Recreation in Black River Country
ATV/Motorcycling - Boating - Cross-Country/Downhill Skiing
Disc Golf - Kayaking/Canoeing - Fishing - Golfing - Hiking - Horse Trails - Hunting
Mountain Biking - Scuba Diving - Snowmobiling - Swimming and Lunda Park
Black River Country offers something for every outdoor enthusiast. Hikers and birdwatchers will enjoy over 200,000 acres of wilderness just waiting to be explored. Mountain bikers will find great woodland trails. ATVers can ride hundreds of miles of the best trails in Wisconsin. If off-road motorcycling is more your game, Black River Country has 16.5 miles of single track trails. Only licensed dual sport motorcycles are allowed on the ATV trails as of January 2008.
Fishing and boating is fantastic on the beautiful Black River and Lake Arbutus. Fish for walleye, panfish, northern pike and musky. And Wazee Lake—Wisconsin’s deepest lake—offers the Midwest’s finest scuba diving experience.
ATV/Dual-Sport/Licensed-Motorcycles
The Jackson County Forest and Black River State Forest provide approximately 100 miles of trails. One can go from Millston north to Lake Arbutus at Hatfield and from Black River Falls east to Pray. Trails are clearly marked and adjoin private lands. Please stay on designated lands. No off-trail riding is allowed in Jackson County. For a full list of regulations as well as maps of the area, visit wisconsinatvcentral.com
Jackson County ATV Trails are open from May 15th through October 15th and December 15th through March 15th. CLARK COUNTY Trails are opening May 9th - ATV’ers must stay on the trail and not travel off the trail to go "mudding". If excessive damage is found the trails will be CLOSED until additional drying occurs! |
Effective 2008 in Jackson County, only street legal motorcycles, driven by licensed operators, are allowed on the ATV trail system. All non-street legal motorcycles may only operate on the Jackson County Crawford Hills Motorcycle Trail system. All motorcycles using any trail system must have a Jackson County Motorcycle Sticker. |
Download the Black River Falls State Forest ATV trail map (PDF)
Download the Clark County ATV trail map (PDF)
Download the Jackson County ATV trail map (PDF)
Black River Country ATV/Motorcycle business listings:
Sport Country ATV & Marine – sales, service & rentals
160 Gebhardt Road – Hwy 12/27 South
Black River Falls – 715-284-7228 (RCAT)
Black River Power Sports, Inc. – sales, service & rentals
W10120 State Hwy 54
Black River Falls – 715-284-2600
Lake Arbutus Motor Sports – ATV, Jet-ski, Pontoon Rental
N121 County Road J
Hatfield – 715-333-8600
Keytime Motorsports, LLC.
28702 County Road EW
Warrens – 608-378-4290
Al Muth Harley Davidson
N6630 County Road A
Black River Falls - 715-284-4725
Boating
Water skiing, jet skiing, pontoon boat cruises and relaxing boat rides are the most popular activities on Lake Arbutus and the upper Black River flowage. The upper Black River flowage combines a beautiful unspoiled shoreline with natural serenity. You may even catch a glimpse of a bald eagle or a white-tailed deer.
Sampson Heating & Marine – our marine division offers Alumacraft boats & Evinrude E-Tec outboards. Our Evinrude certified technician will see your outboard service needs. We offer both new & used boat packages for sale.
126 W Main Street
Hixton, WI 54635
(715) 963-2921
sampsons@centurytel.net
Sport Country ATV & Marine – Sport Country ATV & Marine is your local MirroCraft Aluminum, Sierra Fiberglass, and Weere’s Pontoon Boats dealership. We carry Mercury or Suzuki engines.
160 Gebhardt Road – Hwy 12/27 South
Black River Falls, WI
715-284-7228 (RCAT)
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Canoeing / Kayaking
Jackson County has some of the finest streams and rivers in Wisconsin. With few rapids, the Black River is an excellent river for family canoeing. The river is dotted with sand bars, ideal for camping and sun bathing. All along the Black River access points are conveniently located, from Hatfield all the way to the Mississippi River. You can plan a two-hour trip or a five day excursion. Our creeks can offer a more challenging experience for the seasoned canoeist and kayaker. Halls Creek, Morrison Creek, the East Fork and the Black River and Robinson Creek provide thrilling rapids and stunning scenery. When you plan your trip be sure to call for the latest water conditions.
Download the Lower Black River Canoe Routes map (PDF)
Black River Canoe Rental, LLC
N5999 Hwy 54 W, Black River Falls, WI 54615 – 715-284-8136
Rentals include pickup and drop off, 17ft aluminum canoe, 2 life jackets & 2 paddles. Please call for rates and reservations.
Black River Express Canoe & Kayak Rentals
301 S. Washington Street, Melrose, WI 54642 – 608-488-7017
L
located in the Melrose Express Convenience Store on the corner of US Hwy 108 and 54. Canoes are Old town and are equipped with 2 life vests & 2 paddles. Shuttles to and from landings included in rental fees.
Hatfield Sports Shop LLC
N451 Hwy J,
Hatfield, WI
54754 -
Phone: 715-333-5009
The area's newest source for outdoor & recreational information. Guide service available for hunting, fishing, canoeing, & trapping. Steve will also assist you in obtaining information on area camping, hiking, mountain biking, ATV trails, and horseback riding trails throughout Jackson and Clark Counties. They are your outdoor recreational information caterers. Have a question on fishing in the area? Water levels/conditions for canoeing/kayaking? Call Hatfield Sports Shop. Coming Soon live bait, tackle & hunting supplies. Need a fishing pole? You can rent a complete set up here. Canoe, Kayak & Moped rentals & sales. Canoe & Kayak Shuttle Service.
Lost Falls Campground
N2974 E. Sunnyvale Road, Black River Falls, WI 54615 – 715-284-7133 or 800-329-3911
Located 10 miles west of Black River Falls on E. Sunnyvale Road off Hwy 54. Tube rentals from Hansen’s Landing to Lost Falls. Canoe & Kayak rentals include canoe or kayak, paddles, vests & shuttles.
Riverview Inn Canoe Rentals
N608 North Bend Drive, Melrose, WI 54642 – 608-488-5191
Located on the Black River in North Bend. Rental includes a 17 foot canoe, paddles, jackets & transportation. Choose an 11, 22, or 33 mile trip.
Cross-Country/Downhill Skiing
The Black River State Forest has 25 miles of the finest cross-country ski trails in Wisconsin. The trails are groomed for skaters and traditional skiers and provide a variety of skill levels, from beginner to expert. Forested, hilly terrain offering splendid scenic views combine with stretches of level landscape. Two candlelight ski events are offered each year.
Jackson County's Wazee Park now provides 11 miles of ungroomed cross-country ski trails, just east of Black River Falls. The trails give the skier a beautiful view of Wazee Lake.
Download the Black River State Forest Trails map (PDF)
Download the Levis / Trow Mound Trails map (PDF)
Other Winter Sports: Bruce Mound-Merrillan offers downhill skiing, snow tubing and T-Bars. Located 3 miles northwest of Hatfield. Lunda Community Park in Black River Falls offers snow tubing, sledding, a skate pond, warming building & refreshments.
Contact Clark County Forestry & Parks Department 715-743-5140 or
www.co.clark.wi.us
www.fobmi.org
Bruce Mound Winter Sports Area 715-743-2296 – during operating hours
Disc Golf
Try our disc golf course at Rock Springs Park on South Fifth Street.
So what is "Disc Golf"? Some may refer to it as "Frisbee" golf, but since "Frisbee" is a registered trademark just like "Kleenex" is to the tissue world, so the game must be called disc golf.
Disc golf is a lot like traditional "ball" golf, except players use specially made plastic flying discs instead of balls and clubs, and throw them for 'par' at an above-ground target instead of a hole in the ground. There are different types of discs used for different purposes, much like ball golfers use different clubs.
The object of the game is to throw a golf disc into the target, typically a a steel basket over which chains hang, in the fewest number of throws. The player begins by 'driving' from a designated tee area and continues toward the target, throwing each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed. Finally, a successful 'putt' sends the disc into the target. The most satisfying sound a disc golfer can hear is the 'ching!' of a disc crashing the chains before dropping into the baskets. (Info Source: disclife.com)
Fishing
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Jackson County features lakes and streams to accommodate a variety of fishing year-round. The Black River is well known for musky, walleye and smallmouth bass. Excellent summer and winter fishing can be found in both Lake Arbutus and the upper Black River Falls flowages. Merlin Lambert County Park provides boat access to flowages that hold large numbers of panfish, northern pike, muskie, and bass.
If you like to fish for trout, our county has many gentle trout streams that hide feisty brook, rainbow and brown trout.
Please refer to the county map for the location of some of the lakes listed below. Frequently, people need more help finding a particular lake. There are a number of maps available with varying levels of detail. Jackson County lake maps are available online on the Wisconsin DNR website.
For more information about area lakes see our LAKE CHART (PDF) for lake depths, type of fish, public access and lake names.
Hatfield Sports Shop LLC
N451 Hwy J,
Hatfield, WI
54754 -
Phone: 715-333-5009
The area's newest source for outdoor & recreational information. Guide service available for hunting, fishing, canoeing, & trapping. Steve will also assist you in obtaining information on area camping, hiking, mountain biking, ATV trails, and horseback riding trails throughout Jackson and Clark Counties. They are your outdoor recreational information caterers. Have a question on fishing in the area? Water levels/conditions for canoeing/kayaking? Call Hatfield Sports Shop. Coming Soon live bait, tackle & hunting supplies. Need a fishing pole? You can rent a complete set up here. Canoe, Kayak & Moped rentals & sales. Canoe & Kayak Shuttle Service.
Golf
Skyline Golf Club in Black River Falls is laid out over acres of undulating and wooded hills.
Hiking
Jackson County and the Black River State Forest offers many opportunities for hikers. There are over 100 miles or more of hiking trails across Jackson County for your enjoyment. Breathtaking scenery and wildlife are abundant in Jackson County for the nature lover.
For more information about hiking in the area, please call the Black River Chamber of Commerce for more details, and you may also want to view our hiking trail map of the Black River State Forest where cross-country skiers, mountain bikers and hikers alike enjoy our trail areas.
Download the Black River State Forest Hiking Trails map (PDF)
Download the Levis / Trow Mound Hiking Trails map (PDF)
Horse Trails
The Black River State Forest provides 35 miles of horse trails through rustic pine and oak forest. The trailhead, near the East Fork Campground, is located in a twelve-site campground developed specifically for horse riders.
Download the Black River State Forest horseback riding trails (PDF)
Our other member is M&M Ranch & Outfitters they are located outside of Sparta and you can find out more information about them on their website: mandmranchandoutfitters.com. Their phone number is: 608-486-2722.
Hunting
With approximately 200,000 acres of public lands and a bountiful supply of deer, it is not surprising that Jackson County is known as the "Deer Capital of Wisconsin." The Jackson County Forest and Black River State Forest provide a perfect habitat for deer, ruffed grouse, squirrel and wild turkey. Dike 17 and the Black River bottoms provide excellent waterfowl hunting for ducks and geese.
County and state campgrounds are open for fall camping and many commercial and private facilities are available as well. Be a responsible hunter and know whose land your are hunting, and always get permission of the owner before hunting on private land.
Hunting Preserves, Sporting Clays, Archery, and Paintball:
Holmes Creek Pheasants in rural Hixton... 1-877-743-2768
Pheasant Ridge Resort 715-662-4040
Woods & Meadow Hunting Preserve & Sporting Clays (near Millston & Warrens)
608-378-4223
Moe Hardware & Sporting Goods on Main Street in Black River Falls 715-284-4621
(offers paintball supplies and archery supplies)
Hatfield Sports Shop LLC
N451 Hwy J,
Hatfield, WI
54754 -
Phone: 715-333-5009
The area's newest source for outdoor & recreational information. Guide service available for hunting, fishing, canoeing, & trapping. Steve will also assist you in obtaining information on area camping, hiking, mountain biking, ATV trails, and horseback riding trails throughout Jackson and Clark Counties. They are your outdoor recreational information caterers. Have a question on fishing in the area? Water levels/conditions for canoeing/kayaking? Call Hatfield Sports Shop. Coming Soon live bait, tackle & hunting supplies. Need a fishing pole? You can rent a complete set up here. Canoe, Kayak & Moped rentals & sales. Canoe & Kayak Shuttle Service.
Mountain Biking
The off-road biker will find unique trail opportunities in Jackson County. The Black River State Forest has 34 miles of designated mountain bike trails. Trailheads can be found at Castle Mound and Pigeon Creek campgrounds and at the Smrekar and Wildcat cross-country ski trail parking lots. The trails take you through scenic pine and oak forests with terrain that will challenge you at every level. The Wazee recreational area provides nine miles of mountain bike trail - this trail follows the old Jackson county iron mine sites and provides breathtaking vistas of eastern Jackson County.
Besides the designated trails, the Black River State Forest and Jackson County Forest have several hundred miles of forest and old logging roads which are open to mountain bike travel and will give you a one-of-a-kind off-road experience.
Download the Pigeon Creek Mountain Bike Trail Map (PDF)
Scuba Diving
Ice diving in Wazee Lake
Wazee Lake is one of the best dives in the Midwest. At 355 feet, it is the deepest lake in Wisconsin. The water is crystal clear and has lots to explore. During summer months, visibility is 30 to 40 feet—and in the winter, it can be as much as 60 feet.
Beginning in the 1960s, the Jackson County Iron Mine Quarry supplied taconite pellets to the steel mills of East Chicago. Massive pumps kept the quarry from filling with water. In April of 1983, when the mine closed, these pumps were turned off and the 355-foot quarry, complete with roadways and a small forest, began to rapidly fill with water. The result was the deepest lake in Wisconsin—and an ideal destination for divers from throughout the Midwest.
Divers can follow the abandoned mining roads as they descend into the depths or swim through the underwater forests. There are a number of sheer rock faces, as well as numerous fish and abundant aquatic plants. You’ll also find a shipwreck that’s fun to explore. During the winter, Wazee Lake offers fantastic ice diving, with visibility better than any other time of year.
Wazee Sports Center, LLC
Our store is located on Bauer & Red Iron Rd. just a few miles from Lake Wazee
Black River Falls, WI
54615
Phone: 715-284-5181
Email: scuba@wazeesports.com
Snowmobiling
Jackson County has over 300 miles of groomed snowmobile trails which connect to 500 miles of trails in surrounding counties. connections can be made to every trail in the state. Our trails offer the unique experience of varied terrain. On the west side of the county, the trails wind through forest and agricultural land. The rolling landscape is quite steep in places, which is characteristic of the "Coulee Country" of western Jackson County and certainly adds to the challenge. In eastern Jackson County the trails meander through heavily wooded areas and a gentler, more level grade. Choose your path - the scenery is excellent and you will be sure to find well maintained trails which are groomed frequently, including weekends.
Get up-to-date trail conditions at:
Swimming & Lunda Park
The Black River area has a beautiful Aquatic Center with a waterslide and inner tubes for the slides. This is great fun for the whole family. Right next to the water park is the Lunda Park and playground. The Aquatic Center is open daily from 11:30am-7:30pm from June through August.
Concessions available inside the Aquatic Center(pizza, hot dogs, pretzels and more). No carry-in food or beverages please. Sand play area with playground and sand volleyball court inside the pool area. Picnic shelters are available outside the pool area near the playground and fish pond for picnics.
For more information about these facilities, rates, or rental/reservation information, please call the Aquatic Center at (715) 284-4033.
