Juneau County: Discover Nature, Trails, and Culture

On the Omaha Trail, the route passes through a tunnel that is less than two city blocks long; at Mill Bluff State Park, hiking trails offer views of mesas, buttes, and rock spires. There are also biking and paddling trips, river access points, protected areas, and cultural sites that offer different ways to shape your trip.

Biking and Paddling on Trails

The Omaha Trail runs 13 miles south from Camp Douglas to Elroy. In Elroy, it connects with the Elroy-Sparta State Trail and the 400 State Trail. From Mill Bluff State Park, the Omaha Bike Trail can be reached via County Highway W and County Highway C toward Camp Douglas.

The 400 State Trail is well suited to combined biking and paddling trips. Along the way, you can see wetlands, wildlife, sandstone cliffs, and rolling farmland and pastureland. Seasonal shuttle service and rentals are available in Wonewoc. The trails thus bring together a longer connection between Camp Douglas and Elroy and a route well suited to combining biking and paddling.

Hiking Trails, Views, and Swimming Waters

Buckhorn State Park includes a peninsula in the Castle Rock Flowage of the Wisconsin River. Four miles of hiking trails pass through wetlands, oak forests, pine thickets, shoreline areas, and a small prairie. The 1.5-mile Oak Barrens Nature Trail features informational signs and an observation tower. For boating, the park has an accessible boat launch with an accessible boarding pier.

At Mill Bluff State Park, more than two miles of hiking trails lead to views of mesas, buttes, and rock spires. The self-guided, 0.4-mile nature trail offers information about wildlife, trees, wildflowers, and geology. To reach the summit overlook, climb 223 stone steps to the platform. The park also has a public swimming pond with a water surface of 2.5 acres and a 250-foot-long white sand beach.

Protected Areas and River Landscapes

The Yellow River Oxbows encompass floodplain forest, oxbows, cut-off and flowing marsh waters, and ponds formed by the meandering Yellow River. They are best explored by boat; there is also pedestrian access to a trail into the natural area. Access conditions may vary depending on weather and management activities.

The 631-acre Meadow Valley Barrens is located in Juneau County within the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area and was designated a State Natural Area in 2008. Its sandy barrens are characterized by hill pines and oaks, with scattered jack pines, blueberries, and huckleberries. Three rare insect species are also among the area’s notable features.

The Necedah National Wildlife Refuge is a 44,000-acre protected area in Juneau County. It is home to the world’s largest population of endangered Karner blue butterflies. Boardwalks cross wetlands, and a two-story observation tower is another notable landmark in the refuge.

Some of the Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area also lie in Juneau County. The 1.5-mile Chapel Gorge Trail is a loop that leads to a riverbank beach between rocky outcrops. At Cambrian Overlook, canoes and kayaks can be launched into the Wisconsin River via a carry-in access point. Access conditions and seasonal operations may vary; check conditions before your trip.

Boat Access and Activities on the Water

Several places offer different ways to access the water. Kennedy Park has a small boat launch on the Lemonwier River. In Wonewoc’s village park, a concrete launch for kayaks and canoes is located beneath the Juneau County Highway FF bridge over the Upper Baraboo River. Juneau County Castle Rock Park offers swimming, boating, water skiing, fishing, and canoeing.

Cultural History and Local Life

The Cranberry Creek Mound Group preserves a large, well-preserved complex of mounds, including conical, linear, oval, and effigy mounds. Indigenous peoples of the Woodland period built them between about 100 and 800 CE. Boorman House is a Victorian mansion dating to 1876. It houses the Juneau County Historical Society and displays local artifacts, records, and research materials; it is also listed in the National Register of Historical Places.

The Greater Mauston Farmers Market takes place on the lawn of the Juneau County Courthouse in downtown Mauston. It offers fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, eggs, crafts, plants, and preserves. The selection may vary by season and vendor, and market days may also change. Check the dates when planning your visit.

Discover more destinations: Mauston, Marinette County, Oconto County, Columbia, Marquette County, Pierce, La Crosse, Waupaca County

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