For more information contact: Lisa Marshall, 608/267-3773
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ECO-FRIENDLY WINTER ACTIVITIES, LODGING EASY TO FIND IN WISCONSIN
MADISON, Wis. (Oct. 17, 2007) – With its extensive network of state and national forests, parks and trails – not to mention healthy populations of bald eagles, timber wolves and other wildlife – Wisconsin is a destination of choice for aficionados of “silent sports” such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and bird/wildlife watching. What’s more, visiting outdoor enthusiasts will find they have plenty of options for eco-friendly lodging, including hotels, resorts and bed & breakfasts certified by the state’s Travel Green Wisconsin program.
Cross-Country Skiing
With 40+ inches of annual snowfall and more than 700 miles of groomed trails, Wisconsin has plenty to offer Nordic ski enthusiasts. Travelers here can find everything from flat, peaceful woodland trails all the way up to Olympic-level tracks such as the famed Birkebeiner Trail. Nighttime offers a unique opportunity as well, as many state parks hold candlelight ski events on their trails at various times throughout the season. Additionally, many parks provide bonfires and cooking grills to compliment the starlit skies.
Certainly the state’s most famous cross-country ski destination is the Hayward/Cable area in northwestern Wisconsin. Every February, tens of thousands of skiers and their friends – including a handful of Olympic athletes – descend upon the area for North America’s largest cross-country ski competition, the American Birkebeiner. The “Birkie,” (Feb. 21-23, 2008) is actually comprised of several events, including the 23K Kortelopet and the kid’s Barnebirkie, as well as the 51k Birkebeiner. Twisting through timberland along the edge of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, these trails are available to skiers throughout the winter. For those who only want a taste of the action, a shortened three-mile route is pared off on the north end of the Birkie Trail, adjacent to the Cable Airport.
One of southern Wisconsin’s most popular cross-country skiing destinations is the Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit inWaukesha and Walworth counties, which offers nearly 30 miles of trails. The Nordic Cross-Country Ski Trail just south of Palmyra, the Lapham Peak Unit near Delafield and the McMiller Ski Trails south of Eagle permit both skate and classical (stride-style) skiing. However, the Scuppernong Trails, just north of Eagle, allow only classical stride skiers.
Door County is another hot spot for cross country skiers. Newport State Park, located east of Ellison Bay, features 23 miles of relatively flat trails, while Peninsula State Park, between Fish Creek and Ephraim has both cross-country ski trails and three snowshoe routes. Sturgeon Bay visitors will find cross-country ski trials on either side of town, at Potawatomi State Park to the west and Whitefish Dunes State Park to the northeast, as well as along the Ahnapee State Trail, which runs south from Sturgeon Bay to Casco and Algoma.
In the greater Madison area, cross-country skiers will enjoy Blue Mound State Park near Barneveld, which has nearly 10 miles of groomed and tracked trails for both advanced and beginning skiers. Closer to Madison, Governor Nelson State Park, on the north shore of Lake Mendota, boasts more than 400 acres and provides eight miles of cross-country ski trails. Also in the area is Governor Dodge State Park in Dodgeville (22 miles of trails); Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo (17 miles of trails); and Lake Kegonsa State Park in Stoughton (6 miles of trail.)
Snowshoeing
Winter nature lovers can go just about anywhere with snowshoes, since they allow amblers to walk on the snow instead of sinking into it. Far from snowmobiles and cross-country skiers, snowshoers can follow the animal tracks and go where the wild things are. Amateur photographers can get closer to nature. Parents can enjoy a relatively quiet family experience. For the less adventurous, many state parks and forest areas have designated snowshoe trails, and many nature centers offer classes where beginners can weave their own snowshoes and learn how to identify wildlife tracks and signs.
One popular snowshoeing spot is Marinette County, the state’s waterfall capital. Visitors to these backwoods can tour more than a dozen cascades – some frozen, some not – while trekking along nearly 1,400 square miles of public land. Favorite spots include Twelve Foot Falls, a red-pined filled park just southwest of Pembine on the Pike River; nearby Eight Foot Falls; and Long Slide Falls, whose 50-foot drop is the steepest of any waterfall in northeastern Wisconsin. In north-central Wisconsin, snowshoers love the expansive Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. Straddling both Vilas and Oneida Counties, this huge 223,000 acre forest is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including timber wolves, black bear and bald eagles.
Northwest Wisconsin also provides wonderful opportunities for snowshoeing. The Bayfield County Forest North End B Trail is laced with old logging roads, some of which are used for the trail. Additionally, the Bayfield County section of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest features a 60-mile trail. The town of Bayfield is also a popular spot for snowshoe races, including annual “Run on Water” a 5-mile race across the frozen “ice highway” to Madeline Island. (It is slated for March 1, 2008.)
Snowshoeing is also a popular activity at many local and county nature centers. At the 370-acre Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg, snowshoers have a special area in the Mayhew Woods. In Calumet County, snowshoers can stretch their legs at the Brillion Nature Center in Brillion, or the Ledge View Nature Center in Chilton. Snowshoeing is also popular at the Ellwood H. May Environmental Park in Sheboygan and the Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center in Coon Valley, just south of La Crosse.
Dog Sledding
If you thought dog sledding was a strictly Alaskan activity, think again. Wisconsin features hundreds of miles worth of dog sled trails and several dog sled outfitters. The Northwind Wilderness Base Camp near Park Falls provides training for those looking to both ride and mush. Visitors there can also participate in tours with optional overnight accommodations. In Bayfield, Wolfsong Adventures in Mushing offers trips for all ages and abilities, from short daytrips to overnight and weekend trips along Lake Superior’s South Shore. Bayfield also hosts the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race (Feb. 2-3, 2008). This weekend celebration includes two main events – an eight-dog, 80-mile race and a six-dog, 60-mile race – along with a 40-mile sportsman’s race and a 10-mile family race.
At the Log Cabin in Elton, visitors can take part in dog sled tours or practice alone on groomed sledding trails. The Siberian Outpost in Malone also offers dog sled rides and demos as does A Wilderness Haven Resort in Hayward and Snow Trek Sled Dog and Outfitters in Mondovi.
Eagle Watching
While many indigenous birds migrate south for the winter, bald eagles soar in Wisconsin’s skies year-round. In fact, Wisconsin is home to one of North America’s largest populations of wintering eagles. The greatest concentration of the majestic birds is found along the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, especially at locks, dams and power plants, where running, ice-free water throughout the winter provides a reliable feeding ground.
Sauk City and Prairie du Sac are among the state’s top eagle-watching spots because the waters of the Wisconsin River flowing below the Prairie du Sac dam seldom freeze, making fish available as food for the birds. In addition, tall trees along the riverbanks are ideal for perching and rolling hills and valleys offer the eagle’s natural protection against the elements. The area will recognize its winter residents at Eagle Watching Days (Jan. 19-20, 2008) with guided bus tours to prime sighting locations and other programs and exhibits devoted to the birds.
Cassville, located along the Mississippi River, is another popular eagle-watching spot. Top viewing locations include a wildlife observation deck at Riverside Park as well as nearby Nelson Dewey State Park. Cassville’s Bald Eagle Days (Jan. 26-27, 2008) feature outdoor viewing with the help of knowledgeable guides and indoor educational exhibits and programs.
Eco-Friendly Lodging
After spending a day skiing, hiking or snowshoeing in pristine natural surroundings, “green” travelers may want to know they can warm up and spend the night in a facility that shares their concern for the environment. Numerous inns, bed and breakfasts and resorts independently certified by the Travel Green Wisconsin program can be found throughout the state.
In Door County, travelers have several Travel Green options. In Bailey’s Harbor, The Blacksmith Inn has 15 guest rooms, each featuring a fireplace and a view of Lake Michigan. Guests seeking solitude with family and friends can stay across the street at The Orchard House. The B&B operates under the same ownership and allows guests to either rent individual rooms or the entire house. For complete solitude, try the Quiet Cottage Bed and Breakfast near Sturgeon Bay, a one-suite log cottage that features English gardens and a private Lake Michigan beach, or the Journey’s End Motel and Cabin’s outside of Bailey’s Harbor. On the Green Bay side of the Door Peninsula, green-minded travelers can stay at the Lodgings at Pioneer Lane in historic Ephraim.
Visitors to northern Wisconsin also have several eco-friendly lodging options, including the Waters of Minocqua Resort in Minocqua and the Alpine Resort of Presque Isle. Both of these properties are just minutes away from the Northern Highland/American Legion State Forest, as well as thousands of lakes. Also in the Northwoods area is Holiday Acres Resort in Rhinelander, which offers convenient access to both the Northern Highlands/American Legion State Forest as well as the eastern unit of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
To the northwest, in Bayfield County, visitors will find several Travel Green certified hotel/motel options, including The Bayfield Inn, the Harbor’s Edge Motel and the Seagull Bay Motel. Travel Green-certified bed & breakfasts can also be found in this green tourism Mecca, including the Artesian House Bed & Breakfast, the Apple Grove Inn (a former strawberry farm), the Pinehurst Inn and the Old Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield. Also in Bayfield County are the Antique Garden Inn and the Devine Inn, both in Washburn, and the Brittany Cottages on Madeline Island.
Birkebeiner participants and fans – along with winter sports enthusiasts of all types – flock to Lakewoods Resort in Cable. This Travel Green-certified resort features 32 lodge rooms, 46 condominiums and 46 lake homes. Also in the area is the Cable Nature Lodge. Located in the western unit of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the perched lodge sits atop a spruce covered hill overlooking forest and wetlands.
In central Wisconsin, Justin Trails B&B Resort in Sparta features new log cabins, suites with whirlpools and fireplace on 213 acres of forest and hills. A Victorian Swan On Water Bed & Breakfast is located in Stevens Point. This Travel Green certified residence was built in 1889. The Crystal River Inn B&B is located nearby in Waupaca. The 11-acre farmstead setting holds 11 guest rooms and welcomes a variety of birds and other wildlife habitats. Additional birding and wildlife viewing can be found in the village of Rural. In east-central Wisconsin, visitors will find the luxurious Heidel House Resort and its Evensong Spa, which offers the Midwest’s only labyrinth.
Nordic skiers, snowshoers and wildlife enthusiasts will find no shortage of eco-friendly lodging options in the Madison and south/central Wisconsin area. Among the best known are Madison’s Mansion Hill Inn, a renovated 1857 Victorian that is the city’s only four-diamond inn. Another favorite is the Arbor House, a former 19th century stagecoach inn and tavern that has been featured in publications including Natural Home, Healthy Living and Money magazine; and the Speckled Hen Inn, whose breakfasts feature locally grown cheese, produce and coffee. Meanwhile, visitors to Lake Kegonsa State Park will want to check out the Naeset-Roe Inn in Stoughton. To the north, winter enthusiasts going to Devil’s Lake State Park will find the Birchcliff Resort in Wisconsin Dells very convenient. Its five cabins can hold a combined total of 30 guests; it also provides easy access to nearby hiking trails.
For visitors to Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit, the Travel Green-certified Hillcrest Inn and Carriage House in Burlington is just a short drive away. This 1908 Edwardian mansion offers spectacular views overlooking the Fox River. Farther east, in the Lake Michigan harbor town of Port Washington, eco-minded travelers can stay at the Port Washington Inn, which is only minutes from both the Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg and Harrington Beach State Park in Belgium.
Contact information and listings for Travel Green Wisconsin certified businesses are available on www.travelgreenwisconsin.com. Visit www.wiparks.net for locations and contact information for Wisconsin state parks and forests. For more information about Wisconsin destinations, attractions and recreation, visit TravelWisconsin.com or call 1-800-432-8747/TRIP. Travelers can also obtain guides and information at the Wisconsin Welcome Centers, located in select state-border cities.
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