Explore the best rated trails in Lac Du Flambeau, WI, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Western Gateway Trail and Plum Lake Trail . With more than 18 trails covering 465 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Awesome trails and camping! Was able to explore the northern part of the NHAL state forest. Crystal, Sandy Beach, and Starrett Lakes we camped at. Bike camped and was able to roll up day of n get sites. Crystal is one of the biggest and nosiest. The trail is super fun with rolling hills. The towns in between are very neat, ice cream in abundance lol. Couldn’t have had a better time.
I rode the trail from Mercer to Manitowish Waters. The trail was fine and I loved cycling through the forest. My only issue is there was no signage indicating the end of the segment or how/where to continue on to the next segment. The trail just stopped. I saw a sign to my right which said "bicycles stay right and ride single file" and assuming it was the trail I took it. About a mile later I figured out it was not the trail and doubled back, called my sister to pick me up and abandoned my ride. Hopefully the remaining segments will be more clearly marked and I can continue the trail without issue.
We parked at Kohler Memorial Park. It is a very nice park with indoor plumbing. Headed out East and missed our turn, not really the fault of the trail as it was marked. There were other trail markers for activities going on in the area, that confused us as to which way to go. We were off track about a mile. Once back on the trail we rode out about 8.5 miles. A total of 18.5 miles out and back. As more trails are added in this area watch the markers carefully to stay on the trail you want. The trail is 100% paved. It isn't real wide and winds through wooded areas. As it is a popular trail, ride on the right side only and single file with a group. When winding you cannot see what is coming toward you. Several times riders coming towards us had to vere to the right to stay on their side of the trail. There are several rolling hills that you can easily coast down and coast partially up and pedal with little effort. (67 & 68 year old on human power bikes did fine). There is a pit toilet about 2 miles from the park. An easy ride.
We parked at the trailhead in Conover. Rode east for 9.5 miles. Approximately the first 4 miles is crushed stone and somewhat loose. My reason for only 4 stars. There are no outhouses in the area we rode. It was a steady climb out. About a mile before our turnaround there was a loose gravel portion with a steady climb that turned to paved with a higher grade. We only rode about 1/2 mile on the paved hills and it was breathtaking. Not in the view sense either. (67 and 68 years riding on human power bikes). The return trip was much easier, the grade allowed for momentum in the climbs going down one hill and up the other with little effort. The trail crosses the highway twice. Both are at straightaways on the road making vehicle traffic visible to safe crossing.
We parked at the Dairy Queen Trailhead in Eagle River. There are mile markers every 1/2 mile. We biked out 9.25 miles to the 3.5 mile marker. The bridges were well kept. Three paved hills on the trail were manageable by two retirees ( 67 & 68) on human power bikes. The trail is well groomed. It is crushed gravel. The off trail road portion is 1.5 miles with mild rolling hills the entire way. There is an outhouse about 3 miles from Eagle River and another about 8 miles from Eagle River. The path winds through the woods with 1-2 open areas. It is fairly level other than the three paved hills previously mentioned. There are gates at the crossroads the first 3 miles open enough for a bike to get through, but not enough for an ATV. There are no crossroads after about 5.5 miles when back on the trail from the road portion.
I rode this trail once to complete the last section of the 52 miles of the Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail System. The 2 1/2 mile section that is right next to the Manitowish Waters trail is excellent. From the Town Hall on Hwy 51,go west and cross the Manitowish river, then cross Co. Hwy 51. Follow the trail until you come out at Angler's bar. This section is filled with woods and a bridge and is so fun to ride through. It shouldn't be missed, it is beautiful. I would pass on the rest of the trail as you head west. It gets worse and worse as you ride. They have you going on a lot of access roads that are really boring. Once you get to Mercer there is another really boring road to ride on going into town. My advice would be to ride the first part of this trail until it connects back up to the Manitowish Waters trail at Angler's bar. Then continue on the Manitowish Waters trail and even the Crystal Lake trail, they are both outstanding and way better than the western part of the Mercer trail.
Beautiful fall colors this weekend. We had a great walk along this awesome trail
We thought the trail was in great shape. We rode it in September of 2023 on gravel bikes. It was leaf covered which had us worried after the other reviews, but we did not encounter any ruts or washouts. There were a few short segments that were also ATV trails, but they were in great shape and not rutted. I would not ride a road bike on this trail, but it is great for any bike with wider tires—I think we have 34s on our gravel bikes. I submitted two pictures and accidentally said they were from October 2023 when they were really from late September 2023. We are camping and I haven’t been thinking about dates!
This is a beautiful trail and well maintained. We rode from our cabin just outside of Phelps to Conover. The trail was quiet and peaceful. Lunch at the Boathouse in Conover was delicious and the service and atmosphere outstanding. The return ride was equally enjoyable. Perfect on a beautiful fall day.
I biked most of the length of the trail while on a long-distance tour. With 1.5" tires it was challenging to get through, and sometimes nearly impassable. The gravel shoulder of Highway 13 is easier traveling, honestly. The surface isn't crushed limestone. It's made of loose gravel and stones up to 1"—basically the same as the ag roads in the area. I would only recommend this if you are on an unloaded mountain bike or fat tire bike.
That said, it is flat, straight, and low-traffic in a beautiful area.
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