The view was definitely worth the trip! Directions from the previous review are spot on. After you…read moreturn on Knowles Creek Rd from CTH F follow that until you see the lake on your right. Immediately after the lake you will see a little driveway on your left that leads to a campsite. After that you are looking for the 3rd road on the left(road number 2781. It is marked with a small vertical wooden sign that is somewhat hidden by weeds but pretty easy to spot). I'm not sure the exact distance, but it was a few minute drive past the campsite till you reach the 3rd road on the left. Take a left on road 2781 and follow it until you come to a fork in the road where road number 2349B splits off to the right(there is a large mud hole at the start of this trail). At this point you will need to abandon your vehicle and begin hiking. Hike down the road 2349B until you come to another fork in the roadway. When you reach this fork take the trail that goes up hill (this trail goes off to the left and has a few broken off trees at the start of it). From there its a short hike up hill until you reach one of the most beautiful views in the northwoods! The total hike round trip is right around 2 miles. Shoes that can get muddy and bug spray are also definitely a must for this hike! I made the driving portion of this trip in my all wheel drive BMW X1. It made the trip ok, however driving down road 2781 was a bit of a nail biter as there are some bigger stones in the roadway and a few larger mud holes that a 2 wheel drive vehicle may not have made it through. That being said road 2781 is definitely definitely more of an offload trail with 2 tire tracks that you drive on and no place to turn around until you get to the fork for road 2349B. I would recommend a 4 wheel drive truck or suv for this journey, or just parking on the side of Knowles Creek Rd and hiking from there. Doing this would only about another mile to the hike. Also you may be able to drive down road 2349B if you have a Wrangler or similar vehicle. I also recommend stopping at the lake you pass on Knowles Creek Rd and getting some beautiful pictures! There is a small campsite that you can turn off into if it isn't occupied and spend a little time taking in the beauty of the lake.

YES. After many hours of searching to no end...on multiple days...we have finally discovered this…read moreproudly hidden gem, so titled The Big Rock. Hopefully this review will lead you right to the site and save you all the hours of endless exploration, but this is mostly serving as a note-to-self...to help me find this place in the future :-) Soooo starting from downtown Lakewood, WI: Head north on F until you hit Knowles Creek Rd, turn left. Continue on Knowles Creek until there comes a fork in the road. At the fork, follow Knowles Creek to the left and do NOT continue straight/right-ish onto McCaslin Tower Rd. Continue on Knowles Creek, where you should see a sort of lake on the right and then a campsite further down on the left. After these two "markers", look for the 2nd trail on the left with one of those mini-snowmobile stop signs. The correct trail should be numbered 2781. Follow this trail (in the car is still fine, but watch for huge puddles/deep mud) until you can literally drive no further. You should then see a sort of pathway at the end on the left that is somewhat upward sloping at first. At this point, abandon your vehicle and begin walking up the clearing (there is typically a puddle or mud of some sort at the start of this path). Walk for a bit (1/2 mile?) and keep your eyes out for an uphill path on the left side of where you are walking (in my experience, there has been a partially fallen tree trunk marking the base of this hill). Follow the path up this hillside to the top, at which point, you have reached The Big Rock! The total walking time is minimal and, round-trip, clocks in at around 2 miles. You'll know when you've reached your destination because the view is breathtaking! Now supposedly, this is a geocaching site (I have included the URL in my creation of this business listing), so there are instructions and coordinates on how to reach the place on that as well. In my two trips to The Big Rock, I have yet to discover where the cache is located...we searched for quite a while on both occasions and were unable to find the box. So good luck to all future enthusiasts with that endeavor; as for me, I'll be lounging on that huge rock over there enjoying the view :)

Some of the best cross country ski, mountain bike trails, snowshoeing around. A common destination…read morefrom Chicago. There is definitely something for everyone here. Thanks again Glen!! We will be seeing you soon :)

A jewel of a park well off the beaten path in the Wausau Area: Cross Country Skiing in the winter,…read moreMountain Biking in the summer, and hiking too! A guy I know really enjoys biking in this park. My wife and I have hiked the trails: many are wide and well kept up. A lot of people in the area don't know how to get there. It is southwest of Rib Mountain State Park. I suggest keying it into your GPS, use MapQuest or review the Marathon County Parks web site.

Enjoyed a three day weekend of camping at Hartman Creek and loved every minute of it…read more We stayed in site 12, which was perfect. It felt secluded with enough trees and undergrowth that we couldn't see our neighbors. There are pit toilets located throughout the park as well as plumbed toilets and showers in a central location. I exclusively used the plumbed toilets and found I never had to wait for one, which was nice. There is a camp store where we were able to pick up some memorabilia and they have a self-serve wood shed where you can purchase bundles of wood and bags of ice. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring, both of which we made use of during our stay. The park itself has lakes, creeks, and over 10 miles of trails. We stuck to campground walks on our most recent trip but have been there previously for day trips where we enjoyed a lovely walks. The campground is beautifully wooded (both deciduous and tamaracks) which is our favorite sort of camping atmosphere. The campground hosts were welcoming and spot on to ensure that all sites are clean and ready for their next guests. Everyone who worked there ensured our stay was as lovely as possible. Get to it!

So you feel like getting away this summer? You want to go camping, horseback riding, boating and…read morecanoeing? Have gas prices got you down and you don't want to travel too far from home? How about crowds? Does the thought of trying to get away and having to deal with big crowds frustrating to you? Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls alike, I have the answer for you. Tons and tons of outdoor fun can be found right here at Hartman Creek State Park and the surrounding areas. It is not that far of a drive from the Chicago Area (about a 4.5 hour drive). If you go up here in the middle of the summer of course there are going to be a good number of people here. Fortunately it is not going to be as crowded as a Devil's Lake or Starved Rock, which automatically give it an A plus rating in my grade book!

We lived there the summer of 1976! Had a great time in family camp. My husband was the Protestant…read moreminister for the summer. Family Accommodations were good as well.

As former staff of MaKaJaWan I can say that the staff have nothing but the best for the scouts that…read morecome year after year. The first and foremost thought is always "how can we make there time here as fun as possible". A 10/10 place for adults and youth.

Fantastic ! Hike up to the tower and then up in the tower …read more Spacious parking area . Nicely maintained trails. Have fun !

I've had Timm's Hill on my bucket list for DECADES! I climbed the tower on Rib Mountain when I was…read morea kid, only to find out later that Rib Mountain is NOT the highest point in Wisconsin. Well, today, finally - MADE IT, MA! TOP OF THE WORLD! (An obscure reference to James Cagney as Cody Jarrett.) At least, the Top of Wisconsin! It's Timm's Hill near Ogema, in Price County. At an elevation of 1,951.5 ft (595 m) above sea level, it is the highest natural point in the state. (The hill has a prominence of 425 feet - that means it rises 425 feet above the surrounding grade.) While you make a great deal of the 425 feet by vehicle, the rest of the climb is by your hoofing it up an improved trail. There are two benches on the trail where you can rest before reaching the summit. Once you get to the summit, there is a a county owned observation tower that you can climb. (80 steps, if I counted correctly.) The tower is adjacent to a fire tower that is actually centered on the geological marker that indicates the actual height is 1,952.868 feet about sea level. (The marker is mounted in a concrete pylon that might add an extra 1.368 feet, but I am speculating.) The fire tower is taller than the observation tower, so except for the fire tower struts, you have an unobstructed view of 30 miles in all directions. The park's gate is open May through October 7:30am-9:30pm.

We enjoyed a wonderful weekend stay at Council Grounds State Park…read more The campground itself is relatively small--just one loop for small group campers and one for large group (ie: large parties of 25-30 folks). We stayed in the loop for small group campers and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The campsite offered some privacy being surrounded by woods and brush. We explored the hiking trails and they were all well maintained. There was a nice area for putting in your kayak or canoe into the Wisconsin river. There was also areas that you could easily take a dip in the river to cool off as well. While we were there, they only had pit bathrooms available (though one of them was newly constructed, clean, and comfortable for a pit bathroom) but they were in the process of constructing (or reconstructing, not sure) a new bathroom and shower building which will reportedly be done mid August 2024! It's not the biggest, most grand state park but it's a gem of a park and there's a coziness and charm to the smaller size that we really enjoyed. Get to it!

They have good hiking and biking trails. Very cool place to be when it's hot outside.read more

This is a great little unique stop if you happen to be in the area. It's not really a trail, but…read moreit's fun to climb up and down the boulders while enjoying nature. It's a little tricky to find but hopefully my photos help. The boulders are on the north and south side of the ridge and worth climbing to both sodes. Enjoy!

Signs everywhere saying Private Property Keep Out and No Trespassing....ignore them! Walk down the…read moredirt road until you get to the fork that goes to the left. As soon as you see it just go left into the woods. The caves are at the bottom and cover two different areas between the huge hills. A fun hike snd and really beautiful. We definitely smelled a bear!!!

We stayed in Tomahawk, WI for an extended holiday weekend and were looking for a spot to do some…read morepaddle boarding. While there's tons of lakes in the area, not all of them are ideal for paddle boarding. Buck Lake (which is part of the Almon Recreational Area) most definitely is! They don't rent out paddle boards right at the lake, so if you don't have your own, you'll definitely have to rent one elsewhere and bring it here. We have our own, so that wasn't a problem. The Almon Recreation Area includes a paved path leading to a small beach and nice little swimming area in Buck Lake. The beach also offers a great launching point for paddle boards. The lake itself is relatively small and wake free, so, even if the beach area is busy, you can easily paddle out to serenely crowd free conditions. We went three days in a row on a holiday weekend and only ever came within shouting distance of one canoe and one paddle boat. Beyond that, we had the lake to ourselves. Just above the beach is a wooded picnic area, complete with grills, picnic tables, and bathrooms. The recreation area also includes (down a separate paved path) a pretty epic frisbee golf course that meanders through the woods as well a trail system if you're looking to take scenic hike. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail system. No pets (leashed or otherwise) are allowed at the beach/picnic area.

We stopped here twice on our recent excursion to Upper Michigan. It was a great place to walk our…read moredogs and for me to tryout my new GRIT Freedom Chair. We went a little way off road and also used the paved path. Loved the areas we got see and can't wait to go back and explore some more!

We had a blast doing this for my friend's bachelorette weekend. James and Casey were amazing. The…read moregear was good quality and kept us warm; and the spring rafting was thrilling and fun! The photos were amazing quality and we got hot chocolate at the end of it!

This place is amazing! We came for a short amount of time…read moreand packed a LOT in! I wish we had more time! We stayed at the Peshtigo outpost, but did activities at both Peshtigo and Menominee outpost. At the Peshtigo outpost, there are camping facilities for any level of camper. Tenting to cabin with bathroom and kitchen. Let me start with the booking... they were so fantastic at setting up a great itinerary for us for our short stay! The zipline was awesome, and the views were beautiful! We did the rafting at Peshtigo in single person rafts and it could not have been more fun and picturesque! The alpine tower was tricky for me, but not for the rest of my group, they soared through it! EVERY SINGLE guide we had was so friendly and so kind! We can't wait to come back and stay longer! Thank you Wildman!!!

(Bagley Rapids Campground)…read more One of the best campgrounds in the state, in my opinion. This is a semi-wilderness campground, and that's why I love it so much. No electricity is provided, something I love about this place, but you can pump fresh water from the well, and outhouse toilets are on site. The best sites are along the river, but only a few of them offer any real privacy or seclusion. Site 21 has the thickest surrounding vegetation and offers the best privacy of any site along the river. However, if being on the river is not as important to you as it is to some, the sites along the back loops offer the most privacy, and most people choose not to use those sites. On more than one occasion I arrived to find all the river sites full and had to stay in one of the back sites. Most of the time I was the only camper in the back loop, giving me the ultimate feeling of being truly alone. The rapids offer some great swimming in certain areas, but fishing on the river doesn't offer much. I also wouldn't recommend floating down the river, especially not along the campsites. There are areas along the river that are potentially very dangerous or deadly if you are not a good swimmer, so I advise caution at all times. Bagley also offers some fantastic hiking trails for those of you who love to be out in the thick of it. I would advise against wearing shorts if you decide to hike through any part of the forest that is not a trail. Poison oak and poison ivy are everywhere. If you are looking for an extremely peaceful and relaxing camping trip, one where you're not surrounded by campers, RV's, and loud annoying music, then I highly recommend giving this place a try.

Classic forested lake country. There are a ton of mosquitoes, but not particularly voracious. On a…read more sunny day hard to beat for natural beauty anywhere in the lower forty eight. Unlike Boundary Waters, a gentle, inviting woodland, however, the infernal combustion engine arrived long ago. The campsites are thankfully primitive. There are, to my knowledge, no rip off 'family' type campsites, the crash commercialism of which has become so widespread in recent years.