The Chippewa Flowage lies in central Sawyer County; its shoreline measures 233 miles. Access is available via County Highway CC, County Highway B, and County Highway G and Dam Road. As road conditions can change, check access before setting out.
Water and Forest
The Namekagon River runs for 100 miles through a mostly forested, rural landscape in Wisconsin. Tight bends and many small islands shape its course. Trout fishing is possible on the upper Namekagon; brook trout and rainbow trout live in the colder waters north of Larson Road Landing. Tubing is possible, among other places, between Trout Run Landing and Hayward. The activities mentioned therefore also vary by river section: trout fishing on the upper Namekagon, tubing on the stretch between Trout Run Landing and Hayward.
The forested areas also provide a sense of scale: Sawyer County currently has 123,805 acres of National Forest System land. The largest federally owned area in the county is the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Trails and Bike Park
The American Birkebeiner Trail System, which spans more than 100 kilometers, attracts cross-country skiers, runners, cyclists, trekkers, and hikers. Nine trailheads between Hayward and Cable provide access to trails that are open to the public year-round. Motorized vehicles are not allowed. The trail network thus supports several non-motorized activities and is not limited to a single season.
The Mt. Telemark Village Hub serves as an access point for daily use. From Hayward, take Highway 63 north to Cable, then head east on County Highway M to Telemark Road. Follow it to the end at the Derkson Family Great Hall/Birkie Trailhead.
The Hatchery Creek Bike Park offers a different combination: it includes a pump track, an uphill singletrack, a jump line, and a flow line. The four features represent different forms of cycling, from the pump track to the two lines.
Places, History, and Competition
Several communities in Sawyer County have parking, services, and accommodations, including Couderay, Radisson, Ojibwa, Winter, Loretta, and Draper.
The Sawyer County Historical Museum in Hayward features exhibits on Ojibwe culture, logging and lumberjacks, settlement and pioneers, community development, Victorian life, churches and schools, as well as hunting, fishing, politics, and the resort tradition. The topics range from Ojibwe culture and early settlement to recreation and the resort tradition.
The museum building also has a story to tell: formerly a DNR ranger station, it was built in 1928 and moved to its current location on Highway B in Hayward in 1991. The building’s history and the exhibits highlight different aspects: the building’s former use on one hand, and the wide range of local history topics on the other.
The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame museum complex includes the Shrine to Anglers, a four-and-a-half-story structure shaped like a leaping muskie. An observation deck is located inside its open mouth. The unusual design combines the building’s height with its shape: its exterior form is itself part of the museum complex.
Events at the Lumberjack World Championships include sawing, chopping, speed climbing, log rolling, boom running, and axe throwing. The event takes place at the Historic Lumberjack Bowl on the shore of Lake Hayward. The variety of events also makes the competition interesting for visitors who want to learn about different forms of lumberjack contests.
Discover more destinations: Hayward, Lincoln County, Wood County, Ashland County, Oneida County, Sheboygan County, Walworth, Washburn County
For the main travel overview: Wisconsin.
