Seventeen percent of Clark County is county forest – 132,852 acres of fun just begging to be explored from the seat of an ATV. And you can do it because 130 miles of ATV trails access it all from Lake Arbutus in the south to Mead Lake in the north. All you’ll need is stamina and a couple of days.
This is a place designed with ATVs in mind. Here, you can ride all day and never hit the same trail twice. The system is actually a series of seven loop trails linked by on-road segments. Trail loops are named, marked for mileage and highlighted on the county’s very serviceable ATV map. The Oak Ridge and Rock Dam Loops are the shortest at 5.3 miles; the Neillsville Loop is the longest at 34 miles.
In addition to the loops and on-road connectors, planners included four intensive use areas in the trail system. These open areas allow you to get off-trail and play a bit in diverse terrain. Because they localize off-trail activity, these intensive use areas minimize environmental damage in the rest of the forest.
Clark County puts an exclamation point on their trail system with seven parking lots and five county parks and campgrounds. Centrally located within the trail system, Wild Rock Park is fast becoming a key destination for many ATV enthusiasts. It offers 35 campsites, electric and water, and a parking lot with loading ramp. Snyder County Park, also centrally located, offers 32 campsites on lovely Snyder Lake. On the south end of the system, Russell Memorial Park on Lake Arbutus offers 230 campsites, RV hookups, flush toilets and showers, and a convenience store. On the north end, Rock Dam Park offers 150 campsites with flush toilets and showers, a laundromat, convenience store, and full RV hookups.
On the private side, Norm & Ann’s Campground/Outdoor Adventures is located just west of Snyder Park on Hwy 10. Along with modern camping facilities, Norm & Ann’s is known for its ATV rental and tour guide operations (www.nandacamp.com). They offer two- or four-hour guided tours. The two-hour trip takes you southwest to Wildcat Mound Park where you’ll leave your ATV behind and climb Wildcat Mound. At the top, you’re rewarded with a spectacular 360-degree vista. You can see all the way to Black River Falls to the south and Neillsville to the east. The view is even more stunning in autumn.
Out-of-the-saddle, you’ll want to check out nearby attractions. Located three miles west of Neillsville on Hwy 10, The Highground is a 140-acre Veterans Memorial Park (715/743-4224, www.thehighground.org). Tributes honor American veterans of all wars. From the plaza you can see 500,000 acres of spectacular woodland scenery and glacial moraine. You can also tour the city’s 1897 Jail Museum, an imposing four-story fortress of a building (715-743-6444, www.clark-cty-wi.org/JailMuseum.htm). Tours include the sheriff’s residence as well as the bleak cellblocks. The Wisconsin Pavilion originally served as the state’s exhibit hall at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair (715/743-3333, www.clark-city-wi.org/Pavilion.htm). Dismantled and reassembled in Neillsville, the pavilion now houses four radio stations, a cheese and gift shop and a private collection of New York World’s Fair memorabilia.
When it comes to scenery, mileage and ATV friendliness, the picturesque trails of the Clark County Forest are tough to beat. To the south, they connect to another 100 miles of great trails in Jackson County – twice the fun!
Click here to download the Clark County ATV Trail Map.
Click here to download the Clark / Jackson County ATV Trail Map.
- DISTANCE: 130 miles.
- DIFFICULTY: Easy to moderate.
- TRAILHEAD LOCATION(S):There are seven parking lots for day riders: the Oak Ridge lot at the north end of the trail at Cty M and Rock Creek Rd; lots at Rock Dam, Wild Rock and Wildcat County Parks; the Hwy 10 lot at Hwy 10 and Bachelor’s Ave; and the two Hatfield Pines lots at the south end of the trail at Bush Rd and Bachelor’s Ave just west of Lake Arbutus.
- SEASON: May 1 to March 15.
- FEES: None.
- OTHER TRAILS IN THIS REGION: Chippewa County ATV trails, Jackson County ATV Trails.
- NOTE: Follow the instructions posted at the entrances to the four intensive use areas in the trail system.
- CAUTION: The trails close for a period of time in the fall during hunting season. Check the Clark County Web site for updates or call.
- AREA ATTRACTIONS: The Highground, 1897 Jail Museum, and The Wisconsin Pavilion in Neillsville.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clark County Forestry and Parks
Department
715/743-5140
www.co.clark.wi.us
