Nicolet State Trail

The Nicolet State Trail runs for 90 miles through three counties, numerous small communities and Nicolet National Forest in northeastern Wisconsin. Following a former railroad route used by the timber industry in the late 19th century, the heavily wooded trail begins in Gillett, about 40 miles north of Green Bay, and travels north to the state's border with Michigan, crossing the Brule River on a rehabilitated tressle bridge. On the other side of the border, a spur connects riders to the 107-mile State Line Trail.

Note that, although the trail is open for a variety of uses—including walking, mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing—the trail is most popular for snowmobiling in the winter and ATV riding at other times (permitted in the summer in Oconto county and year-round in Forest and Florence counties).

Parking and Trail Access

Parking is available at either end of the Nicolet State Trail: in Tipler and in Gillett at Zippel Park (150 North McKenzie Avenue), as well as in the numerous communities along the way.

Only for ATVs

January 2020 brandonorser88

Gravel was so deep it was not possible to ride on it. Only seems realistic for ATV vehicles which we saw plenty of. We needed to reroute our course because we could not ride on this trail.

Not for biking

July 2017 kate.s.peyton

This trail is not for biking. At all. Full stop. We picked it as it was listed in a state-issued brochure on bike paths in Wisconsin. This is a shared used trail and, as such, it has basically become ATV only. Loose gravel for most of the trail - absolutely grueling. The trail was so torn up - and the ATVs so numerous and inconsiderate - in Gillett that we got on the trail in Wabeno and made it to Tippler but the trip was grueling. We turned around and came back on state HWYs (139, 8, 32) and even with the intense hills, we made it back in a third of the time. If you bike on this trail, it will be an unpleasant slog.

This may be a fun trail for ATVing, but it isn't that wide so you can't go that fast and it's very hot and dusty.

Wisconsin

2 Reviews