Incredible Destinations for Winter Sports Adventures in Wisconsin and Illinois

Jan 16, 2023

Want to shake things up with your weekend plans? You’ll love today’s blog! Plan your wintry escape in the great outdoors and choose from our list of amazing snowmobiling, sledding, and winter sports trails. Whether you like to hit top speeds on your ATV or snowmobile, or prefer to snowshoe it along at a leisurely pace, you’ll find no shortage of pristine wilderness and natural landscapes to enjoy!

Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda

Whether you’re heading out for a solo day to get in touch with nature, or breaking away from the screens with your family and friends for outdoor fun, you’ll have a blast here in the Wauconda area. From Ice Fishing to Ice Skating to Sledding and Snowmobiling, there are plenty of ways to enjoy wintertime outdoors at the Lakewood preserve. There are even several dog parks for your canine companions to enjoy a little socialization time!

Cheese Country Recreation Trail

This 47-mile trail starts in Monroe and stretches through gorgeous hilltops and sprawling farmlands! You’ll have plenty of opportunity to go sledding, snowshoeing, and walk the trails before hitting the slopes on your snowmobiles! There’s plenty of adventure to be had here.

Minocqua Forest Riders Snowmobile Club

This incredible group maintains over 160 miles of trails in Northern Wisconsin in the Minocqua area. The group grooms the trails weekly, ensuring they’re in prime condition for weekend activities. There’s a lot of additional wintertime Northwoods activities in the area, too: ice skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, and sledding galore!

Glacial Drumlin State Trail

This 52-mile stretch of trails in Wisconsin is located between Madison and Milwaukee, and runs through gorgeous glacial made landscapes. You’ll blaze a trail along the edges of the incredible Kettle Moraine State Forest, and if you’re lucky you’ll even catch a glimpse of the wild animals who live there. Best of all, since the trail cuts through almost a dozen local towns, you’ll have plenty of time to rest, recharge, and grab a bite to eat in between the excitement.

Bearskin State Trail

This 26 mile trail stretches through two counties in Wisconsin. Enjoy beautiful views of densely wooded pine forests, and enjoy the many lakes and ponds inviting you to enjoy the sites and sounds of the majestic regional wildlife.

Des Plaines River Trail Wadsworth

Spanning a whopping 56 miles in both Cook and Lake counties, this gorgeous trail is perfect for year round fun. You can enjoy mountain biking, hiking, walking, and horseback riding in warmer weather, or head out for a cool afternoon of winter fun with cross country skiing or snowmobiling. This trail winds its way along protected lands and 85% of the river running through Lake County.

Are you a thrillseeker who can’t get enough of the adrenaline rush and wants a few more options? Check out these incredible trails for snowmobiling, downhill skiing and snowboarding, and even cross country skiing across all of wisconsin! This live snow report will show you the best trails, any potential closures, and snowfall reports.

If you’re not into fast paced vehicles in the snow, keep both feet on the ground and slide into some fun activities at the ice rink!
Great places to go skating in the Waukegan Area:

Downhill skiing, not your speed? Why not try tubing or sledding!
Great hills to get an adrenaline rush in the Waukegan Area: