Here’s a look at a few great snowmobile routes you’ll find in Vilas County in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, from Eagle River and St. Germain in the southeastern part of the county to Manitowish Waters and Presque Isle in the northwest.
Be sure to check out the latest Vilas County snow report to see what conditions are like on northern Wisconsin’s snowmobile trails.
And don’t forget to download the free Map It Vilas County trails app (available for Apple and Android), which you can use to find detailed information on Vilas County’s snowmobile routes.
Route #1: Land O’ Lakes, Phelps & Conover
Enjoy a ride in far northern Vilas County along the Wisconsin/Upper Michigan border and find wonderfully scenic sites around North and South Twin Lake, the sprawling Lac Vieux Desert, and the wild woods of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Or head north into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to continue your snowmobiling adventure in a snow-covered wilderness.
Route #2: St. Germain and Eagle River
Launch your snowmobiling adventure in Eagle River (the Snowmobile Capital of the World®) and zoom across the frozen waters of Eagle River’s famous chain of lakes or head north toward Conover to enjoy the quieter Mathwig Creek Trail. Eagle River is also home to the World Championship Snowmobile Derby, which takes place every January.
You’ll find the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Germain, which is also home to more than 100 miles of trails that pass scenic vistas along the shores of Little and Big St. Germain Lake.
Route #3: Lac du Flambeau, Manitowish Waters, Winchester & Presque Isle
Get away from the crowds on these trails that traverse through snowmobile-friendly communities throughout western Vilas County. Enjoy a ride through several wonderful sections of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest.
Route #4: Boulder Junction & Sayner-Star Lake
Head to Boulder Junction, and you’ll find more than 100 miles of well-maintained trails that connect to routes in the nearby communities of Sayner-Star Lake and Manitowish Waters. Boulder Junction’s trails take riders through wonderful Northwoods scenery and along the shores of dozens of lakes.
Sayner-Star Lake is the birthplace of the snowmobile (Carl Eliason invented the “motor toboggan” here in 1924) and today offers more than 75 miles of trails, including Trail 51, which runs through the heart of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest and is one of the oldest trails in the state.
