Hiking
Discover the Best Hiking Trails in Hayward and Sawyer County
Because hiking can be an all-year-long hobby, there are endless possibilities in our area for this sport.
Whether you’re looking for a tough running workout or a leisurely stroll in the woods, the Hayward Lakes area has you covered. Maps of all of the following trails are available at the Hayward Information Center, 15805 US Hwy. 63, Hayward.
Trails
Trail Options: Point to point Birkie trail from Cable to Hatchery Creek County Park, 41km (25.5 miles) by Skate Trail, or 44K (27.3 miles) by Classic Trail. Various smaller loops and out-and-back options exist; see the map at www.birkie.com. Almost all of the Birkebeiner trail system is hilly.
Fees: Fees are required to use the Birkie Trail November through April; see www.birkie.com for more information. For hiking outside of those months, no fee is required.
Facilities: Trail Heads:
Hatchery Creek County Park – parking, pit toilet, warming building, hot and cold water.
Mosquito Brook – parking, pit toilet, hot and cold water.
Gravel Pit Road – parking, warming hut, cold water.
OO – parking, flush toilets, warming building, water, vending machines.
Mt. Telemark Village – parking, flush toilets, warming building, coffee shop, vending machines.
Directions (from the Hayward Information Center):
Hatchery Creek County Park: Take USH 63 one mile north to USH 77, right/east on 77 for 3 miles to Hatchery Rd., turn left/north and go 1 mile to Trail head.
Mosquito Brook: From Hayward, take USH 63 north 2.9 miles to Phipps Rd., turn right/east, go 1.7 miles to Phipps Fire Lane at Phipps Tavern. Turn right/east, go 0.4 miles to Mosquito Brook Rd. Turn right/south, go 0.8 miles to the Trail head.
Gravel Pit Road: Take USH 63 north one mile, then right/east on Hwy. 77. In about 10 miles, you’ll pass the Twin Lakes Tap; about a quarter mile east of there, turn left/north on Pit Rd. Follow this winding gravel road for approx.. three miles to the trailhead on the right.
OO: Take USH 63 10 miles north to Cty. OO, turn right/east and drive 3.5 miles to the trailhead. There are a couple of less-hilly loops available by the trailhead.
Mt. Telemark Village: Take USH 63 north 20 miles to Cable, then right/east on Co. Hwy. M. In 2 miles, turn right/south on Telemark Rd. Continue on Telemark Rd. for approx.. 3 miles to the Great Hall/warming building.
For more information please call the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation at 715-634-5025 or visit www.birkie.com
Trail Options: Wide, grassy ski trail (2+ miles) is also great for hiking. Narrower snowshoe trail (2 miles) features more challenging footing. Both trails have rolling hills. Highlights include a prairie area and a lake/marsh, both good spots to view birds and wildlife. You’ll find a trail map at almost every intersection.
Fees: None.
Facilities: Parking, pavilion, warming cabin, pit toilet. Sledding hill in winter.
Directions: From Arrow Building Center in Hayward, follow Vermont Ave. west. At the stop sign at the top of the hill, continue west on Johnson St., which eventually becomes County Hill Rd. Continue west for another 1.5 miles; Town Forest is on the left, just past the gravel pit.
Trail Options: Several small loops available; a map is at the warming hut/pavilion. Total mileage of trails within the park is about 2.5 miles. Trails connect to American Birkebeiner Ski Trail. A singletrack CAMBA (mountain bike) trail goes northward from the park; you may hike it any time of year, but be alert and yield to bikes.
Fees: There is no fee to use the trails within the park. Using the Birkie Trail November through April requires a fee; details are at www.birkie.com. If you use the singletrack bike trail, it would be neighborly to either join CAMBA or make a small donation—see www.cambatrails.org.
Facilities: Parking, warming building, water, restroom. A refreshingly cold creek is available to soak your feet.
Directions: USH 63 north from Hayward to Hwy. 77. Turn right/east on Hwy. 77 for 3 miles, then turn left/north on Hatchery Road. Parking is in the lot at the top of the hill or at another lot near the pavilion.
Trail Options: Various small loops, ranging from ¼-mile to ¾-mile; total mileage available is about 2.5 miles.
Fees: None
Facilities: Parking, pit toilet, gazebo. Printed maps are usually available by the parking lot.
Directions: From Hayward, go south on HWY 27 for 5 miles, turn right/west on Henks Road. You’ll see the parking lot on the right in about ¼ mile.
Park Hours: 7am – 9 pm
Park rules: Park will be closed to everyone except deer hunters during the 9 day deer season and any special firearms deer season.
- Tree stands fir hunting must be removed daily
- All state and federal hunting laws will be followed
- No trapping
- No damage to property, trees and vegetation
- No smoking
- No alcohol
- No littering
- No horses
- No camping
- No fires
- No overnight parking
- No motorized vehicles except maintenance and emergency vehicles
- Snowmobiles are allowed during the winter season on designated snowmobile trails.
Trail Options: A wide, grassy ski trail offers 6-7 miles of fairly flat hiking, except for hills on the loops designated “Hilly Loop” and “Ox Loop.” A narrower snowshoe/hiking trail offers 3 miles of mostly flat hiking, with a couple of small hills on the northernmost loop (the “Far Out Loop”).
Fees: Donations accepted; envelopes are in the mailbox at the trailhead gate.
Facilities: Parking, portable toilet. Trails are very well-marked, with maps at every intersection.
Directions: From Hayward follow USH 63 north to the intersection with Hwy. 27/77. Turn left/west. Turn right onto Hospital Road, at about 1/2 mile there will be a gravel parking area on the left with access to the trail loops. The snowshoe trail leaves directly from the east end of the parking lot; you access the ski trails by going through the metal gate at the northeast corner of the lot.
Located behind the Weiss Community Library at 10788 State Road 27/77, this ½-mile walking trail takes you through forest and wetland. The terrain is flat, and the path itself has a gravel base. Benches are placed along the trail to take a moment to sit and listen to the birds and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. A sign at the trailhead tells you how to play recorded podcasts by naturalist Emily Stone of the Cable Natural History Museum—these podcasts explain more about what you will see in the park, season by season. Kiosks along the trail provide information about the park and its inhabitants. An observation pier extends into a pond and wetland to allow up-close viewing.
From this trail you can connect to the City of Hayward Pedestrian Trail or the Hospital Ski Trails. For more information, call the Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library at 715-634-2161.
. This paved trail is open to all non-motorized forms of travel including walking, biking, jogging, roller-blading, and skateboarding. Length one way: 6.6 miles. The path is flat to slightly sloped, is separated from traffic, and has safety signals at road crossings. Parking is available at Hayward Wesleyan Church, the Weiss Community Library, the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, Hayward High School, and the Sevenwinds Casino. Click here to order a map, or pick one up at the Hayward Information Center.
Trail Options: Loops of 2.3, 4.4, 7.5 and 13.6km (1.5 miles, 3 mi., 4.5 mi., and 8 mi.)
Fees: $3.00 daily/ $10.00 annual parking fee.
Facilities: Parking, pit toilet. Trails are primarily ski trails and may be overgrown in mid- to late-summer.
Directions:
From Hayward drive 18.5 miles east on Hwy. 77. The trailhead will be on the right (south) side of the highway.
From Cable take Hwy. 63 south to Co. Hwy. OO in Seeley and follow OO east and south to Hwy.77. Turn left/east on 77 for another 7 miles.
For more information call Sawyer County Forestry at 715-634-4821
Trail Options: Loops range from 1.4K (1 mi.) to 8K (5 mi.), with many intersections and options for combining loops. Trails are marked, but it is recommended that you grab a map at the trailhead or from the Hayward Information Center. Terrain is constantly rolling hills—not large, but lots of them.
Fees: $10.00 daily/$50.00 annual per vehicle. $50.00 daily per bus. In addition, passes are good for the Birkie and Birkie Classic Trails at all Birkie Trail Heads – Fish Hatchery Park, Mosquito Brook, and Cty. OO Trail heads.
Facilities: Parking, toilet, warming cabin. Trails connect to American Birkebeiner Trail and Telemark Resort.
Directions: Take County Hwy. M east from Cable. Go 2 blocks and turn right on Randysek Rd. Go 2 miles south to North End Trail Head.
For more information call the North End Ski Club at 715-798-3599.
Trail options: The Rock Lake Ski Trail is a stacked-loop system: successive cutoffs enable you to choose 4K (2.5 mi.), 7K (4.5 mi.), 11.5K (7 mi.), or 16K (10 mi.). There are also CAMBA singletrack trails that frequently intersect with the ski trail, so options abound. If you hike the CAMBA trails, please yield right-of-way to bikers. Trails are well-marked, with map boards at all major intersections.
Fees: This is a US Forest Service fee area: $5 for a day-use fee.
Facilities: Parking and bathroom, no water.
Directions: From Hayward, go north on USH 63 to Cable. Take a right on Co. Rd. M, and the trailhead is about 8 miles east of Cable, on your right. Look for the brown sign saying “Rock Lake Trail”.
Trail options: Loops on the ski trails (wider and grassy trails) range from 5K (3 mi.) to 16K (10 mi.) Singletrack bike trails intersect with these trails frequently, so it’s easy to get lost if you’re not familiar with the system. Take a photo of the map at the trailhead and consult it frequently.
Fees: No fees, donations are accepted.
Facilities: warming building, water, restroom, and parking.
Directions: Follow US HWY 63 to Seeley (10 miles north of Hayward). Turn right/east on County Hwy OO. Go ½ mile to Old OO. Turn right and go 1.5 miles to the parking lot on the right.
For more information call New Moon Ski and Bike at 715-634-8685.
Those wishing to hike in the CNNF should pick up the brochure “Great Divide Ranger District: Hiking, Skiing, and Snowshoeing Trails,” available at the Hayward Information Center or the Great Divide Ranger District station, 10650 Nyman Ave., Hayward.
You’ll also want to load maps of the CNNF from the Avenza maps app, available at www.avenzamaps.com. For more CNNF map options, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/chequamegon-nicolet/maps-guides.