The Badger State
Wisconsin
Chequamegon-Nicolet forests, Lake Superior coast, and the best wild trout fishing in the Great Lakes region.
Wisconsin at a Glance
Two Units
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest covers 1.5 million acres across two units in northern Wisconsin, joined administratively in 1998
Apostle Islands
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Lake Superior contains 21 islands with sea caves, lighthouses, and paddling routes accessible by kayak
Wolves
Wisconsin's national forest is part of the primary wolf recovery zone in the Great Lakes region, with dozens of packs established in the northern forest
Ice Age Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs 1,200 miles across Wisconsin following the edge of the last glaciation, with 117 miles through Chequamegon-Nicolet
Trout Streams
Wisconsin's national forest contains some of the finest cold-water trout streams in the Midwest, fed by spring-fed headwaters in the glacially carved northern landscape
Penokee Hills
The Penokee Range in the northern forest contains iron-rich ancient rocks and ridges with views across the Lake Superior watershed
When to Visit
June through September for hiking and paddling. Fall color (late September through mid-October) in the northern hardwoods is spectacular. Winter offers world-class cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the Chequamegon-Nicolet.
Top Activities
Gateway Cities
Ashland
Lake Superior port city and gateway to the Chequamegon unit's Marengo River corridor and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
Rhinelander
Central northern Wisconsin hub within Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, surrounded by hundreds of lakes and the forest's extensive trail network.
Did You Know?
Chequamegon is pronounced 'sha-WOM-a-gon' and means 'place of the shallow water' in Ojibwe, referring to the Lake Superior shoreline.
The Apostle Islands are named after the 12 apostles, though there are actually 21 islands. Early French explorers apparently miscounted.
Wisconsin's Turtle-Flambeau Flowage within the national forest complex is a man-made reservoir that is now managed as a wilderness fishing area with motorboat restrictions.
The Great Divide Snowmobile Trail through Chequamegon-Nicolet is over 1,800 miles long, one of the largest groomed snowmobile networks in the world.
Old-growth hemlock stands in the Headwaters Wilderness of Nicolet National Forest contain trees that predate European settlement of the region.