This is a 73 mile tour that begins
in Hayward and passes through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Most of the route is paved; however 12 miles are on gravel roads.
From
the Hayward Area Information Center building drive north on Highway
63 one half mile to the intersection with Highway 77 and turn right
(east). The route follows Highway 77 east over the Namekagon River
and up O'Brien Hill
which is the hill on the east edge of the Namekagon valley about
2 miles into the tour. In the logging days around the turn of the
century O'Brien Hill was famous for the dangerous trip down the
steep grades with heavily loaded sleighs - many were wrecked and
the horses and driver injured or killed.
Turn right (east) on Twin Lakes Road next to Club 77 8.4 miles into
the tour. The tour follows Twin Lakes Road east and in about 3 miles
you cross over the Tiger Cat Flowage. The original Twin Lakes were
to the north (left) of the road but a dam constructed downstream
in 1936 by the WPA program raised the level of the water by 4 feet
flooding marshland and making the present flowage. Twin Lakes Road
ends at a T intersection with County Highway A. Turn left (north)
on A and drive to the intersection of Highways A and 77 which is
known as Dow's Corners. Turn right (east) on Highway 77 and drive
6.8 miles to the intersection with Highway S. Turn right (south)
on S and drive 4 miles to the intersection with the Moose Lake Road.
About one half mile before you reach the Moose Lake Road you cross
the Teal River, known as Tea Creek in the white pine logging days,
one of the many streams used to transport logs to the mill.
On
the left side of the road at the intersection of S and the Moose
Lake Road is a historical marker telling about the 1790 battle between
the Chippewa Indians and an invading band of 700 Sioux warriors
in 200 canoes. Turn left (east) here and follow the Moose Lake Road.
In about 0.7 mile the road surface changes to gravel. At 33.6 miles
into the tour turn right (east) on Forest Road 174.
The area surrounding the intersection is the former location of
CCC Camp Sawyer. Camp Sawyer was built on the remains of an old
Hines Lumber Company camp from about 1914. There is an old stone
fireplace in the woods to the left (west) of the intersection and
two concrete pillars and a sign mark the location of the rest of
the camp to the right. The men in the CCC camp planted trees, built
roads and fought fires. The large plantations of red pine and white
spruce that you pass in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
are testimony to their hard work.
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