Snowmobilers who head to Vilas County in the heart of northern Wisconsin this winter will find some of the Midwest’s best trails. One of the reasons that the riding is so good here is the dedication of local snowmobile clubs, who oversee hundreds of miles of trails throughout the county. Here’s a closer look.
Boulder Junction Snowmobile Club
The Boulder Junction Snowmobile Club maintains and grooms more than 125 miles of trails that pass through downtown Boulder Junction and alongside scenic spots like Trout Lake and White Sand Lake. Boulder Junction’s trails connect to Presque Isle to the north, Sayner-Star Lake to the southeast, and Manitowish Waters to the west.
Conover Sno-Buddies Snowmobile Club
In eastern Vilas County, the Conover Sno-Buddies Snowmobile Club oversees more than 80 miles of trails that connect to additional routes in Land O’ Lakes and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to the north, the Nicolet National Forest to the east, Sayner-Star Lake to the west and Eagle River (and beyond) to the south. When conditions are safe, some of Conover’s trails cross North and South Twin Lakes, Buckabaton Lake, and Twin Lake.
Cross Country Cruisers (Minocqua Area)
The Cross Country Cruisers Snowmobile Club oversees nearly 100 miles of trails Arbor Vitae, Woodruff, and Minocqua on the border of Oneida County and Vilas County. The club is the second largest in the state, and the club’s trails include routes over Minocqua Lake, Tomahawk Lake, and Katherine Lake when conditions allow.
Land O’ Lakes Frosty Snowmobile Club
Land O’ Lakes sits at the top of Vilas County at the border of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Land O’ Lakes Frosty Snowmobile Club maintains 45 miles of trails that connect to additional routes in Conover, Eagle River, Phelps, Boulder Junction, Sayner, and St. Germain, as well as County in the western U.P.
Manitowish Waters Sno-Skeeters Snowmobile Club
Established in 1968, the Sno-Skeeters Snowmobile Club is responsible for approximately 25 miles of trails in Manitowish Waters in western Vilas County.
Northern Hornshoe Trails (Lac du Flambeau)
The Northern Hornshoe Snowmobile Club grooms nearly 30 miles of trails in southwestern Vilas County near Lac du Flambeau, including routes across Fence Lake and Squirrel Lake (conditions permitting). Wondering about the club’s name? It comes from a story told when the club started in the 1970s: a hornshoe rabbit (with a five-point rack) had been “seen” stealing produce from the garden of one of the club’s founders.
In northeastern Vilas County on the Wisconsin-Michigan border, the Phelps Snowmobile Club oversees more than 40 miles of trails that span the Northwoods and pass through the massive Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as alongside notable lakes like North and South Twin Lakes and Lac Vieux Desert.
Presque Isle-Winchester SnoBunnies Snowmobile Club
Presque Isle and Winchester in northwestern Vilas County are home to 50 miles of trails managed by the SnowBunnies Snowmobile Club. The club’s trails connect to additional trails in Boulder Junction, Mercer in Iron County and Marinesco and Ironwood in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
St. Germain Bo-Boen Snowmobile Club
The Bo-Boen Snowmobile Club is the largest in Wisconsin with more than 1,200 members and maintains more than 100 miles of snowmobile trails in southern Vilas County and northern Oneida County. St. Germain has been named a Snowmobile Friendly Community by the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs and is home to the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum, which houses historically significant snowmobiles, memorabilia, and other exhibits.
Sayner-Star Lake is the “Birthplace of the Snowmobile”—Carl Eliason built his first prototype here in 1924—and the Sayner-Star Lake Barnstormers started Vilas County’s original trail system. Today, the club maintains nearly 80 miles of trails in central Vilas County, including part of Wisconsin’s oldest snowmobile trail.
Sno-Eagles Snowmobile Club (Eagle River)
Eagle River, located in southeastern Vilas County, is known as the Snowmobile Capital of the World and is home to more than 100 miles of expertly groomed trails overseen by the Sno-Eagles Snowmobile Club. Eagle River is also home to iconic snowmobiling attractions, including the World Champion Derby Complex, which hosts the annual World Championship Snowmobile Derby.
Learn more about snowmobiling in Vilas County here. Download the free Map It Vilas County trails app, which will help you find and navigate snowmobile trails and other recreational trails throughout the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
