Hiking

Discover the Best Hiking Trails in Hayward and Sawyer County

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Because hiking can be an all-year-long hobby, there are endless possibilities in our area for this sport.

You can choose from every level of difficulty, whether it’s a short, casual walk around town or some challenging hills in a town forest or county park. Right across the road from the half-mile gravel Library Nature Trail is the wooded, eight-mile Hospital Trail system.  In addition to the fifty miles of hiking trails within five miles of Hayward, the neighboring Chequamegon National Forest offers 850,000 acres to explore and many miles of trails to hike.  Beyond that, it’s a short jaunt to the North Country Scenic Trail or the rugged Superior Hiking Trail.

Our area is loaded with rolling hills, gorgeous woods, and pristine lakes, rivers, and streams.  Check out the trails described on this page, view some of them in the hiking brochure you see here, or just stop in the Visitor Center and talk to us about finding the right hike for you! 

Hayward hiking

Trails

Trail Options: Point to point Birkie trail from Cable to Hayward, 42km. Point to point Birkie Classic Trail from Cable to Cty. OO, 27km. Numerous loop options between Cty. OO and the North End Cabin Trail Head.

Fees: $10.00 daily/$50.00 annual per vehicle. $50.00 daily per bus – Fish Hatchery Park, Mosquito Brook, County Road OO, and North End Cabin trail heads.

Facilities: Trail Heads: Fish Hatchery Park – parking, pit toilet, warming building, food/lodging and ski shop nearby; Mosquito Brook – parking, pit toilet; OO – parking, pit toilet, warming building, water, food and ski shop nearby, OO south 5km of lighted loops; North End Cabin- parking, pit toilet, warming building, food and lodging nearby.

Directions: Fish Hatchery Park: USH 63 one mile north of Hayward to USH 77, east on 77 for 3 miles to Fish Hatchery Rd., turn left 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 Firelane 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; OO: USH 63 10 miles north to Cty. OO, turn right/east and drive 3.5 miles to Trail head; North End Cabin: From Hayward take USH 63 north for 17 miles to Cable. From Cable take Cty. Hwy. M east 0.2 miles to Randysek Rd., turn right/south and follow Randysek Rd. 2 miles to Trail head.

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), groomed for skate and classic skiing in the winter.  Narrower snowshoe trail (2 miles), 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.

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: .4km, 1.15km, 1.9km loops groomed for skating and classical. Trails connect to American Birkebeiner Ski Trail.

Fees: $10.00 daily/$50.00 annual per vehicle. $50.00 daily per bus.

Facilities: Parking, warming building, water, restroom. Food, lodging, ski shop nearby in Hayward. All trails are lit from dusk to 10pm.

Directions: USH 63 north from Hayward to Hwy. 77. Turn right/east on Hwy. 77 for 4 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: .25, .45, .43, .35, .75, .36 and .27 

Fees: n/a

Facilities: Parking, privy, gazebo

Directions: From Hayward South on HWY 27.  5 miles turn right on Henk Road.

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: 2km loop, 3km loop – Easy, Lake Loop to an overall distance of nearly 7 miles.

Fees: Donations accepted.

Facilities: Parking. Food, lodging, ski shop nearby in Hayward.

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 to the north with access to the southern trail loops.  You may continue to Olson Road and then left, parking along the road near the trail gate for closer access to the eastern/northern trail loops that are hillier.

Located behind the Weiss Community Library at 10788 State Road 27/77. This 1/2 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. Kiosks along the trail provide information about the things you will see. 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 715-634-2161.

This paved trail is open to all non-motorized forms of travel including walking, biking, jogging, roller-blades 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 at Hayward Wesleyan Church, Walmart, Fishing Hall of Fame, Hayward High School and the Sevewinds Casino. Click here to order a map.

Trail Options: Loops of 2.3, 4.4, 7.5 and 13.6km. Groomed for skating and classical.

Fees: $3.00 daily/ $10.00 annual parking fee.

Facilities: Parking, pit toilet.

Directions: From Hayward drive 18.5 miles east on Hwy. 77. From Cable take Hwy. 63 south to Co. Hwy. OO in Seeley and follow OO 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: One 10km loop with two shorter cutoffs. Skating and classical. New classic only Trail. Degree of difficulty: intermediate.

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. Food, lodging nearby. Trails connect to American Birkebeiner Trail and Telemark Resort. Three snowshoe Trails begin at same Trail head.

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.

Facilities: Bathroom available, no water.

Directions: From Hayward, go N on 63 to Cable. Take a right on M, and the Trailhead is about 8 miles E. of Cable, on your right. Look for the brown sign saying “Rock Lake Trail”. Rock Lake contains beautiful Trails in the area. Hilly, through mixed woods and around clear, spring-fed lakes. Bathroom available, no water.

Fees: No fees, donations are accepted.

Facilities: warming building, water, restroom, and parking. All trails are lighted from dusk until 10 p.m.

Directions: Follow US HWY 63 to Seeley (10 miles N of Hayward). Turn east on County Hwy OO. Go ½ mile to Old OO. Turn right and continue 1.5 miles to parking lot on the right.

For more information call New Moon Ski and Bike at 715-634-8685