Vilas County Visitor Guide - 2016

ADVENTURE: FALL
DISCOVER COLORFUL FUN
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AUTUMN IN VILAS COUNTY
Breathtaking fall colors greet people in Vilas County
every autumn. The air is fresh, changing leaves provide a
spectacular backdrop to the days, and there’s no better
time to hit the trails. If you’re looking for relaxation, there’s
nothing like warming near the first fire of the season. If you
feel like shopping, this is the perfect time to explore Vilas
County’s quaint stores. It’s a season of options.
Vilas County has nine spectacular golf courses, including
the beautiful 18-hole Eagle River Golf Course. You’ll have
fun, even if you lose a ball in some colorful leaves. If
golfing for you doesn’t involve a putter, there’s a disc golf
course at Northland Pines High School in Eagle River.
offers great vistas. Another pleasant route: County E from
Phelps to Highway 45. You’ll pass the headwaters of the
Wisconsin River. Find more fantastic fall hiking on the
Trampers Trails, near the shore of beautiful Star Lake.
Migratory birds visit Vilas County every fall. See birds
in flight in the Mary Lake State Natural Area near
Winchester. Mary Lake, while just 3 acres in size, is 67
feet deep. It’s a meromictic lake—the water at deeper
depths does not circulate for decades, or even centuries.
Another good birding spot: the Vilas County Forest. Near
Conover, the Muskrat Creek Trail winds past aspen, oak
and pine.
A great place for a fall paddle is the 10-lake Manitowish
Waters Chain of Lakes. You’ll pass Little Bohemia
Lodge, where John Dillinger had a shootout with the FBI.
The Wisconsin River offers more great paddling. Take a
25-mile voyage from Land O’ Lakes to River Road, near
Conover.
In Manitowish Waters, you can tour bogs that help make
Wisconsin a leader in cranberry production. At the end of
September, check out the Cran-A-Rama celebration.
Presque Isle offers beautiful boating spots, including
1,280-acre Presque Isle Lake. Back on shore, visit
Shanty Boy Hill Cemetery, a
lumberjack memorial.
On cool fall Friday
nights, you’ll
find big crowds
and big fun at a
Vilas County fish
fry. Arrive at the
supper club early
so you can enjoy
an old fashioned
at the bar.
There’s no bad day of fishing
in Vilas County when fall
colors are reflected in the
water. Hunt trophies on the
Wisconsin River’s source,
the 2,800-acre Lac Vieux
Desert.
There’s nothing like seeing
fall color from the road. West
of Sayner, Rustic Road #60
If your idea of fall fun involves pedals, ride the Vista Lake
Bike Route in Phelps. The route includes three beautiful
loops in the Nicolet National Forest.
Celebrate autumn at a fall festival. These celebrations
take place virtually every fall weekend. In September,
Boulder Junction hosts the Colorama Arts & Crafts
Fair. Try a wild game sandwich, if you’re game. On cool
evenings, there’s perhaps no more relaxing place than a
Vilas County supper club. There’s a fun, ongoing debate
on which of these establishments is best. Ponder the
question over a brandy old fashioned.
Vilas County’s forests cover over half a million
acres. View fall color reports at vilas.org
1.800.236.3649 ITINERARIES 29