Brule River State Forest

Established in 1907, the 47,000-acre Brule River State Forest is rich in natural and cultural history. Located in eastern Douglas County in northwestern Wisconsin, the property is approximately 30 miles north to south, containing the entire 44 miles of the Bois Brule River.

The Brule River State Forest offers exceptional recreational opportunities, including wildlife viewing, five State Natural Areas, a 16-mile stretch of the North Country National Scenic Trail, eight miles of frontage on Lake Superior, the Bois Brule State Fish Hatchery, and much more.

A Big 100th Birthday Gift

The Brule River State Forest received a big 100th birthday gift in 2007 -- "big" as in close to 6,000 acres big. Thanks to the collaboration of the Conservation Fund and Wausau Paper Mills, Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship Fund, a total of 5,889.13 acres of property [PDF, 444KB] were added to the Brule River State Forest, bringing the total property size to almost 47,000 acres. This was an important acquisition because the land will now be left undeveloped for public use without the possibility of becoming fragmented in the future.

Firewood Rules and Information

To protect our parks and forests from invasive species, the Wisconsin DNR has created a permanent rule which prohibits bringing firewood onto any DNR property from more than 25 miles away or from outside Wisconsin.