Hayward, Wisconsin, offers a network of Nordic ski and snowshoe trails accessible to outdoor enthusiasts of all skill levels, with options both within the town and at the nearby Hatchery Creek County Park. The trails, popular for both recreation and training, are particularly notable for their accessibility and range of difficulty.
Trails located on the grounds of Tamarack Health provide a beginner-friendly experience. These trails are characterized by their wide, open design and smooth natural surfaces, lacking significant technical obstacles. The Hospital Trails, totaling 5.5 miles with numerous smaller loops, are designed to accommodate riders of all ages and abilities, offering a scenic route with bermed turns. Access to these trails is available via Tamarack Health’s Water’s Edge Trailhead, located off Highway 63 and State Highways 27/77, or the Olson Road Trailhead, accessible from Hospital Road just north of the highway intersection.
Hatchery Creek County Park expands the options for winter sports enthusiasts. The park features three miles of dedicated hiking and skiing trails, alongside ten miles of singletrack suitable for both biking and hiking. It also serves as a gateway to the 30-mile American Birkebeiner Trail, though a fee is required for access to the Birkie trail between December and March. The Hatchery Creek trails are illuminated from dusk until 10:00 PM, extending usability into the evening hours.
Adjacent to the ski trails, the Hatchery Creek Bike Park, established in 2016, provides facilities for mountain biking. The park includes a pump track, a singletrack climbing trail, and two downhill lines – a jump line and a flow line. A dedicated skills area caters to riders of varying experience levels, featuring rock gardens, skinnies, drops, and other technical elements. The park is situated near a picnic pavilion and is easily accessible from the Hatchery Creek Trailhead parking area.
The Hatchery Ski Trails within the park consist of three loops – 0.4 km, 1.15 km, and 1.9 km – groomed for both skating and classical skiing techniques. These trails connect directly to the American Birkebeiner ski trail network. Sawyer County owns and manages the Hatchery Creek Park, with support from the Hayward Area Ski Trails Association (HASTA). The park, the only county park in Sawyer County, was formerly a Wisconsin DNR fish hatchery and includes a heated log pavilion and a bridge over Hatchery Creek. Donations are accepted for trail maintenance, and further information is available by contacting the park at 715-634-8685.
