and enough shade for the adults who'd rather read than swim. You can walk from downtown in five minutes. If you're passing through town on a hot day, stop here.