Spend Three Days In Three State Forests On This Weekend Road Trip In Wisconsin
By Ben Jones|Published June 13, 2022
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Ben Jones
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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.
Wisconsin has a lot of well-known state parks, but for a truly wild adventure, head to a Wisconsin State Forest. The state manages nearly a half million acres of forest land – it’s property that open to the public and the forests are similar to state parks, but in some areas have fewer amenities. If you’re looking to get away from the crowds and connect with nature, these forests are just the thing. Here’s a Wisconsin road trip that will take you to three of the state’s most beautiful forests.
The driving time of this road trip will take about five hours, although you’ll want to allow plenty of time to explore a little bit of each of these forests. They make a perfect three day adventure! Customize your road trip here.
This road trip begins in a rugged landscape that was shaped by glaciers. The Kettle Moraine State Forest spans 56,000 acres and is divided into units. The northern unit stretches 20 miles and it’s filled with glacial landforms like glacial landforms, such as kettles, kames, and eskers. It’s a very hilly forest!
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Kewaskum, WI 53040, USA
There’s a lot to do in the forest – it has an observation tower, a beach, a boat launch, and many miles of trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian riding.
The second stop on this road trip takes us north to Governor Earl Peshtigo River State Forest. It’s a long stretch of forest that borders wild segments of the Peshtigo River.
Governor Earl Peshtigo River State Forest, N10008 Paust Ln, Crivitz, WI 54114, USA
This is a forest for people who love water – it’s popular with whitewater paddlers, fly fishermen, and boaters. There’s also a lot to do on dry land, too; you’ll find plenty of trails to explore.
This scenic road trip ends in the state’s largest forest – the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. The forest sprawls across three counties in Northern Wisconsin and covers more than 236,000 acres. The forest is home to over 900 lakes!
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, Arbor Vitae, WI 54568, USA
The forest has a lot of recreational facilities, including plenty of beaches, boat launches, and scenic trails. You can access many parts of the forest easily by car, but some areas are wild and remote and can only be reached or foot or canoe.
If you’re a camper, you’ll find plenty of campsites available in these state forests – plan early for busy weekends. Learn more about these and other state forests on the Wisconsin DNR website.
If you’re looking for more scenic road trip ideas, here’s a drive that will take you to some little-known Wisconsin state parks.
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