Hike To An Ancient Wisconsin Logging Dam And See A Sight Like No Other
By Ben Jones|Published September 18, 2021
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Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
Hidden away in a Northwoods Wisconsin forest, there’s an amazing spot that gives visitors a glimpse at the 1800s logging boom. The Round Lake Logging Dam is a rustic piece of early engineering that’s pretty incredible and it can be accessed via a short but scenic hike. You can climb onto the dam, see how it was used to move giant logs downriver – you may even see a ghost of a lumberjack! Here’s what’s waiting for you in the forest.
The Round Lake Logging Dam is located in Price County in the heart of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. It’s about a 30-minute drive west of Minocqua or 25 minutes east of Park Falls. A Wisconsin Rustic Road will take you right to the site.
You’ll park in an unpaved forest parking area and will need to go for a short hike to reach the dam. The hike will take you across a small river and past some interpretive signs with information about this area’s logging history.
In the logging boom of the 1800s, workers would construct dams deep in the wilderness to help float logs downriver, where they would be milled into lumber in mills on the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers. While the dams were once common, this is the only one of its kind that remains.
It was almost lost to time and the elements, but in 1992 a restoration effort began to save the old dam. In 1995 it was completely rebuilt, using historic timbers and the original iron hardware. Only items that were missing or deteriorated were replaced.
It’s been more than 25 years since the restoration was complete and the dam is still in good condition. The location is spectacular and you can stand right on the dam, look out onto serene Round Lake and imagine what it was like to send a flotilla of trees downstream.
To access the Round Lake Logging Dam you’ll need to purchase a day-use pass. It’s worth the drive and the small fee. For another look at the state’s logging history, check out these amazing old photos from the era.
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