1. Silent Woods Benchmark AreaThe area north of this point is a 725 acre unit on theWashburn County Forest that is set aside as a biologicalreserve. No harvesting or management has occurred inthis unit since the white pine was removed in the late1800’s. It serves as a research area to determinebiological conditions that will occur without forestmanagement. The focal point of this unit is the over 3miles of undisturbed river frontage on the Totogatic River.

2. Totogatic State Wild RiverThe Totogatic, dedicated in 2009 as a Wild & ScenicRiver, is a beautiful, undeveloped river crossing thenorthern portion of Washburn County. The TotogaticRiver begins in Bayfield County and ultimately meets upwith the Namekagon River, a tributary of the St. CroixRiver. The lower portion of the river is quite calm andserene. The upper portion on the other hand is quiterugged and drops in elevation approximately 160 feetover a nine mile span. Legends surround the TotogaticRiver with stories of buried gold, spirits and murder.

3. Hemlocks Scientific AreaFrom this vantage point, the Totogatic HighlandsHemlock State Natural Area can be seen in the distance.This 160 acre old growth area lies about 2 miles due eastand contains one of the western-most stands of Hemlockin Wisconsin. Old growth hardwood and cedar are alsopresent on this very remote parcel of state owned landswithin the Washburn County Forest.

4. Canadian National BridgeIn the past, ATV and snowmobile traffic on the StonyBrook Trail were required to cross the Canadian NationalRailroad on the Highway 77 Bridge. Due to concernsabout mixing recreational vehicle traffic with road traffic,Washburn County applied for and received grant fundsto construct a bridge over the railroad. This bridge wasconstructed in 2012. The bridge spans 98 feet and is 25feet from the bottom of the bridge to the top of the rail.To the east of this point is a designated utility corridor onthe Washburn County Forest, containing four pipelines,

a 345 kv power line, and the Canadian National railroad. Trainspass under this bridge at least hourly and watching one go underis worth the wait for the next train.

5. Lost Lake SwampAs you travel north along trail 39, you can see the largeexpanse of the Lost Lake Acid bog through the trees tothe east. This bog is over 1000 acres and contains a 41acre lake in the center. This is one of only about 15 largebogs of this type in Wisconsin. There are legends of aderailed locomotive that was lost and buried in thisswamp in the early 1900’s.

6. Wetland BridgeThis bridge is a “puncheon” style wetland crossingstructure. This bridge, and several others in this generalarea, was constructed as a “floating” bridge set onstringers over the top of wetlands. Wetland fill is strictlyregulated by the State of Wisconsin and the Army Corpsof Engineers. In order to link trail systems in northernWashburn County, wetland crossings were minimizedbut still necessary in some cases. These bridges wereconstructed under WDNR and Army Corps of Engineerpermits.

7. Stony Brook Rest AreaBuilt in 2009, the Stony Brook Rest Area was built by theMinong Trails Club to provide ATVers with amenitiessuch as a pavilion, grills, shelter, and public restroomswhile on this beautiful stretch of trail.

8. Aspen ManagementThis is a young aspen forest. Aspen in managed forestsare grown to approximately 50 years old and thenclearcut. Aspen trees thrive in full sunlight and sitesrapidly grow into thriving young forests. This site washarvested in 2009.

9. Minong Rifle RangeThe Minong Rifle Range is owned by Washburn Countyand lies on county forest lands. The facility is maintained

by local volunteers and was recently upgraded with thegenerous help of labor and funds from the Safari ClubInternational Chapter in Minong. It is located ½ milenorth of this location on Taylor Lake Road. The facilityincludes a shooting shelter, trap range, and bathroom (ifneeded during your trail ride)!

10. Oak Lake FireThis location is in the center of one of the largest forestfires in Wisconsin’s history. The Oak Lake Fire started onApril 22, 1980 and burned over 16,000 acres and 159structures. Over 200 firefighters worked on this fire andthe cause was never proven. All of the forests in thisarea originated from that event.

11. Jack Links Beef JerkyIf you ever wondered where all of that amazing beef jerkyis made, you found it! Minong is home to Jack Link’sCorporate Headquarters and is the location where theLink family began their jerky business. If you’re lookingfor the jerky outlet, stop on over to Henson’s Grocery,the Jack Link’s Outlet store.

12. Oak ManagementThis is a forest made up of red oak trees. Most red oakwithin northern Wisconsin exists due to an ecologicalcoincidence; a mix of hardwood trees sprouted after thePinery era in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Forestfires in the 1920’s and 1930’s killed many of thehardwood trees, but allowed oak to survive since its barkis resistant to fire. This area was thinned in 2008 andwill be every 15-20 years until about 130 years of age,after which, it will need to be harvested and a new oakforest grown on this site.

13. Northern Hardwood ManagementThis is an area of northern hardwood timber type.Northern hardwood sites are generally dominated bysugar maple, basswood, ash, oak and yellow birch.These forests are generally thinned every 15 years. Eachthinning opens small gaps in the canopy allowingnorthern hardwood to regenerate in the understory.

Northern hardwood are more tolerant of shadedconditions and each thinning creates a new “age class”of forest.

14. Tranus Lake Natural AreaThis site marks the western boundary of the Tranus LakeState Natural Area on the Washburn County Forest.Tranus Lake is a 174 acre shallow lake with abundantvegetation, including native wild rice.

15. Biological Community ChangeWisconsin can be split into numerous ecologicallandscapes. This point is a general boundary betweenthe Northwest Sands and North Central Forestlandscapes. To the south, you will see sandier soils andforests dominated by pine trees. To the north you willsee heavier soils and forests more dominated by aspenand hardwood.

16. Red Pine ManagementThis is a forest of planted red pine. Red pine wasgenerally planted in areas of old farm fields or in somecases replanted on poor quality sites for other species.Red pine was planted on this site in 1976. Once theseforests reach 30 years of age, they are thinned every 8to 10 years until they reach 120 to 140 years of age, atwhich time they will be harvested and re-planted.

21. Excursion Train Hop on board a historic train car and take a tour ofWisconsin’s beautiful Northwoods. Wisconsin GreatNorthern Railroad is a historical excursion trainoperating on approximately 20 miles of former Chicago& North Western track between the Northern Wisconsintowns of Spooner/Trego and Springbrook along thepicturesque Namekagon River.

22. Giant Cowboy The giant cowboy on the North side of Spooner hasmade Spooner his home for over 40 years. He startedout at Mel’s Truck Stop on the south end of Spooner. Inrecent years, he moved to his current residence wherehe stands proudly at Bulik’s Amusement Center andreminds passersby of the annual professional rodeo heldin Spooner every July.

23. Spooner Railroad Park The City of Spooner was once a major hub of railroadactivity for the four original rail lines, Chicago, St. Paul,Minneapolis and Omaha in the Northwest Region of thestate; the crossing of these major lines quickly earnedthe name of “the great Omaha X.” With so many trainsand rail lines being laid through the area, Spooner(originally known as the Chandler settlement), built adepot in 1902 along with a 26 stall roundhouse andturntable. A fire in 1925 destroyed a large portion of theroundhouse, leaving only seven stalls standing next tothe turntable. A majority of the original Chicago &Northwestern Depot still stands and is home to theRailroad Memories Museum.

24. Long Lake: Walleye Capital of Wisconsin Over 19 miles in length, Long Lake is known as theWalleye Capital of Wisconsin. This picturesque springfed 3,300 acre lake is located in the southeastern part ofWashburn County. Created by glaciers millions of yearsago, it reaches depths of over 70 feet. Long Lake’s cooldeep bays, gravel bars and rocky shorelines provideexcellent walleye structure.

OVER 35 POINTS OF INTEREST

WASHBURNCOUNTY.ORG |800-367-3306

PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL NEED A COPY OF THE OFFICIALWASHBURN COUNTY ATV MAP TO NAVIGATE THE TRAIL SYSTEM.

25. Homestead Site This brushy area once contained a farm and a home.Little is known about the history of this specific site, butthere are remnants of foundations in this area and onthousands like it across northern Wisconsin. Farmingattempts here probably date back to the mid 1930’s.Over time, little evidence is left and forests willeventually take over this site once again.

26. Grouse Management Unit This sign marks the southern boundary of the HarmonLake Grouse Management unit. Aspen forests withinthis unit are managed to create a range of aspen forestages and sizes. This diversity provides ideal grousehabitat as well as a wide range of non-game species thatrely on young forests to survive.

27. White Birch Management This is a forest with an abundance of white birch trees.White birch is a pioneer species and grows on recentlydisturbed ground. Historically, wildfires created seedbedconditions for white birch. On this site, ground was churnedup with a dozer blade, allowing white birch to grow.

28. Beaver Brook Wildlife Area Beaver Brook Wildlife Area is a 1,964 acre propertylocated in south central Washburn County. Beaver Brookis one of the area’s premiere Class I brook and browntrout streams, fed along its course by 10 spring pondsand many bank seeps. Numerous wetlands associatedwith the brook, springs and lakes can be foundthroughout the property. Red oak stands, aspen, mixedhardwoods, upland and lowland brush, swamphardwood and conifer, tamarack, pine, old fields andopenings make up the other habitats of the wildlife area.Remnants of several homesteads can be found on theproperty, and remnants of an old logging dam built in1870 and removed in 1910 are still visible near themouth of Beaver Brook.

17. Lampson “Mall” If you’re looking for a great photo opportunity, be sureto visit the Lampson “Mall”, Lampson’s claim to fame.

18. Hendricks Memorial This area of red pine is designated as a memorial toJoseph Hendricks and the Hendricks Family. Joe spentmost of his life as a logger, harvesting many timber saleson the Washburn County Forest. The memorialrecognizes his and his family’s conservation ethic. Thered pine on this site was planted in 1951 and the firstthree thinnings were harvested by Joe Hendricks.

19. Jack Pine Management This is a forest of young jack pine trees. Historically, jackpine needed forest fires to regenerate, but today forestmanagers rely on ground disturbance with mechanicalequipment to grow new jack pine forests. This site wasprepared and harvested in 2013.

20. Namekagon River: Wisconsin’s Moving National Park The Namekagon River is a nearly 100 mile long riverwhich is a tributary to the St. Croix River and is protectedunder the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Most ofthe Namekagon portion of the river way is undeveloped,offering kayakers and canoeists a genuine wildernessexperience. The riverbanks are abundant with deer,muskrat, beaver, turtles and blue herons. Here on theGreat South Bend of the Namekagon was a naturalcamp-site, home of a band of Chippewa Indians and longused by explorers, missionaries, and fur-traders travelingthe Namekagon route between the St. Croix andChippewa rivers. During the 1870’s, ox teams hauledlogging supplies on the tote road from Stillwater toVeazie Settlement, located two miles upriver where thegreat Veazie Dam impounded water for log drives downthe Namekagon to Stillwater, MN.

ATV SCENICTOUR

ATV SCENICTOUR

ATV Tour Brochure 2020 NEW FONT.qxp_Layout 1 5/13/20 1:39 PM Page 1

39

23

34

35

29. Washburn County ForestA majority of the ATV trails in Washburn County lie onCounty Forest lands. The Washburn County Forest hasexisted since 1929, when the county first tookpossession of abandoned properties under taxdelinquency. Today, the Washburn County Forest is150,000 acres and part of a larger County Forest systemtotaling 2.4 million acres. These lands are sustainablymanaged for forest products along with a wide varietyof recreational opportunities, such as the ATV trail youare riding. These lands are established under apermanent program within Wisconsin Statutes calledthe County Forest Law.

30. Stone ArchwayIf you’re feeling adventurous and want to stretch yourlegs, carefully make your way down the side of therailroad grade to view a hand-crafted stone archway thatserves as a bridge over a dry wash (drains water duringspring months.) This archway appears to be hand-crafted and fitted with limestone which is not readilyavailable anywhere in Washburn County. A walk throughthis archway will have you feeling like you’re steppingback in time. Be sure to notice the unique fitting ofblocks in to the curved ceiling.

31. Shell Lake’s Two Tailed WalleyeShell Lake’s mascot, the walleye, is located along Hwy63 greeting visitors to this beautiful downtown parkarea. You are sure to notice that there is somethingspecial about this fish; not only does he have one tail,he has two!

32. Birchwood: Bluegill Capital of WisconsinThe southeastern portion of Washburn County, and theWashburn County Forest, lies within a geographical areatermed the Birchwood Lakes. There are more than 125lakes larger than 10 acres within this area. Many of thelakes are extremely deep (over 60 feet) and most havepopulations of panfish and bass. The lakes were formedduring the last glacial period on terminal end moraines.One unique feature of many of the deeper lakes is thatthey are set in sheltered basins with heavily timberedshorelines. This particular lake is Elbow Lake and has apublic boat launch.

33. Berry Road Rest AreaIn 2012, Washburn County constructed a trailhead andrest area at this location using user generated ATV grantfunds. The facility includes a bathroom, pavilion,parking area, fire rings, grills, and picnic tables.

34. Town of SaronaThe first settler arrived in what would soon be Saronain 1898. The town was partially named after the firstresident, Fran Sauer. With abundant farmland and therail line passing through, Sarona was once a bustlingcommunity. The Post Office was established in 1899and is still in operation.

35. Giant BluegillLocated along the Tuscobia State Trail, this giant bluegillwelcomes you to Birchwood. We’ve affectionatelynamed him Billy and he LOVES getting his picture taken.Be sure to tag us in your photos #WashburnCounty. Billyrepresents the mighty (tasty) bluegill that the Birchwoodarea lakes are so well known for.

36. Muskeg BogThe wetland area

alongside the trailhere is a muskeg,also called a treedbog. There areacidic, sparsely

woodedpeat

swamps. They often contain scattered black spruce andtamarack. They can be home to a number of rare animalsand plants.

37. Casey Creek Casey Creek is a warm water stream that originates atCasey Lake, approximately 2 miles upstream from thispoint. It feeds into Deer Lake, just downstream from thispoint. Casey Creek is one of the major tributaries to theNamekagon National Scenic River, just 4 milesdownstream from here.

38. McKenzie CreekA tributary to the McKenzie Lake Chain, McKenzie Creekis a Class I trout stream. The McKenzie Lake Chainconsists of Lower, Middle and Big McKenzie andare connected by McKenzie Creek.

39. Town of TregoOriginally named Superior Junction, its name changedto Trego in roughly 1906. The first store and post officein Superior Junction were built in 1886. For many years,Trego was a major hub for blueberry shipments to thetwin cities. The State Bank of Trego building, built in1910, is still standing as a reminder of Trego's longhistory.

ATV Tour Brochure 2020 NEW FONT.qxp_Layout 1 5/13/20 1:39 PM Page 2