whitewater | Frequent Hiker

Bald Bluff Nature Trail – Palmyra, WI

Bald Bluff Nature Trail is only 13 minutes outside of Whitewater, located in Palmyra, WI. The history of this trail is vast, it is part of the Kettle Moraine Forest Preserve and has some incredible views. The trails are well kept and open year round. Definitely worth the drive.

Pioneers named this hill Bald Bluff because it lacked trees and was covered by prairie grasses and flowers. Though the bluff has grown over in recent years, a small portion of prairie has been preserved as a State Natural Area. It is burned periodically to keep brush and trees from shading out prairie plants. You will see this prairie at the top of the bluff.

John Muir Trail System – Whitewater, WI

The John Muir Trails, N9097 Co Rd H, Whitewater, WI 53190. Only 14 minutes outside of the UW-Whitewater campus is the John Muir Trail System. Which is actually made up of seven trails.

Brown Loop, easy, 1.25 miles: Mostly flat trail with some small rolling hills; two moderate uphill climbs, one fast downhill and a little rocky ending.
White Loop, moderate, 4.25 miles: Moderate hills, some rocky trail sections; one long downhill, one fast steep downhill and one moderate uphill before reconnecting with the brown loop.
Rainy Dew Bypass (purple), hard, 4.7 miles: Moderate trail with a hard rocky up and down hill before reconnecting with the Blue/Green Loops.
Orange Loop, moderate/hard, 5.0 miles: The first half of the trail is the white loop. Includes moderate trail with a hard, long up-hill before reconnecting with the brown loop.
Green Loop, hard/more difficult, 7.0 miles: Moderate trail with very rocky and sandy trail sections; many hard ups and downs, with many fast sections.
Blue Loop, hard/most difficult, 12.0 miles: Hard trail with very rocky section, many hard up hills and several fast down hills.
Skills Course: a very short course to practice trail skills

7a2c03b6-2177-44a7-9a4a-393700bea75f-john-muir-footbridge1 — John Muir Trails

As you can see these trails range from easy to difficult, so there are trails that everyone can enjoy. These trails are available year round and beautiful anytime of the year. More information on the John Muir Trails.

Lake Geneva Canopy Tours – Lake Geneva, WI

The Canopy Tours are one of Lake Geneva’s many adventures. These tours are year round and besides the Canopy Tours include, hiking and biking, high ropes, dual racing zip, and team building.

The Canopy Tours include dual racing zip lines, and arbor trails. The costs for a single adult is $99.99 and for children ages 7-15 $89.99. They also have group rates to save you money!

Canopy Tour Group Rates

7 Days a Week	Adult	*Youth (Ages 7-15)**
Groups of 4-7	$94.99/Person	$84.99/Youth
Groups of 8-16	$89.99/Person	$79.99/Youth

They also have some course outlines included on the website. The link to their website is listed in the top paragraph. If you are to go to the Canopy Tours, I would recommend staying in Lake Geneva for the night and enjoying the whole experience of the city. I am in no way being paid to promote these tours, I just think they are cool!

Devil’s Lake – Baraboo, WI

Located about an hour and a half from Whitewater, WI. Devil’s Lake State Park is a very popular hiking place in Wisconsin. The address for Devil’s Lake State Park is S5975 Park Rd, Baraboo, WI. Devil’s Lake has some of the most amazing views in Wisconsin. Devil’s Lake State Park is apart of the Ice Age Trails and has over 29 miles of scenic hiking available to the public.

According to devilslakewisconsin.com “Trails vary in difficulty from easy to quite challenging. Not all trails are surfaced. Steep climbs or descents and stairways may be encountered. Use caution when on the steep bluffs or near cliffs. Stay well away from cliffs and watch small children closely. There is a 1-mile interpretive nature trail and 1.5 miles of trail that are accessible for people with disabilities.” They also mention that the trails at Devil’s lake are not groomed for winter hiking so this park should be on your list for summer/spring hiking.

Whitewater Nature Preserve – Whitewater, WI

Located just behind Esker, the Whitewater Nature Preserve is about a 2 mile loop of walking trails. Students and locals use these trails for running, and walking. These trails are open year round with a bridge over a small pond as a cool added feature.

This trail is convenient because no matter where you live in Whitewater it is no more than a few miles away. And if you are living in the dorms it is basically in your backyard. I would definitely recommend walking or running on these trails because they have hills for work outs and feature some really cool views when you get into the depths of the trees. Fall is the perfect season for hiking here.

Outer Wear: Long Sleeve, Shorts and running shoes

Music: Rain (feat. Erik Astle) – Karizma

Ice Age National Scenic Trail – Eagle, WI

Just 24 minutes outside of Whitewater, in Eagle, WI, you can find the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. This is a leisurely trail that has some excellent views. This trail is one of 42 designated Wisconsin State trails. And is a trail that your whole family could enjoy.

These trails are named because of the glaciers that were located in the Kettle Moraine area. Some people say this is the best evidence of glaciers that you can witness in Wisconsin. This trail is no longer than 4 miles, but the entire Ice Age Scenic Trail, was established in 1980 and runs about 1,200 miles in total.

kms_700x295 — Ice Age National Scenic Trail

From my personal experience, I went with my family this past summer. This is a beautiful view that you can witness when out on the trail. If you come into the park from Highway 59 and go up to Highway Z its about a 3.1 mile hike. I would recommend doing this hike in the summer rather than the winter months because of the wildlife. The flowers and trees make for vibrant colors and great views. It would still be an excellent hike in the winter months but I’m all about getting the best view.

Outer Wear: Long Sleeve, Shorts, Running Shoes

Music: Clouds Never Get Old – Bas

Bluff Creek Trail – Whitewater Town

A small town just off of highway 12 offers a very unique hiking experience. Bluff Creek trail is on highway P just outside of Whitewater. It is just outside of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, but its also the only completely free trail to hike. You get some really nice views of the Bluff Creek and also some great views of the farm fields around Whitewater. This trail is very mild hiking no big hills or mountains, just a straight walk good for anyone looking to get outside.

Bluff Creek trail is named because of this creek that is located on the trail. When you are on the trail it meets up with the creek about a mile in. After you meet up with the creek you basically just follow the flow of the water down to a random stopping place. They are doing some construction on the trail right now, and I’m hoping they are expanding to make this trail a little more accessible.

Outer Wear: Flannel, Jeans, Boots.

Music: Sleep on the Floor – The Lumineers