Price County
Attractions
Located in the heart of north
central Wisconsin's great vacationland, Price County was the land of the Ojibway
before European settlers came to the area. Discovered by French fur traders and
explorers, this land and all of the territory west of the Great Lakes were
claimed for France by Nicholas Perrot in 1686. For the next two centuries, the
county's forests and waterways hosted a succession of itinerant hunters,
trappers, traders, lumberjacks and adventurers.
The county's past is well
remembered and preserved in area museums, historic sites, heritage and nature
centers. Artifacts of the ancient and recent past are displayed in historic
buildings. Visitors are encouraged to surround themselves in living history on
pioneer farmsteads, in logging works and protected remnants of the great pine
forest. Live in the past; stop in at an historic tavern, town hall, general
store or post office; visit the offices of a century-old paper mill or relax in
a Victorian-era family's living room.
Today, Price County is once again
richly forested, filled with wildlife and alive with Northwoods music; bald
eagles' cries, critters rustling through the underbrush, coyotes howling at the
moon, owls calling and beavers working in their lumber yards at night, whitetail
deer snorting softly and bounding away through the brush, woodpeckers drilling
for grubs, songbirds marking their territory, grouse drumming-up their mates in
Spring and loons calling in the morning mist. The forests are crisscrossed with
miles and miles of hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing,
snowmobiling, ATV and equestrian trails. Motorists will find more than 2,000
miles of State, County, Town, and Forest roads winding through the forest
wonderland.
No longer choked with millions of
logs heading to market, the county's rivers, streams and logging ponds are prime
recreational waters, full of fish, with hundreds of miles of canoe trails
offering gently flowing stretches perfect for beginners as well as whitewater
segments to challenge more experienced canoeists and kayakers.
Outdoor enthusiasts have many
activities to choose from in Price County, including camping, hiking, nature
study, cycling, swimming, boating, sailboarding, sailing, water skiing,
cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ATVing, and horseback riding.
Price County is one of
Wisconsin's favorite hunting destinations; it boasts more ruffed grouse habitat
than any other place in the world, it has a large black bear population and many
acres of public land open to hunting with dogs and bait stations. With more deer
and fewer hunters per acre than almost any other location in the state, Price
County is known for successful hunts and trophy racks. Small game is also
abundant here, including rabbits, squirrels, fox, coyote and fur-bearing
animals.
Price County's many lakes, rivers
and streams provide great variety and abundance of fish, including Northern
Pike, Walleye, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, and panfish. Lunker Muskies lurk
in the county's many "Class All Muskie Lakes. The North and South Forks of
the Flambeau River add Lake Sturgeon to the mix of species available here, and
the county's ponds and streams are jumping with Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout.
Vacationing golfers have three
nine-hole courses to choose from in Price County, and more just a few minutes
away. Course amenities include practice ranges, watered fairways, pro shops,
dining and cocktails. The county also boasts two fine bowling centers and other
indoor sports facilities, go-kart tracks, trail riding stables and pony rides.
Treasure hunters enjoy browsing
Price County's many fine antique, gift, art, collectibles and specialty shops
for truly unique, one-of-a-kind acquisitions. Local outdoors outfitters offer a
wide variety of sporting goods, clothing and equipment suitable for every kind
of outdoor activity.
Price County's supper clubs,
family-style restaurants, inns, taverns, resorts and hotels, offer a wide range
of menus served in a variety of settings, from fine ethnic cuisine served under
the stars to made-to-order sandwiches and home made pizzas to picnic on along
the water's edge.
Price County visitors also enjoy
a variety of lodging choices, including housekeeping cabins complete with boats,
motors, linens, and appliances available by the week or month; semi-wilderness
campsites; full service RV Parks and Resorts; pioneer bed and breakfast rooms;
and, modern full-service motels.
Located in the center of
Wisconsin's great northern vacationland, Price County offers great outdoor
adventures and activities for sports enthusiasts and vacationers alike!
Back to top
Museums
and Historic Sites
Knox
Creek Heritage Center
West Knox Road, Brantwood
800-269-4505
Wander back one hundred years through an authentic logging camp kitchen and bunk
room laid out in the Center's Keto House. Then stroll through the Center's turn
of-the century farmstead; visit the historic Spirit Baptist Church; view a
collection of saunas built by 19th century Scandinavian immigrants; explore the
Knox House, a log home built in 1898 by a Finnish immigrant; and celebrate area
history at the Knox Creek Heritage Center's annual "Country Afternoon"
festival. The Center's Heritage Trail, open to hikers and cyclists in summer and
snowmobilers and cross-country skiers in winter, meanders through the Brantwood
area's natural and man-made historical sites, a Christmas tree farm and a
buffalo ranch.
Old
Town Hall Museum
Fifield
715-762-4571
In 1893, a disastrous fire destroyed Fifield's business district, including the
original town hall. In 1894, a second Town Hall was built out of the ashes today
stands two stories tall, with a large meeting/social hall upstairs and local
government offices on the main floor. In 1967, when the town built a third hall,
the Old Town Hall was converted to a museum. Here, visitors will find artifacts
and memorabilia of the area's logging and railroad history; logging camp
equipment and tools, railroad implements and mementos. The museum also includes
a Victorian-era kitchen and living room furnished with authentic 19th Century
heirlooms; collections of everyday living items used by area families from the
earliest pioneering days to the early twentieth century. The museum is open
Fridays and Sundays, 1:00-5:00 p.m. June through Labor Day.
Round
Lake Logging Dam
Forest Road 144, Pike Lake
Constructed in 1878 and fully restored in 1995, this wooden dam raised the
winter water level of Round Lake where millions of board feet of timber hauled
from the forest on sleighs over ice roads were deposited on the frozen surface
of the pool. In spring, when the ice melted, the dam was opened and the logs
were sluiced through to sawmills downstream along the Chippewa and Mississippi
Rivers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Round Lake
Logging Dam is one of the last remaining structures of its kind and a testament
to the skill and ingenuity of its makers. The Round Lake Dam is located 20 miles
east of Fifield off U.S. Forest Road 144, which may be reached from State
Highway 70.
Historic Places Listed on National
Register Price County
Price County's history is also
preserved in a number of architecturally and historically significant buildings
and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including:
Bloom's Tavern, Store, and House,
located on Avon Avenue in Phillips
The Fifield Post Office in downtown Fifield
The Flambeau Paper Company Office Building in Park Falls
The Park Falls Post Office in downtown Park Falls
The Prentice Co-op Creamery Company, Town Street, Prentice
Parks
and Nature Centers Back to top
Chequamegon
National Forest
Price County
715-762-2461 or 715-264-2511
The Chequamegon National Forest, headquartered in Park Falls, has 855,000 acres
of diverse landscapes and ecosystems. Located in Taylor, Price, Sawyer, Ashland
and Bayfield Counties, the Forest offers rolling terrain dotted with crystal
clear lakes, rushing rivers and meandering streams, a variety of scenic
landscapes, rock formations, highland outlooks, varied forest environments,
hundreds of wildlife species; and, hundreds of miles of easy-going to rugged
hiking, mountain biking, cycling and snowmobile trails, five public and four
private campgrounds.
Backcountry camping is permitted
throughout the forest on public land located at least 30 feet from any trail or
waters' edge. Families with young children, and others looking for short and
easy paths through the forest will find several trails with interpretive
stations. All are easily accessible and can be enjoyed in as little as half and
hour.
Skyscraping towers, cliff-lined
gorges and seventy foot waterfalls are found along the forest's more challenging
trails, including the North Country National Scenic Trail, part of a 3,200 mile
trail linking the Appalachian Trail in Vermont with the Lewis and Clark Trail in
North Dakota.
Mountain bike enthusiasts will
find hundreds of miles of mapped and marked trails developed and maintained by
the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association. CAMBA trails are well marked,
"impossible to get lost on," and follow a variety of paths including
logging roads, firelanes, snowmobile trails, ski trails and single tracks.
Hundreds of miles of excellent
trail systems allow snowmobilers to travel the uncrowded solitude of the forest,
over well-groomed logging roads, firelanes and converted railbeds with 200 to
585 foot bridges. In the heart of the forest, the Forest Service maintains an
extensive network of trails that are open for horseback riding. The 12-mile
Horseshoe Lake Saddle Trail, suitable for riders of all abilities, has two
adjoining loops of varying lengths to explore. The U.S. Forest Service also
maintains a number of cross-country ski trail systems in the forest, groomed for
both classical and skate skiing.
In the northern sector of the
forest, families will enjoy canoeing the Namakagon River as it flows south from
Lake Namakagon and the north flowing White River. The Namakagon offers light
rapids with occasional picnic grounds and camping areas along the shore. The
White is a slower, meandering river with a deeper basin. Forest lakes and
streams provide angling thrills for novice and expert alike. Lake Namakagon is
one of three Wisconsin lakes managed for trophy musky production; regularly
yielding 40+ inchers. Lake Owen has walleye, too, and is known for its
outstanding bass and northern yield. Forest streams yield brook trout, rainbows
and browns. Crappies and other panfish are plentiful in all of the forests
waters, including the many wilderness lakes that are only accessible by foot and
best fished by belly boat. In winter, of course, the fish are available through
the ice. Ice fishing equipment is available for rent in nearby boat, bait and
tackle shops.
Forest woodlands offer great
hunting with little competition from others. In season, whitetail deer, black
bear, ruffed grouse, and waterfowl are most commonly hunted. But, the forest
also yields woodcock, gray squirrel, snowshoe hare, fox and coyote.
Private campgrounds located on
the shores of the Forest's lakes offer boat ramps, sandy beaches, boat, motor
and canoe rentals, electrical hookups, water, showers and flush toilets.
Flambeau
River State Forest
W1613 Cty. Rd. W, Winter
715-332-5271
Located in Ashland, Iron, Price, Sawyer and Rusk Counties, this 90,000-acre
state forest folds around the Flambeau River, the Midwest's "premier white
water river". Richly forested and abundant with wildlife of every
description, this park provides unique wilderness experiences for the whole
family and people of all ages. Pack-it-in, pack-it-out semi-wilderness no-fee
campsites are available along the North Fork of the River. Two rustic
campgrounds are available in the park; and, on the north shore of Connors Lake,
the park provides picnic facility, beach and boat landing. With 14 miles of
hiking/mountain biking trails, 55 miles of snowmobile trails, 22 miles of
groomed cross-country ski trails, and 38 miles of ATV trails, the forest
provides year 'round recreation for outdoor enthusiasts. Open to public fishing
and hunting, the forest's lakes and streams offer musky, walleye, bass and
panfish, while the woods and wetlands provide superior waterfowl, grouse, deer,
black bear and small game hunting.
Timm's Hill County Park
Cty. Hwy. C and Wis. Hwy. 86, 6 mi. east of Ogema 715-339-4505
At 1,951.5 ft. above sea level, Timm's Hill is the highest point in Wisconsin
and the vistas from the observation tower atop the hill are spectacular. In
fall, the surrounding forest of ash, basswood, birch and sugar maple burst into
a riotous show of crimson, gold, red, russet, and yellow foliage. Bordered by
two deep spring-fed lakes, Bass Lake on the south and Timm's Lake on the north,
this park is a favorite spot for panfish and Bass fishing. On Bass Lake, fishing
is great from the park's public pier, and the beach is great for a family swim
or a lazy day on the sand. In addition to the observation tower, the park
provides walking and cross-country ski trails, a picnic shelter, drinking water,
a children's playground, toilets and a memorial to the area's earliest settlers.
The park also includes the Timm's Hill Trail, a non-motorized trail connecting
to the Ice Age Trail.
Big Falls County Park
10 miles south of Kennan
715-339-6361
Aptly named for the rapids and big waterfall on the scenic Jump River, this park
offers hiking adventure trails, fishing, four choice campsites, drinking water,
vault toilets, playground, picnic tables, grills and a shelter.
Wildlife
Adventure Areas
Price County
715-339-4505/800-269-4505
The U.S. Forest Service,
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Price County Forestry Department
manage nine wildlife adventure areas in Price County, each featuring different
plant, bird and animal communities. The U.S. Forest Service also provides maps
for auto touring the area's wildlife communities and scenic viewing spots. For
Forest Service Tour maps call 715-762-2461. Price County wildlife adventure
areas include:
Big
Falls Park Steve Creek
11 miles south of Kennan
The Steve Creek area of this park, operated by Price County Forestry features
both red and white pine stands, bald eagles, whitetail deer, views of the south
fork of the Jump River, and dramatic evidence of the devastating 1991 windstorm.
Camp 5
Waterfowl Dam
10 miles northwest of Phillips
Operated by Price County Forestry, this area provides miles of non-motorized
trails for up-close viewing of stately red pine, native fur-bearing animals,
waterfowl, upland game birds and picturesque surroundings.
Cranberry
Creek Waterfowl Dam
5 miles south of Phillips
Also operated by Price County Forestry, this area features large tracts of
aspen, native fur-bearing animals, waterfowl and upland game birds.
Hogsback
Ridge Trail
7 miles east of Fifield
Operated by the U.S. Forest Service, this area features a picnic/shelter at the
Wintergreen Trail Chalet and abundant ferns, pine and birch ridges, songbirds
and raptors, scenic trail climbs and rocky ridge walks.
Kimberly-Clark
Wildlife Area
16 west of Phillips
Managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, this area features a
sharp-tail grouse observation blind. (To reserve the blind contact the DNR at
715-762-4684.) In addition to sharp-tail grouse, the area's inhabitants include
sandhill cranes, eagles, osprey, herons, deer, black bear, grassland songbirds,
roughleg and sparrow hawks.
Popple
Creek Watchable Wildlife Trail
13 miles east of Fifield
Located near the Wilson Flowage, this trail brings viewers within close range of
an active osprey nesting platform, a variety of songbird species, and active
beaver colonies. Interpretive signs along the trail direct viewers' attention to
significant wildlife features.
Riley
Lake Wildlife Management Area
12 miles southeast of Fifield
Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, this area features sharp-tail grouse, black
bear, deer, upland game birds and songbirds. A sharp-tail grouse viewing blind
may be reserved by calling 715-762-2461. Good outdoor skills are useful here.
The trail is open Spring, Summer and Winter.
Spring
Creek Wildlife Area
3 miles south of Phillips
Operated by the Wisconsin Department of natural Resources, this area features
extensive wild rice beds, ruffed grouse, spring creeks, various waterfowl
including ducks and loons, ospreys, fur-bearing animals, deer, black bear, and
songbirds.
Squaw
Creek Waterfowl Dam
2 miles east of Phillips
Managed by Price County Forestry, this area features camping and picnic areas at
nearby Solberg Lake County Park, tall virgin red pine, native furbearing
animals, waterfowl and upland game birds.
North
Fork Water Trail
Park Falls
One of the most popular wilderness river runs in the Midwest, the North Fork
Water Trail flows for fifty miles across the northeast corner of Price County,
from the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage in Iron County, through Park Falls and on to
the Flambeau State Forest in neighboring Sawyer County. On the Turtle-Flambeau
Flowage to Park Falls segment of the river, the river runs fast through
twenty-three rapids, delivering challenging whitewater thrills. As it approaches
Park Falls, the current slows and the river meanders on to the Flambeau Forest
where it regains its momentum and rushes on through the forest. Resorts and
outfitters located along the trail provide guides, equipment and shuttle
services for day trips or longer excursions along the entire length of the
river. Boat and canoe landings, picnic and camping sites are also found at about
half-day intervals along the way.
Points
of Interest
Back to top
Wisconsin
Concrete Park
State Hwy. 13, south of Phillips
715-339-6371
In 1950, 65 year-old former lumberjack, tavern keeper, farmer and dance hall
musician Fred Smith began to create a collection of cement statuary depicting
his view of local, national and worldwide culture. Building his figures on
wooden frames wrapped with mink wire covered with hand-mixed cement and
decorated with bits of colored glass, mirrors, metal and stone, Smith enlisted
the help of friends and neighbors to transport and assemble the massively heavy
pieces on their footings. Before his death in 1976, Fred Smith created more than
200 figures, including deer and other native wildlife, an eight-horse brewery
wagon hitch, two larger-than-life lumberjacks, Ben Hur, Sacajawea, Paul Bunyan,
Abraham and Mary Lincoln, friends and mythical and legendary creatures.
Widely acclaimed as one of
America's most important folk art collections, Wisconsin Concrete Park was
purchased by the Kohler Foundation shortly after the artist's death and later
deeded to Price County. Maintained by the Forestry and Tourism Departments with
assistance from the Friends of Fred Smith, Inc., the park is open daily during
daylight hours year 'round. The site offers free parking, a nature trail and
outdoor restrooms. Visitors and donations are welcome.
Timm's
Hill
Wisconsin's Highest Geographic Point
East of Ogema on St. Highway 86 to Cty. C, South
Standing 1951.5 ft. above sea level, Timm's Hill offers unparalleled panoramic
views of the spectacular countryside.
Smith
Rapids Covered Bridge
U.S. Forest Rd. 148, northeast of Fifield
Built by the U.S. Forest Service
using glue-laminated lumber and a diamond-shaped truss pattern designed by
Ithiel Town in the 1820's, the Smith Rapids Bridge is the first Town Lattice
Bridge to be constructed in Wisconsin in more than 100 years. Spanning 90 ft.
across the South Fork of the Flambeau River, this picture-perfect covered bridge
is a romantic reminder of the area's 19th century past.
Lidice
Memorial
Sokol Park, Phillips
Price County's Czech-Slovak Community honors the memory of Lidice, a
Czechoslovakian village leveled by the Nazis on June 10, 1942 with this monument
erected in Phillips' Sokol Park.
Back to top
|
