Nordic Ski Club Of Milwaukee

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Guide To Cross-Country Ski Trails

Guide to Cross-country Ski Trails

Southeastern Wisconsin ski trail condition reports: Friends of Lapham Peak's SE Wis ski trail reports.
Wisconsin (and beyond) ski trail condition reports: Skinny Ski trail reports.
* = Vehicle and/or trail passes required: Daily or annual Wisconsin state park, Wisconsin state trail, or county passes required at these locations.
“Skating” and “striding” are used here for the two styles of cross-country skiing. (Various names include skating/freestyle and striding/classical/diagonal/traditional.)
Snowshoeing is permitted in designated areas only; it is generally not allowed on groomed trails.
Please observe trail etiquette

SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN AREA

Milwaukee County

Ungroomed trails are available in all Milwaukee County parks. Several parks have groomed trails and require 6" of snow for trail grooming. Hours are dawn until 10 pm. No fees, but donations are appreciated.

Brown Deer Park: 4.5 miles (4 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner & intermediate skier. Flat, gentle terrain; wooded & open; shelter; toilets. Trail map.
Address: 7835 N. Green Bay Rd., Milwaukee, WI.
Directions: North side of Milwaukee.
Phone: 414-352-7502 (unit office).

Whitnall Park Golf Course: 5 miles (4 loops) of trails. Lightly groomed for striding; beginner & intermediate skier. Gentle, rolling terrain; wooded & open; shelter; concessions; toilets; ski and snowshoe rentals. Snowshoe trails are across 92nd Street near Ross Lodge. Trail map, Concessions & rentals.
Address: 6751 S. 92nd St., Franklin, WI.
Directions: Southwest side of Milwaukee.
Phone: 414-425-7303 (unit office), 414-525-4765 (winter concessions and rentals).

More info: Milwaukee County Parks Ski Info, 414-257-7275 (park system office).

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Waukesha County

*Lapham Peak Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest: 17 miles, including 2.5 miles lighted trail. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner, intermediate, & expert skier. Some rolling & mostly hilly terrain with steep climbs & descents; wooded & open; man-made snow on 1.5 km; Evergreen shelter; toilets; drinking water. Ski and snowshoe rentals at white building on road to Evergreen shelter on weekends and at Wheel & Sprocket store in downtown Delafield. Snowshoe on the Ice Age Trail or Prairie Path. Hours 7 am to 9pm; closes 5pm Sundays. Lights on Monday to Saturday until 9 pm; not Sunday. Wisconsin vehicle pass and skier trail pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Directions: 25 miles west of Milwaukee in Delafield, 1 mile south of I-94 (exit 285) on east/left side of County Road C. W329 N846 County Road C, Delafield, WI.
Phone: 262-646-4421 (trail conditions), 262-646-3025 (park office).

Lapham Peak is the only state unit to offer man-made snow on part of its trail system. Snowmaking is financed through private donations
and does not come from public sources.

*Menomonee Park: 4 to 5 miles of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner & intermediate skier. Gentle, rolling terrain; wooded & open; no shelter; pit toilets. Hours sunrise to 10 pm. Waukesha County vehicle pass required, purchase at park. Trail map.
Address: W220 N7884 Town Line Rd., Menomonee Falls, WI.
Directions: 20 miles northwest of Milwaukee in Menomonee Falls, north of Good Hope Rd on east side of Town Line Rd.
Phone: 262-255-1310.

*Minooka Park: 6 miles (3 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner & intermediate skier. Gentle, rolling terrain; wooded & open; no shelter; pit toilets. Hours sunrise to 10 pm. Waukesha County vehicle pass required, purchase at park. Trail map.
Address: 1927 E. Sunset Dr., Waukesha, WI.
Directions: 20 miles southwest of Milwaukee and 2 miles southeast of Waukesha, west of Racine Ave on south side of Sunset Dr.
Phone: 262-896-8006.

*Nashotah Park: 6 miles (3 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner & intermediate skier. Gentle, rolling to hilly terrain; wooded & open; no shelter; toilets. Hours sunrise to 10 pm. Waukesha County vehicle pass required, purchase at park. Trail map.
Address: W330 N5113 County Road C, Nashotah, WI
Directions: 30 miles northwest of Milwaukee between Oconomowoc and Hartland, less than a mile north of WI-16 on left/west side of County Road C.
Phone: 262-367-1022.
The Picnic Basket Restaurant in Nashotah serves food. (Just south of WI-16 on County Road C.)

Retzer Nature Center: 4 miles (7 loops) of trails. Ungroomed for snowshoeing and hiking; rolling terrain, wooded & open; snowshoe rentals; shelter; toilets; drinking water. Hours sunrise to 10 pm, building 8 am-4:30 pm. No Waukesha County entry or parking fees. Trail map.
Address: S14 W28167 Madison St., Waukesha, WI.
Directions: 22 miles southwest of Milwaukee and west of Waukesha. From I-94, take Waukesha/Pewaukee exit 291 (County Road TT), go south 2 miles on TT/Meadowbrook Rd, turn right/west on US-18 for 1.2 miles, turn left/south 0.2 mile on Road DT (look for brown Retzer sign), turn left/east on Madison St, and go a short distance to entrance on the right/south.
Phone: 262-896-8007.

More info: Waukesha County Parks Ski Info and Waukesha County Parks Ski Trail Conditions, 262-548-7801 (park system office).

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Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit

*Greenbush Recreation Area Trails: 13.5 miles (6 loops) of trails, including 1.2-mile lighted trail (5:30-7:30 am and 4:30-9:30 pm). Groomed for skating and striding; intermediate & expert skier. Well-groomed, hilly trails; wooded; shelter; grills; drinking water; vault toilets. 9 miles of snowshoe trails. Known for its micro-climate that retains snow throughout the season. Wisconsin vehicle pass and skier trail pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Address: N5854 Kettle Moraine Dr, Glenbeulah, WI.
Directions: 70 miles north of Milwaukee and west of Plymouth. At US-45 & WI-67 near Campbellsport, go north and east on WI-67 for 12 miles, turn left/north on Kettle Moraine Dr for 2.5 miles to parking lots on the left/west.

*New Fane Trails: 8 miles (four loops) of trails. Ungroomed; moderately challenging; mostly wooded; shelter; drinking water, vault toilets. 5.5. miles (four loops) of snowshoe trails. Wisconsin vehicle pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Address: W431 County Line Rd, Kewaskum, WI.
Directions: 50 miles north of Milwaukee and northeast of Kewaskum. At US-45 & WI-28 in Kewaskum, go east on WI-28, turn left/north County Road S and continue on S as it turns right/east, continue east then south on Kettle Moraine Dr, turn left/east on County Line Rd for 1.5 miles, and trailhead parking lot is on the left/north.

*Zillmer Trails: 11 miles (4 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner, intermediate, & expert skier. Gentle, rolling, & hilly terrain; wooded; shelter; drinking water; grills; vault toilets. Wisconsin vehicle pass and skier trail pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Address: W833 County Road SS, Campbellsport, WI.
Directions: 55 miles north of Milwaukee and northeast of Campbellsport. At US-45 & WI-67 near Campbellsport, go east on WI-67 for less than a mile, turn right/south on County Road SS for under 2 miles, and trailhead parking lot is on the left/north.

More info: Kettle Moraine - Northern Unit website, 262-626-2116 (forest office in Campbellsport), 920-533-8322 (Ice Age Visitor Center in Dundee).

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Kettle Moraine State Forest – PIKE LAKE Unit

*Pike Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest: 3 miles (2 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner & intermediate skier. Rolling terrain; wooded; outhouse; beach area shelters. Groomed trails are east of Powder Hill Road, accessed from nature trail/Ice Age Trail parking lot; campground road loop is also groomed. Ungroomed trails for winter hiking and snowshoeing are located west of Powder Hill Road (5 miles, 3 loops) and on Ice Age Trail. Wisconsin vehicle pass required, purchase at entrance; skier trail pass not required. Trail map.
Address: Park office address: 3544 Kettle Moraine Rd., Hartford, WI.
Directions: 30 miles northwest of Milwaukee between Hartford and Slinger. At I-41 & WI-60 West (exit 64B) near Slinger, go west on WI-60 for 3 miles, turn left/south on Powder Hill Rd, and parking lot for skiing is on the left/east. To get to beach area, ungroomed trails, and shelters, continue west on WI-60 for a half-mile more, go left/south on Kettle Moraine Rd for one mile, and beach parking lot is on the right/west.
Phone: 262-670-3400.

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Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit

Lapham Peak Unit - See above.

*McMiller Ski Trails: 22 miles (6 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner, intermediate, & expert skier. Wooded; shelter; drinking water; outhouses. Gunfire sounds from nearby shooting range. Wisconsin vehicle pass and skier trail pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Address: S103 W38754 County Road NN, Eagle, WI.
Directions: 45 miles southwest of Milwaukee and southwest of Eagle. At WI-67 &WI-59 in Eagle, take WI-67 south for 3 miles, turn right/west on County Road NN for a half-mile, turn right/north at the McMiller Sports Center entrance sign, and trailhead parking lot is on the left/west.

*Nordic Trails: 23 miles (7 loops) of trails. Groomed for skating and striding; beginner, intermediate, & expert skier. Gentle, rolling, & steep terrain; mostly wooded; shelter; drinking water; vault toilets. Named for the Nordic Ski Club of Milwaukee; designed by a member of the club. Wisconsin vehicle pass and skier trail pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Address: N9084 County Road H, Whitewater, WI.
Directions: 50 miles southwest of Milwaukee between Palmyra and LaGrange. At WI-67 &WI-59 in Eagle, take WI-67 south for 8 miles, turn right/west on US-12 for 2 miles, turn right/north on County Road H for 1.5 miles, and trailhead parking lot is on the right/east.

LaGrange General Store serves food, and adjacent Backyard Bike and Ski rents skis and snowshoes. (1.5 miles south of the trailhead at County Road H & WI-12.)

*Scuppernong Trails: 11 miles (3 loops) of trails. Ungroomed for winter hiking and snowshoeing; rolling to hilly terrain; wooded; shelter; vault toilets. Wisconsin vehicle pass required; purchase at entrance. Trail map.
Address: S58 W35820 County Road ZZ, Dousman, WI.
Directions: 40 miles southwest of Milwaukee and south of Dousman. From US-67 (10 miles south of I-94), go east on County Road ZZ for 0.4 mile, and trailhead parking lot is on the left/north. (Not to be confused with nearby Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail on County Road ZZ west of WI-67.)

More info: Kettle Moraine – Southern Unit website, 262-594-6202 (trail conditions hotline), 262-594-6200 (forest office in Eagle).

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