Camping: Family, Group, Equestrian & Primitive Sustainable State

Campgrounds are open May 1st through November 15th. Water is available through the Forest Management weekend closest to Columbus Day unless there are unseasonably warm temperatures. Governor Knowles State Forest St. Croix Family Campground Trade River Equestrian Campground Forests continue to grow, age and evolve over & Trail System time. strives to maintain a healthy, vigorous forest by Located a quarter mile east of the beautiful managing the resource through thinning, St. Croix River at 15419 State Highway 70, this Located near the Trade River, six miles west harvesting and reforestation. facility offers 30 rustic campsites, some with of Highway 87, at 2988 Evergreen Avenue, electrical hook-ups. Enhance your stay by this facility offers 40 campsites; some with The maturing forest produces an annual taking a stroll on the St. Croix Recreational electrical hook-up, each with horse tie posts. harvest of pulpwood and lumber. These wood Trail System overlooking the Wood and From here, visitors can access 40 miles of products provide raw materials for the paper SiouxSt. Croix Portage Rivers. Group Campground equestrian trails. Parking is available at the and lumber industry, which ranks among the Trade River Day Use area for riders that come top three industries in northern Wisconsin in Rusticfor the day. Backpack Campsites providing jobs and income. This campground is designated as a tent-only Governor Knowles State Forest facility. The facility can accommodate Management practices up to 60 visitors. Users can access this facility offers are selected to produce by vehicle or by canoe from the St. Croix primitive campsites along the 40 miles of forest products in a River. Spend the day hiking or biking the scenic hiking trails. A special camping permit manner compatible with surrounding trail system. regeneration, aesthetics, is required, and can be obtained by contacting the office headquarters at 715-463-2898. wildlife, fisheriesGovernor and Permits should be obtained at least seven Knowleswatershed State protection. Forest On average, River view along the south hiking trail segment. For Online Reservations, Visit: wisconsin.goingtocamp.comdays prior to occupying the site. harvests approximately The State Forest & the Riverway 400 acres per year.

GovernorEstablished Knowles in 1970 asState the ForestSt. Croix River A designated wilderness zone buffers the State Forest, the forest was re-designated the riverway throughout the length of the State 2 1 Governor Knowles State Forest.... 715-463-2898 in 1981 to Forest, as well as six State Natural Areas that Come back 2 Brule River State Forest...... 715-372-5678 4 recognize former Governor Warren P. Knowles preserve unique biotic communities. 1 3 soon! 3 Flambeau River State Forest...... 715-332-5271 for his administration’s progress in 5 4 Northern Highland American conservation. Northern States Power Company Although a primary State Forest objective is to And be sure Legion State Forest...... 715-542-3923 donated 4,000 acres in 1971 that formed the preserve and protect the St. Croix River and its valley, forest management provides multiple 6 to visit 5 Peshtigo River State Forest...... 715-757-3965 nucleus of the State Forest in those early years. 7 benefits, including scenic beauty, water quality WI Wisconsin’s 6 Black River State Forest...... 715-284-4103 Today, the State Forest is 55 miles long and up to protection, wildlife habitat, forest production NORTHERN other Northern 7 Coulee Experimental two miles wide, and encompasses 32,500 acres and recreation. STATE State Forests State Forest...... 608-785-9007 acting as an extended resource protection FORESTS zone for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

GOVERNOR KNOWLES STATE FOREST Hiking for the Day or Overnight Winter Activities Visitor’s Guide 2019 Governor Knowles State Forest EMERGENCY INFORMATION has a total of 40 Cross-country Skiing Emergencies/Ambulance/Fire...... Dial 911 miles of hiking trails that stretch the wild and Burnett County Medical Center...... 715-463-5353 scenic St. Croix River Valley. This trail system is split into two segments; the north segment is 23 Located at 26001 Gile Road, the rolling Burnett County Sheriff...... 715-349-2121 hills and river valleys of the Brandt Pines miles long and the south segment is 17 miles long. Forest Headquarters...... 715-463-2898 Recreational Trail System offer nine Each trail meanders along the bluffs overlooking the GOVERNOR KNOWLES STATE FOREST miles of groomed and tracked trails for St. Croix River and traditional and skate skiing. (No bikes occasionally swings down onto the scenic allowed during winter months.) Visitor’s Guide wilderness area along banks of the river. Biking If you only have a few hours to hike, WELCOME! Bicycles are allowed on all trails, except those we recommend you Your guide to the signed closed. Trails are non-paved, off-road, go to the Brandt Pines many ways you can enjoy and vary in difficulty. During the non-winter Recreational Trail the forest year-round System (26001 months, enjoy the trails located at the Brandt MAP INSIDE Pines Recreational Trail System, 26001 Gile Gile Road) or the Road. Most of the northern hiking trails are St. Croix Recreational open for bicycle use as well. Trail System (23409 West River Road). Hiking, Snowshoeing & Fat Hunting & Fishing Photos by John Haack, UWEX; Brandi Buchholz, If you wish to take an overnight trip, camp at Tire Biking Kyle Anderson and other WDNR staff. one of the backpack campsites by reservation. Contact the State Forest headquarters at Hunters will find white-tailed deer, turkey, black bear, Equal Opportunity Employer and Americans with If you’re interested in winter hiking, Disabilities Act Statement 715-463-2898 for further information. squirrel, ruffed grouse and woodcock throughout The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides equal snow­shoeing or fat tire biking, check out the State Forest. opportunity in its employment, programs, services, and functions under the groomed trails at 23409 West River an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have questions, please write to Chief, Public Civil Rights, Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of the Interior, Road to access the trail system near the 1849 C. Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240. The forest also St. Croix Family Campground. This publication is available in alternative format (large print, Braille, encompasses several Snowmobiling & Winter ATV etc.) upon request. Please call the Division of Forestry at 608-267-7494 Canoeing & Kayaking for more information. trout streams, of which the Trade River and If you need technical assistance or more information, call the Accessibility Coordinator at 608-267-7490/TTY Access via relay - 711. Wolf Creek are most The southern half of the State Forest has Canoe or kayak the Wood River from popularGovernor for Knowles anglers. 32.5 miles of snowmobile trails which Grantsburg to Raspberry Landing on the State Forest serve as a main St. Croix River. Thousands of water enthusiasts connecting flock to the St. Croix River, taking advantage is the link between of the beauty and its resources. gateway to a portion the trail Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources PO Box 7921, Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921 of the St. Croix River, systems of dnr.wi.gov • keywords “Governor Knowles” and known for catfish, Burnett and 325 State Road 70 • Grantsburg, WI 54840 • 715-463-2898 smallmouth bass, Polk Counties. WDNR Call Center 1-888-936-7463 (toll-free 7 a.m.-10 p.m.) dnr.wi.gov walleye, musky and sturgeon. DNR PUB-FR-568 2019 (keywords “Governor Knowles ”) DNR PUB-FR-568 2019 ornor nols tat orst Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

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Detailed maps and further information can be found at the forest headquarters, trail heads, and at: dnr.wi.gov/topic/StateForests/GovKnowles