Brule River State Forest – Day 1

From Mercer we headed north and west to Brule State forest. We have reserved a site in the Bois Brule campground with plans to hike numerous trails in the area. We stopped in the charming town of Ashland for some supplies and fuel.

After parking at our campsite, we crossed the road to the trailhead for the Stoney Hill Nature Trail. This 1.7 mile trail (2 miles with the spur to our campsite) is a well-maintained walk in the woods. Doing the trail loop in a counterclockwise direction means taking the steepest climbs and most shallow declines.

The campsites in this campground are very roomy, quite private, and primitive. The only amenities other than a picnic table, fire pit, and bench are pit toilets and a single hand pump. After dinner we walked to the DNR office area where we deposited our trash and recycling, then walked down to the river where there is a picnic area and canoe pullout. ATT 5G cell phone service.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)