By Kevin Revolinski | Photo by Granite Peak
Wisconsin as a skiing destination may surprise some. For Nordic — aka cross-country — skiing, the vast territory of national and state parks and forests offer endless terrain, and even county and city parks manage trails. The Badger State even hosts The American Birkebeiner, or Birkie, the largest cross-country skiing race in North America. But downhill skiing also abounds and ski hills can be found throughout the state. Whether you are a seasoned snow-rider or an absolute beginner, there’s a run for you.
DOWNHILL SKIING
All ski runs listed here maintain their snow pack artificially so the ski season does not rely on the whims of Mother Nature, and while getting way up north is great, places further south than Madison and Milwaukee are quite popular as well.
Granite Peak
227200 Snowbird Ave., Wausau, WI | skigranitepeak.com
Arguably the star of the show here, the privately managed ski area inside Rib Mountain State Park has a vertical drop of 700 feet, the greatest in the state and fourth highest in the Midwest. Located just off Interstate 39 outside Wausau in central Wisconsin, it offers 68 runs, divided equally among beginner, moderate and difficult with night lighting and fast lifts. Terrain parks serve the thrill seekers, and rentals and lessons are on offer.
Devil’s Head Resort
S6330 Bluff Rd., Merrimac, WI | devilsheadresort.com
Stay the night onsite in the Baraboo Hills at this full-service ski resort. Offering a vertical rise of 500 feet, the 30 runs are wide and long, the longest topping out at 1.5 miles. 40% of them are rated intermediate, while the rest are divided equally among beginners and advanced. All trails are maintained with snow machines, and 80% of the runs also operate at night. With standard rooms, suites and condos on-site, you can go from sleep to the slopes in no time.
Cascade Mountain
W10441 Cascade Mountain Rd., Portage, WI | cascademountain.com
When snow fails, they’ve got all their 48 trails covered, including a terrain park and night skiing. 11 lifts include high-speed and “moving carpet” options. Daily ticket sales are limited to keep crowd sizes manageable. Day cabins serve up to eight people and come with an outdoor firepit and food delivery. Lessons and rentals are available.
Tyrol Basin
3487 Bohn Rd., Mount Horeb, WI | tyrolbasin.com
This 32-acre sweet spot 20 minutes from Madison has a 280-foot vertical drop and 24 runs that range from beginner to advanced with a bit of “expert” with tree runs and small cliff drops. The longest trail is 0.5 mile. The whole park is served by snow machines and night lighting.
Mt. La Crosse
W5549 Old Town Hall Rd., La Crosse, WI | mtlacrosse.com
With the second longest vertical drop in the state at 516 feet, the 18 slopes and trails at Mt. La Crosse range from beginner to “Damnation” and feature night skiing. Three double chair lifts serve the slopes, and the “bunny hill” features an easy-to-use moving carpet-style lift.
Mt. Ashwabay
32525 Ski Hill Rd., Bayfield, WI | mtashwabay.org
The best option if you want to go all the way north, Mt. Ashwabay overlooks Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands and offers 12 runs, plus 25 miles of cross-country trails.
DOWNHILL SKIING NEAR MILWAUKEE
Alpine Valley Resort
W2501 Cty. Rd. D, Elkhorn, WI | alpinevalleyresort.com
With a vertical drop of 388 feet, the park offers 20 runs, the longest being 3,000 feet. Classes are available for all skill levels.
Wilmot Mountain
11931 Fox River Rd., Wilmot, WI | wilmotmountain.com
Just north of the state border with Illinois, this longstanding little ski destination has a drop of 200 feet and 25 trails served by six lifts and reliable snow.
Crystal Ridge Ski Area
7011 S. Ballpark Dr., Franklin, WI | crystalridge.com
Just 20 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, the ski area has a vertical drop of 230 feet and a variety of terrain with its six trails. Instruction and night skilling are available.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Many of the state parks turn one or more of their hiking trails over to skiers, and if those trails are ungroomed, you might be sharing them with snowshoe enthusiasts. Groomed trails, however, for both classic and skate-style skiing, are specifically for skiers. Many ski trails in state DNR managed properties require a State Trail Pass available at most park offices and online at dnr.wisconsin.gov.
American Birkebeiner Trail
birkie.com
Host of the Birkebeiner, the continent’s largest ski race, The Birkie Trail features more than 60 miles of trails between Cable and Hayward, with nine trailheads. The Birkie is a weeklong event in February which sees more than 40,000 spectators and skiers each year. Races include the 50K/53K Skate/Classic Birkebeiner race, the 29K Korte and others such as a ParaBirkie and the Barkie Birkie — for dogs!
Minocqua Winter Park
7543 Squirrel Hill Rd., Minocqua, WI | minocquawinterpark.org
With more than 60 miles of groomed trails, this town park, 14 miles west of Minocqua, got its start as a small collection of trails and a modest downhill run at Squirrel Hill in the 1960s.
Blue Hills Trail
Bruce, WI | bluehillstrail.com
With an abundance of loops and crossroads for alternative paths, the 22 miles of ski trails can be combined in ways to accommodate for any skill level.
Copper Falls State Park
Mellen, WI | dnr.wisconsin.gov
Famous for its waterfalls, this forested state park situated in the “snow belt” grooms 13.7 miles of classic and 6.5 miles of skate-style ski trails. Northern Highland-American Legion (NHAL) State Forest Wisconsin’s largest state forest sprawls through three northern counties near Minocqua, Woodruff and Boulder Junction and offers 42 miles of combined classic and skate-groomed trails and 74.6 miles of ungroomed trails. The red loop of the McNaughton Trail system is groomed for skate skiing, while all other trails/loops are groomed for classic skiing only.
MECCA Trails
Mercer, WI
With sections marked easy, moderate or difficult, the 21-kilometer system has groomed classic and skating trails and a log chalet with a wood stove and changing room.
Door County
Groomed trails for both skate and classic skiing are found in all three mainland state parks: Peninsula (16 mi.), Potawatomi (8.5 mi.) and Newport (26 mi., 12 of them groomed). While the parks don’t rent equipment, there are many outfitters in the nearby towns.
Rib Mountain State Park
Wausau, WI
Situated next to Granite Peak ski area, the park rents snowshoes and offers eight miles of trails including a groomed two-mile loop.
Mirror Lake State Park
E10320 Fern Dell Rd., Baraboo, WI | dnr.wisconsin.gov
Just south of Wisconsin Dells, the park offers more than 17 miles of trails through the woods groomed for classic and skate style. Watch for special candlelight ski nights.
Kettle Moraine State Forest
dnr.wisconsin.gov
Following a 100-plus mile long curving stretch of glacial deposits, this forest is divided into five units, with almost 100 miles of ski trails. The Greenbush Trails in the Northern Unit, has 25 miles, serving all skill levels. The Southern Unit features the long Nordic Trail with colored loops based on challenge level. Lapham Peak Unit, west of Milwaukee on I-94, covers all the bases: 10 miles of easy to challenging, groomed trails, with a 2.5 mile section lighted for night skiing. It is also one of the few parks with reliable snow-making and ski rentals.
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