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Central Wisconsin: The Glorious Heart of the Badger State!

Central Wisconsin is a perfect place for a relaxing vacation. Fresh air and wide open spaces are the norm in an area covered with lakes, rivers, streams, and untouched forests. The area is also full of contrasts, as big cities mingle with small towns, providing an endless array of cultural endeavors. Lovers of the Great Outdoors will find enough to do to keep them busy for a month of Sundays. A day's itinerary can include hiking, fishing, swimming, skiing (both cross-country and water varieties), canoeing, kayaking, ice fishing, snowmobiling, or just hanging out on a beach working on your tan.

The large rivers, lakes, swift moving streams, and trickling brooks make Central Wisconsin an angler's paradise. Choose from the winding Wisconsin River or one of its tributaries like the Eau Claire River, Rib River, or Big Eau Pleine Reservoir. The Wisconsin River widens in several places to create Lake Wausau, Half Moon Lake in Mosinee, and Lake DuBay. As you can see, there are tons of choices in fishing destinations. Sun fish, bass, crappie, walleye, blue gill, and pike are the leading suspects in the fishing line-up.

One of the best ways to see Central Wisconsin is on the seat of a bicycle. Go mountain biking off road for some forest fun. Roadies stick to the streets, which take them to incredible scenic views. Created from a former railroad corridor that stretches from Weston to Green Bay, the Mountain-Bay Trail is an 83-mile scenic trail that twists through Wisconsin's back country. The Marathon County portion contains 18 miles for hiking and biking in the summer. During the winter months, the trail is open to snowmobiles, cross-country skiers and ATVs. More winter fun can be found at Granite Peak Ski Area in Wausau. The ski resort, part of the Rib Mountain State Park, is open from mid-November to mid-April, offering runs for beginners to experts.

Golf in Wisconsin is just one of the state's many well-kept secrets. Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa has two different courses nestled in the heart of Wisconsin's timber country. The Pines Course received high marks from Golf Digest Magazine, and offers scenic views as well as a stiff test of golf. The newly opened Lakes Course has fairways lined with pine trees, creating small passages into the slick greens. Eight small lakes and a waterfall come into play on several holes.

More outdoor fun can be had on Petenwell Lake, which spans from Arkdale up to Nekoosa. The lake has over 22,000 surface acres, and is relatively shallow, topping out at a depth of 44 feet. The shallow water allows for the lake to freeze over in the winter, making ice fishing one of the star attractions on the lake. Some of the fish species in the lake are walleye, pike, sturgeon, crappie, and large mouth bass. The lake warms up sufficiently in the summer to provide excellent swimming, and water skiing.

Wisconsin prides itself on its nature preservation efforts. The state has taken responsibility for managing over 30 wildlife areas, and is dedicated to protecting them from expansion and decay. One of these regions, the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area, is located between Necedah and Babcock. The region gives hikers, bicyclists, and bird-watchers the chance to see wildlife in its natural setting. In winter, the same trails navigated by hikers can accommodate cross-country skiers and snowmobiling enthusiasts.

If you want to get away, but still be close at hand, Central Wisconsin is the place to go. Outdoor enthusiasts love the area for the lakes, rivers, and streams that offer endless choices of fun in Mother Nature. History buffs love the area for its ties to Native American culture. However you enjoy Central Wisconsin, rest assured that you could not have made a better choice!