Wisconsin Outdoor Report as of January 5, 2006

Please click on the "Current Issue" link to the left if it appears this is an outdated Outdoor Report. The DNR Outdoor Report is updated every Thursday at noon. Previous outdoor reports are also available on-line.

Click on State Park Current Conditions Reports to check on current conditions at various Wisconsin State Parks, Trails and Forests.

Click here to reach the Wisconsin Department of Tourism - Exit DNR Web site.

For current statewide information on statewide snow conditions, log onto the Wisconsin Department of Tourism .s Snow Conditions Report - Exit DNR.

General | Northern Region | Northeast Region | Southeast Region | South Central Region | West Central Region

Warm weather and rain over the past week has created thin ice and open water on many lakes throughout Wisconsin, especially in the southern half of the state, which recreational safety specialists say are now generally unsafe and caution that anglers, snowmobilers and others venturing out on ice could be taking very real and potentially deadly safety risks.

While ice may appear okay, it is very thin in spots and becoming honeycombed, which makes it much weaker. Anyone who does venture out should never go out alone, wear a life jacket or floatation vest, be sure to carry ice picks or large nails for pulling oneself to safety if they fall through and avoid rivers, springs or other areas with moving water.

Snow cover has generally disappeared from the southern half of the state, and most counties in the south have closed snowmobile trails and cross-country ski trails at parks and forests have reverted back to hiking trails, but are generally too icy for hiking. Some areas of the north still have about a foot of snow on the ground, while other areas have as little as 3 to 4 inches. Snowmobile trails in the north have been receiving heavy use and many have deteriorated. Cross-country ski trails in the north have been soft during warm periods and have turned icy when temperatures drop. Check the Department of Tourism Snow Conditions Report - Exit DNR for trail reports.

Candlelight skis are scheduled at a number of state parks and forests over the next two weekends, but some have already been cancelled for this weekend due to lack of snow and icy conditions. Others will be held as hikes if there is not enough snow. People interested in attending these events should call the park or forest directly to confirm if the event will be held.

In the north, action was good for panfish in some areas, but sporadic in others. Bluegills and crappies were being caught in weedy bays; small jigs tipped with spikes or waxworms worked best for bluegills, while crappie were most often taken on crappie minnows or small plastic baits. A few fair catches of perch have also been reported. Walleye action continued to generally be slow, with success better toward dusk and just after dark. Northern pike success has been fair to good, with some decent catches being made in the mid-day period on tip-ups baited with large golden shiners or smelt.

The rain dealt southern ice anglers a significant blow just as ice fishing was in full swing and panfish were really biting. Shallower lakes were developing open water along some shorelines. Bluegill, crappie and perch fishing had been especially good and many undersized northern pike were also caught

There have been a fair number of anglers on the ice at Little Sturgeon Bay, but the Bay of Green Bay is open water at 100 yards from shore. The main channel of the Mississippi River and the lower Wisconsin River have started to open up in the last week.

Bears should be giving birth to their cubs in their dens now. Bears are not true hibernators; their metabolism slows down and they sleep heavily, but wake up periodically to care for their cubs. White-tail bucks are beginning to shed antlers. A number of snowy owls have been being sighted around Wisconsin and a few great gray owls have been seen in the Superior area, and a count in mid December found nearly 200 bald eagles roosting along the lower Wisconsin River.

NORTHERN REGION

Superior DNR Service Center area

Brule River State Forest - The temperatures have remained above average in the Brule area making less than perfect conditions for winter recreation. Temperatures are forecasted to drop slightly into the mid to upper 20s through the weekend. The Afterhours ski trail is in fair condition now due to the warm weather. Bears should be giving birth to their cubs in their dens now. Bears are not true hibernators, they slow down their metabolism and sleep heavily, waking up periodically to care for their cubs. For more information on black bears check out the Wisconsin DNR EEK site. Some snowy owls are being sighted in Superior recently. A few great gray owls are still being sighted, it is reported that some stayed through the summer instead of going back to their home territory in Canada last year. Wild K-9's such as fox, coyote and wolf are starting to pair off in preparation for the breeding season which usually starts mid January. Bucks are beginning to shed their antlers. If turkey hunting interests you plan to attend one of the nearby FREE Turkey Hunter Education Clinics and either brush-up on your skills or learn new techniques to help you hunt the elusive wild turkey. These clinics are offered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in conjunction with the State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The clinics are designed to cover turkey biology and behavior, hunting methods, regulations, safety precautions, and landowner/hunter ethics. Advance registration is not required. For Douglas County one clinic will be held at the Brule Town Hall Tuesday Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. Another one will be held at the Solon Springs Community Center Thursday Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. Contact Kevin Feind at (715) 372-5678

Ashland DNR Service Center area

Pattison State Park . As of Jan. 1, ski trails had 5 inches of new snow and a 9-inch base. They were last groomed Dec. 31. Conditions were very good.

Park Falls DNR Service Center area

Temperatures continue well above the normal average and are forecast to continue through the weekend. Ice conditions vary across the area and some lakes have considerable slush on the surface. People venturing out on the ice with recreational vehicles for fishing or travel should use caution and check conditions before traveling. The warm temperatures will cause the ice to deteriorate and conditions could change significantly in short periods of time. Remember, most of the ice is less than 1 foot on area lakes. Snowmobile trail conditions vary and heavily used trails quickly expose bare ground and become poor for travel. Call the area you plan on visiting to get updated snowmobile trail conditions. Fishing success is slow though walleye activity is better toward dusk and just after dark. Bow season closed Jan. 3 and temperatures were accommodating to the late season archers. Trappers had good success trapping bobcat and fisher as the season closed Dec. 31 for these species.

Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The recent mild weather has kept ice depths in the 9 to 12-inch range on most lakes in the Upper Chippewa Basin, with 4 to 5 inches of snow on top of that. There is some slush under the snow but this amounts to just an inch or two on most waters. Frozen ruts from early season travel have made for some rough conditions on several of the more popular lakes in the area. Despite the nice fishing weather, walleye action continues its generally slow trend into the new year. Reports from the popular local walleye waters such as Butternut Lake and Turtle-Flambeau Flowage indicated poor success over the holiday period. A few decent catches were made on the flowage, with the best action coming in the late afternoon hours with tip-ups in 4 to 10 feet of water. Northern pike success has been fair to good, with some decent catches being made in the mid-day period, with golden shiners fished near any old weed beds. Panfish action has been sporadic with anglers having to move around quite a bit to find the active fish. A few fair catches of crappie and perch have been reported over the past week. Trout action on Patterson Lake (just east of Park Falls) has been good, with some nice rainbows being taken through the ice.

Woodruff DNR Service Center area

The state forest trails have just enough snow making conditions ideal for a nice, winter hike. Skiing and snowmobiling conditions are icy, as there has not been any significant snowfall for quite some time and warm temperatures have compromised much of what was there. Area fishing guides and wardens report that walleye and perch action has been good. Perch have been taking small minnows in 12-18 feet of water. Walleyes of better quality have been coming from deeper water at this time. Bluegill and crappie action has been picking up and these fish were being found in the deeper weed beds. Ice conditions vary so continue to pay attention and exercise caution before venturing out onto area lakes. Currently ice travel is difficult with many areas of slush found on the lakes. Ice depth varies greatly from one lake to the next so be sure to check conditions prior to traveling onto the lake.

Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - The McNaughton, Raven, Madeline and Escanaba cross-country trails have held up surprising well despite wet weather Jan. 5. McNaughton - All loops leveled. Skate loop was rolled and the rest tracked. Conditions are very good. The skate loop along the road to the boat landing, about 1/2 mile, had been plowed by someone. Crews are working on a re-route. It is skiable but not up to par. Should improve with more snow and grooming. Raven - All loops leveled and tracked. Conditions are good. Madeline - All loops leveled and tracked. Conditions are very good. Escanaba was being groomed Dec. 6 and was all loops were expected to be trackedand in good condition. Powell - Parts of this trail are now being groomed by volunteers from the Discovery Center. For updates check their website and click on trails.

Upper Wisconsin Basin fisheries report (Oneida, Vilas, Lincoln, Langlade, Forest and Florence counties) - Fishing continues to be very good in the area. Warm temperatures and overcast days have helped improve fishing conditions. Most lakes have little to no slush and ice travel is about as good as it gets for early January. With the lack of snow, there have even been folks driving out on lakes with their two-wheel-drive cars and minivans. More snow is predicted later this week and that may change things considerably. Bluegills and crappies were being caught in weedy bays; small rocker jigs tipped with spikes or waxworms seem to be working best for 'gills, while crappie were most often taken on crappie minnows or small plastic baits. Northern pike were being caught everywhere with anglers reporting best action near weeds and .weed lines that break to deeper water, or weeds at the entrances to bays. Tip-ups baited with large golden shiners or dead smelt worked best. Early morning and late afternoon have been key times; however, with the many overcast days lately, fish could be caught all day. The only exception being walleye -- they have been hitting earlier in the evenings, with the best action after 3:30 p.m. until well after dark. Shiners and large fatheads were the bait of choice on tip-ups, while some anglers were having fairly good luck jigging for them using 'pimples' and jigging stick baits.

NORTHEAST REGION

Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area

Door County - There have been a fair number of anglers on the ice at Little Sturgeon Bay and fishing has reportedly been quite good. The ice along the shore is quite mushy. The county ramp on Little Sturgeon Bay was open to the ice and several vehicles were parked there. The Bay of Green Bay was open water at 100 yards from shore. Anglers were also seen fishing in Riley's Bay.

Peninsula State Park - As of Jan. 3, snow cover was approximately 2 inches. The recent rain and drizzle has caused cross-country ski trails to deteriorate rapidly. Overall, ski trail conditions are rated very poor. Hikers should limit their activities to snowshoe trails, closed snowmobile trails and plowed roads. Snowmobile trails are closed. The sledding hill is open, but conditions are marginal.

Potawatomi State Park - Ski trail conditions at Potawatomi are poor. Rain and warm temperatures have melted most of the snow. There have still been some ice anglers out on the harbor, but the warm weather is affecting ice conditions. Perch anglers this week say they aren't having much luck.

Whitefish Dunes State Park - The recent warm conditions and rain have wiped out skiing, so trails are back to hiking. Near term forecast is not encouraging. If Mother Nature does not cooperate the Candlelight Ski scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. will become a Candlelight hike. Migratory waterfowl have frequented the beach and rocky shoreline.

SOUTHEAST REGION

Most areas of the region received at least an inch of rain over the last three days. Since snow cover provided insulation that kept the ground from freezing, much of the recent rain soaked into the ground, where it will help provide long-term recharge of lake and stream water levels. Waukesha County .s Big Muskego Lake rose 3 inches over the last three days; however, its water level is still several inches below the crest of the outlet dam. Fisheries managers welcomed the rain because it brought highly oxygenated run-off water to into shallow lakes that had frozen over early and were in danger of winterkill of the fish population. Conversely, recent rains dealt many ice anglers a significant blow; especially those in the southern part of the region. Just when ice fishing was in full swing and panfish were really biting, shallower lakes, like Pewaukee, developed open water along some shorelines. However, most of deeper lakes remain fully ice-covered. Once on the ice, anglers were reporting 3 to 6 inches of ice; but getting there is the problem. Ice anglers should exercise caution and wait until predicted colder weather arrives later in the week. Until that happens, ice conditions may continue to deteriorate daily. No one should be driving any kind of vehicle on any Southeast Region lake at this time.

Above freezing temperatures and recent rainfall has opened up some areas of the Lake Michigan tributaries in southeast Wisconsin. However, flows are currently quite high, but they should be dropping over the next several days.

Field crews reported heavy deer hunting action in the waning days of the extended season in our CWD management zones. Public lands seemed to be getting the brunt of the action. Standing corn provided resting and feeding areas for deer; but also concentrated them. Although all registration stations have not submitted their reports, a total of at least 300 deer were harvested in Racine, Kenosha, Walworth and Waukesha counties during the month of December.

Sheboygan County

Kohler-Andrae State Park - Above average temperatures and five days of rain have caused most of the snow in the area to melt. Hiking and nature trails may have puddles or slippery areas. An adult male Long-tailed Duck in winter plumage has been sighted along the beach area. This is a fairly rare sighting for Wisconsin migration. Camping is available in the northern campground area.

Ozaukee County - In Port Washington the power plant discharge is keeping the water open near the mouth of Sauk Creek. For brown trout, try casting spoons or soaking spawn under a bobber.

Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee the Milwaukee River is open near the Summerfest grounds, and browns have been hitting spawn sacs fished off the bottom. Open water can also be found near the confluence of the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers, but fishing has been slow in that area. The launch at Bender Park is open, and boaters working near the Oak Creek Power Plant have been catching limits of browns. Both fatheads and stick baits have been effective.

Racine County - In Racine most of the upstream stretches of the Root River are open, but flows are high and the water is muddy. Lincoln, Island, and Quarry Parks have all been producing a few browns and steelhead. Fish have been taking both wax worms and spawn sacs.

Walworth and inland Racine and Kenosha counties - Lots of rain has made ice sloppy and unsafe. Open water on Geneva Lake, although ice in Geneva Bay is 3 to 5 inches thick. Other lakes are ice covered but use caution. Bluegill fishing has been good on Tichigan Lake. Bluegill and crappie are biting on Lake Shangri La. Anglers using minnows, waxies, and jigs are catching yellow perch, bluegills, and crappies on Eagle Lake, and crappies on Bohners Lake. Browns lake anglers are catching northern pike.

Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Panfish action has been good on many of the area waters. Sheboygan Marsh in Sheboygan County and many of the "Kettle" lakes in the Sheboygan/Fond du Lac County boundary area have been producing bluegills and crappies. Ice conditions have deteriorated and anglers should be very cautious when traveling on the ice. None of the lakes are considered safe for vehicle traffic at this time. Many undersized northern pike have also been caught on area lakes.

Waukesha County - Ice conditions are questionable due to the recent rains and warm weather. Proceed with caution. Bluegill and perch action has been good in 3 to 6 feet of water in weedy flats on wigglers or mousies. Walleye action has still been good in the low light hours in 9 to 22 feet of water on the deep end of weed beds, with anglers jigging medium to large fatheads and stick baits. Northern pike action has been steady on large golden shiners in 4 to 19 feet of water over weed flats. North Lake has been good for panfish.

Kettle Moraine State Forest, Lapham Peak Unit - Because of nearly two weeks of above average temperature, as of Thursday Jan. 5, the cross-country ski trails at the Lapham Peak Unit of the Kettle Moraine State forest have lost the majority of snow cover and are unskiable. The lighted trails will not be open until additional snow falls. The snowmobile trail on the Glacial Drumlin Trail is closed due to lack of snow cover. Hikers, pets and snowshoers are not permitted on the Lapham Peak cross country ski trails. The Ice Age trail which travels the length of the park is open to hiking, pets on a leash and snowshoeing as are the mountain bike/horse trails located on the west side of Co. Hwy C. Hikers may also use the paved accessible trail which begins at the Homestead Hollow parking area at Lapham Peak. Weather and trail conditions can vary from day to day. Trail users are urged to call the 24 hr trail information line to get the most up to date trail information - (262) 646-4421.

Kettle Moraine State Park - Pike Lake Unit - Rain and warm temperatures this week have cause ski trail conditions to deteriorate quickly. Trails are open to hiking at this time. The lake is currently frozen over. Extreme caution should be used when going out onto the ice. The ice should never be considered safe.

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit - Due to a two-week stretch of above average temperatures and some rainfall, as of Thursday Jan. 5, all of the cross-country ski trails at the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State forest have lost the majority of the snow cover on the trail and are not useable. The snowmobile trails throughout the forest are bare ground and closed at this time. Weather and Trail conditions can vary from day to day. Trail users are urged to call the 24 hr forest trail information line to get the most up to date trail information . (262) 594-6202. Hiking and pets are not allowed on the trails that are groomed for cross country skiing.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION

Horicon DNR Service Center area

Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - The Horicon Marsh Christmas Bird Count was conducted on Dec. 17. Due to the deep snow cover and abundant ice, waterfowl were quite sparse. Canada goose numbers were very low and the only other waterfowl sighted were two mallards on the little remaining open water. Hawk numbers were high with two bald eagles, 13 northern harriers, 44 red-tailed hawks, 17 rough-legged hawks, and 13 kestrels sighted. Counts of blue jays and crows were good, indicating little impact from West Nile Virus in recent years among these susceptible birds. The extremely dry summer weather is likely responsible for the lack of mortality. A few late wintering birds were also sighted, including 11 robins, 60 Brewer's blackbirds, and 55 brown-headed cowbirds. American tree sparrows and juncos were very abundant, indicating good numbers wintering in the area. The deep snow cover also contributed to these counts of tree sparrows and other species by pushing many of these birds to roadsides where they were gathering grit and aiding observers in detecting the birds. Altogether, 42 species of birds were sighted.

Fitchburg DNR Service Center area

Sauk County

Mirror Lake State Park . Most snow has melted. Cross-country ski trails are extremely icy and bare spots on the trails. More snow is needed to improve our conditions. Hiking trails are also icy. Due to extremely icy conditions, the cross-country ski & hike scheduled for Jan. 7 is canceled and the next ski/hike is scheduled for Feb. 4.

Dane County

Lake Kegonsa State Park - Almost all the snow has melted off of the cross country ski trails. All trails are currently open to hiking. Candlelight ski events scheduled for Saturdays, Jan. 14 and Feb. 11 from 6-9 p.m. are snow and weather conditions permitting. If there is not significant snow between now and Jan. 11, this event will be cancelled.

Ioway County

Blue Mound State Park - As as of Thursday January 6, cross-country ski trails were in fair condition. All wooded trails groomed Friday Jan. 6, but there was not enough snow to set track. No bare or icy spots but there are thin areas with the edge of a water bar or a few spits of gravel showing occasionally so older rock skis would be best. The candlelight ski and hike is still on for Jan. 7 from 6-9 p.m. There will be a separate lit trail for hikers, snowshoers, and leashed pets. Bonfire and free hot drinks and marshmallows for roasting. Chili, brats, lefse, vegi-chili, etc. for sale.

WEST CENTRAL REGION

Baldwin DNR Service Center area

St. Croix County

Willow River State Park - Cross-country ski trials are still open in spite of warm weather following a good snowfall. Classic track will be fast and in places it will be gone. The skating lane will be soft during the warm part of the day. There have been a few really great skiing days. Volunteer groomers have done a great job with less than ideal snow. The trails are at risk of freezing up into a total hardpan unless snow arrives soon. Fishing action continued with some crappie action reported after dark. Mostly it .s been bluegills and perch. The occasional 1-pound crappie has been caught. A couple of northerns in the 40-inch range have been reported. A fish that size from the lake will weigh around 17 pounds. The park road is a magnet for deer. On a recent skiing and hiking trip at sundown, a visitor did not see one deer. The park was almost vacant of other visitors. While driving out of the park, several deer were observed along the road. Deer hunting has ended on park property. Hikers have a few other options along with the multiple use trails. Hikers, snowshoers, and pets are allowed on the disc golf course, which winds through the woods atop the sled hill. Hikers and snowshoers without pets may break their own path from the beach area to the dam. The park road is an option for hikers, although weekend traffic can be a bit busy. Ski Fest is just over a week away, Saturday, Jan. 14. Experienced skiers can tour the trails to all the outposts or as many as they want to visit. The outposts will have a warming fire and goodies. New skiers can take a skiing lesson, classic or skate style. Hikers and snowshoers can take a guided hike on the Hidden Ponds Nature Trail. The Nature Center will be open.

La Crosse DNR Service Center area

Minimal snow cover and above normal temperatures have made for very good winter walking conditions. Now is a great time to take advantage of these conditions and explore some new areas of your property or public lands that may be somewhat inaccessible at other times of the year. Go exploring and find new grouse coverts, deer bedding areas, winter wild turkey roosts, abandoned bird nests, or the large oblong holes in trees indicating the presence of a pileated woodpecker.

Crawford County - The snowmobile trails are now closed in the county. The Mississippi River water level hovered in the low 9 foot level this week even with the warming temperatures. The river stage on Jan. 2, was at 9.4 feet. Both the Wisconsin River and the Kickapoo River rose a little this week due to ice damming and melting snow. Ice conditions changed for the worse this week. Warm temperatures, melting snow, and constant current has changed ice conditions throughout the area. Most of the backwater areas are still frozen over however access is becoming very difficult. Some of the back water areas that don .t have current still have around 5 to 7 inches of ice but again access if pretty dangerous right now. Even the Main Channel and Pool 9 have vast areas of ice covering them but this week many areas started to open up. The Kickapoo and Wisconsin rivers are starting to open up also. Heavy rain started to fall in the early in the new year which is going to cause problems. Ice conditions vary greatly on the river systems so be very careful. One rescue occurred last week on the Ambro Slough and one ice angler was very lucky. Ice conditions range from .none . to about 7 inches. Travel on the ice is always considered dangerous. Bluegill action was very spotty this week with some average to good days and some very slow days. The Cold Spring area .s ice has changed for the worse. Access to the ice can be made near the handicap fishing area. The boat landing area is now wide open. Most anglers were using a variety of ice fishing jigs tipped with wax worms or spikes. Some of the best action was fishing from shore in the open water. Those venturing out onto the ice were finding pretty good ice conditions with around 6 inches of ice. Be careful because the ice conditions vary greatly. Anglers report catching .a pile . of little largemouth bass on shiners. Anglers fishing on Cold Spring are reminded that this is considered general inland waters were the bag limit for panfish is 25 in aggregate. Panfishing near the Lansing dike has been spotty also. Anglers are urged to use caution in this area because of the high water and swift current and warm temperatures that cause dangerous ice conditions. In the Prairie du Chien area there has been some action on Gremore Lake. Access across the Ambro Slough is very dangerous as it is starting to open up. Some anglers have been venturing out toward Fish Lake and the Upper Doubles/Big Missouri but the only way to get there is by hoover craft or air boat. Spring Lake is starting to see a little action also. The boat landing at the Falling Rock/Gordon .s Bay is now ice free. This week many have ventured out and success has been pretty good. Some sauger and walleye were being taken, but the action varies day to day just like the bluegill fishing. The archery deer season will close after hunting hours on Jan. 3. Now that the snow is melting and the holidays are over few are venturing out. Those who have been out report pretty good deer sightings. Rabbit hunting has been pretty good but now that the snow is melting the hunting conditions are deteriorating. Squirrel hunters are having good success with the warm days. Bald Eagles are being seen along the Mississippi River, Wisconsin River, and many inland areas. Some of the most common locations to view Bald Eagles are along the rivers near open water. Some of the best viewing spots are in Prairie du Chien and at Lock and Dam #9 near Lynxville. Turkeys are in larger flocks this time of year.

Black River Falls DNR Service Center area

Black River State Forest - Cross-country ski trails are closed; the area has lost most of the snow it had and the trails are no longer useable at this time. Most of the snow has gone from snowmobile trails also. ATV trails remain open at this time, but are wet and have icy areas. Both the Castle Mound and Pigeon Creek campgrounds remain open for winter use on a first come first serve basis. Ice conditions in the area are very poor.

Monroe County - Warm weather conditions have put a damper on much outdoor activities in the Monroe County area. Ice production on ponds has significantly slowed with most areas still having seven to eight inches. Ice anglers should use extreme caution especially near current areas and along shoreline spots were open water exists. Snowmobiling activity has stopped as trails are bare and muddy. Trappers are still scoring on abundant fisher and otter populations. Many beaver are being taken as well.

Eau Claire DNR Service Center area

The area received about 2 inches of snow Dec. 30 and another 1-2 inches Dec. 31, but because of the warm weather the area has lost some of the base since last week. Temperatures were staying around 32 degrees so crews were not able to do any additional grooming to the Hoffman Hills Recreation Area or Red Cedar River cross-country ski trails. Trails were in fair to poor condition, but some people have still been skiing. Turkeys, pheasants, grouse and a pileated woodpecker were some of the wildlife spotted while grooming the ski trails last week. Please remember that most trails at Hoffman Hills are Designated Ski Trails and groomed for exclusively for various styles of cross country skiing. There is no hiking, pets, sleds, etc. on those trails. However on the west side of the park road is the Prairie/Wetland Trail which is open for snowshoeing and other winter recreation. The observation tower is not maintained for winter use and closed for the season.

Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area

Buckhorn State Park - Cross country ski trails are icy and in poor condition at this time. The lake is starting to freeze. The park does not monitor ice conditions. Campsites 8, 9, 16 are open for winter camping. These are shore sites so they are $3 more per night. All other sites are closed. Get drinking water at the office during open office hours or in the group camp.

Roche-A-Cri State Park - The park's main gate and campgrounds are closed for the season. Cross country ski trails are in poor condition. The park may be accessed through the hiking/skiing trailhead located at the winter parking lot, just off of Czech Ave, at the southern end of the park. If you self register for 2006 annual park stickers they will be sent to you in the mail.