Hiking

A travel guide to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was recently released in its sixth edition. The author gives tips on where Wisconsin residents should consider visiting.

Door County resident Sandie Custer tries to hike, camp or snowshoe with her husband a few times a month, often in Peninsula State Park overlooking Lake Michigan. “Wisconsin is just so blessed to have a park system that lets people get out and just be amongst Mother Nature, see the wildlife, enjoy the vegetation, and…

The Ice Age and North Country National Scenic Trails in Wisconsin are joining hundreds of national treasures after being designated as parks under the National Park System. The two trails are being recognized as units of the National Park Service, more commonly referred to as parks. The addition means the agency now manages 428 units…

When COVID-19 brought lockdowns and gathering restrictions, people flocked to Wisconsin’s outdoors to escape crowds and catch a break from being confined to their homes. But while users crowded parks and trails, the state’s financial support has been on a long decline. Outdoor recreation contributed $7.8 billion to Wisconsin’s gross domestic product in 2020. The…

Endurance athlete Brad Birkel took a little more than three days in October to run over 200 miles nearly nonstop. More impressive is where he ran it and how. Propelling himself day and night, and barely sleeping, the Middleton ultrarunner covered the entire segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail across the hilly northern…

Wisconsin’s largest ski resort will launch a significant expansion after the state approved a new master plan for Rib Mountain. The plan also calls for the creation of new hiking, climbing and mountain biking trails at the central Wisconsin state park. The ancient quartzite hill outside of Wausau is already a site for skiing and…

In northern Wisconsin, leaves are turning yellow, orange and red as temperatures drop across the state. Sightseers are making the trip to places like Dunn, St. Croix and Burnett counties, for the stunning, but fleeting, scenery. As of Thursday, the Wisconsin Fall Color Report had 10 counties showing “peak fall colors.” The southern part of…

Conservationist Kevin Thusius let out a big scream of joy when he heard the news. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail would be getting a little longer. It all started in 2012. The Ice Age Trail Alliance was in the process of determining where to extend the trail. For years, Thusius — who’s the conservation…

In about a week, a Massachusetts woman is expected to reach the eastern end of Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail, becoming the first female hiker to finish all 11 national scenic trails in the United States. Arlette Laan, whose trail name is “Apple Pie,” had about 200 miles left of the 1,200-mile-long trail as of last…

To Christopher Kilgour, for groups such as his that advocate for equitable access to the outdoors, just having a seat at the decision-making table isn’t enough. “It’s also having a cup, a plate, a knife, a spoon and a meal,” he said. “Not just having a voice, but being actually included in the conversation in…