Of all the Paths
you take in life,

MAKE SURE A FEW OF THEM ARE DIRT

NATIONAL FORESTS

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest

Ottawa National Forest

The call of the wild is easy to answer in Land O’ Lakes. The community is flanked by vast national forests that beckon those who crave a true wilderness experience. Just east of town you’ll find the Nicolet National Forest, a 661,400-acre woods that stretches across six Wisconsin counties. To the west is the 858,400-acre Chequamegon National Forest, which also covers six counties. Just to the north across the Wisconsin/Michigan border, you can find the Ottawa National Forests with more than 500 lakes, nearly 2,000 miles of streams and rivers and a waterfall trail you must see to believe. You can take your pick of local roads into these wild lands. Just follow one of the byways that trace the heart of forest. On warm days, roll down your window and hear nothing but the sound of the wind rushing through the millions trees.

RIVERS

Headwaters of the Wisconsin River

East of Land O’ Lakes you’ll find a place where you can paddle through time. Lac Vieux Desert is the headwaters of the mighty Wisconsin River. For centuries, this is a place where great paddling adventures began. The name was given by French fur trappers who translated the name from the Ojibwe language, “Lake of the Old Clearing” or “Old Garden.” Paddling journeys still start at the headwaters. Lac Vieux Desert is one of the largest lakes in the area, at 4,260 acres. It’s so large it spills across the border, into the state of Michigan. The lake feeds the 430-mile Wisconsin River, which is the state’s largest river and a major tributary of the Mississippi River.

Middle Branch Ontonagon River

Long before there were roads in the Northwoods, travelers used the Ontonagon River to explore the region. Today the Middle Branch Ontonogan River takes a new generation of explorers through the Ottawa National Forest. It’s a rare and special river that’s protected as part of the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System. Less than ¼ of 1 percent of the country’s rivers have this honor. It’s more than a title: it means that when you paddle this river, you’ll discover waters that are wild, beautiful and timeless.

You’ll find nine miles of paddling before Mex-i-min-e-falls and 11 additional miles that will take you all the way to the Bond Flowage. There are some moderate rapids and quiet pools for fishing. To get to the river from Land O’ Lakes, take Highway 45 north for 8.2 miles and cross Highway 2. Just before a bridge, you’ll see a parking area on the right. There are several points on the river where you can leave a pick-up vehicle, or you can rent canoes, kayaks or arrange for a pick-up at Sylvania Outfitters, which is located a mile west of Watersmeet on Highway 2.