XCR1250 Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 This Tiny Wisconsin Town Is The Grandest Winter Wonderland You’ll Ever Visit A small town can be your ticket to some gigantic experiences. Hayward. Pop. 2,300, is a paradise for people who love exploring the great outdoors. It’s the gateway to a vast national forest, endless miles of snowmobile trails, gorgeous frozen lakes, and some of the best cross-country ski trails in the country. The beauty of the Hayward area is stunning in any month, but in the winter it’s simply breathtaking. It’s the perfect destination for a winter escape. Here’s what you can experience in Hayward, the best place to visit in Wisconsin in winter: Hayward is a town of just 2,300 people. It’s located in Sawyer County and it’s a popular getaway destination for people who live in the Twin Cities, Madison, Chicago, and beyond. Facebook / Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce It’s a small town, but it's one of the best winter towns in Wisconsin. The town was named for Anthony Judson Hayward, a lumberman who built a sawmill here back in the 1800s. It was a big logging town and it’s still a place that is connected to the forest. Facebook / Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce And now it's the best place to visit Wisconsin in winter. These days, the economy is tied to far more than lumber. It’s a Mecca for cross-country skiers who enjoy miles of trails that are carefully groomed for classic and skate skiing. Facebook / Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce It's one of our favorite things to do in Wisconsin in December. Honestly, it's fabulous all winter long. Every winter, the area hosts the American Birkebeiner cross-country skiing race, the largest cross-country ski marathon in North America. It also holds a big fat bike race on the course. Facebook / American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation If you're looking for places to visit in Wisconsin in winter, put Hayward on the list. Snowmobilers will find a lot of wild country to explore. There are more than 600 miles of groomed snowmobile trails, and they are some of the most scenic trails in the state. Facebook / Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce Winter towns in Wisconsin don't get much better than this. Anglers also flock to the Hayward area for the outstanding ice fishing opportunities. This is one of the best areas of the state for fishing and it’s known for its trophy fish. The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame is located in Hayward – look for the giant musky! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soeaster Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 It's cool when they shut down the street (top pic) and fill it with snow for the Birkie finish, fun to watch. I'll be riding there in a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XCR1250 Posted January 29, 2023 Author Share Posted January 29, 2023 7 minutes ago, soeaster said: It's cool when they shut down the street (top pic) and fill it with snow for the Birkie finish, fun to watch. I'll be riding there in a few weeks. They used to shut down several roads, then they built permanent bridges over those roads, in Town they put up a huge temporary bridge over Hwy 63. It used to be a Nightmare trying to detour around all the closed roads, much better now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 When I had my cabin up there north east of Winter I avoided Hayward like the plague… just crammed with people on weekends - that’s not what I went up north for, I want to get away from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XCR1250 Posted January 29, 2023 Author Share Posted January 29, 2023 25 minutes ago, Mag6240 said: When I had my cabin up there north east of Winter I avoided Hayward like the plague… just crammed with people on weekends - that’s not what I went up north for, I want to get away from that. True, Hayward is a Tourist area/trap and can get so crowded on weekends we normally don't go into Town on weekends. Where was your Cabin? (about) I'm at Moose Lake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soeaster Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 37 minutes ago, Mag6240 said: When I had my cabin up there north east of Winter I avoided Hayward like the plague… just crammed with people on weekends - that’s not what I went up north for, I want to get away from that. Totally agree, we only venture into Hayward when necessary. Can be a big pain in the ass. My buddy has a place on Grindstone and we've always stayed just outside of Stone Lake in the past. His wife skis the Birkie every year so we do go in for the finish. We used to walk up and down the street having drinks and food waiting for her to come in, but now, my wife is in a wheelchair so she can't do it anymore. Plus we used to work our way back from Cable stopping at places like the Sawmill and Wayside after dropping his wife off. In our experience, the places outside of Hayward much prefer sledders because we spend $$ on food and drinks whereas the skiers don't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 20 minutes ago, XCR1250 said: True, Hayward is a Tourist area/trap and can get so crowded on weekends we normally don't go into Town on weekends. Where was your Cabin? (about) I'm at Moose Lake. Yup, been to your place once MANY years ago and you helped a buddy with a part you had. Louie’s still going strong? My place was over by the old Eagle Lodge, which Anna stole from the Wolf family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XCR1250 Posted January 29, 2023 Author Share Posted January 29, 2023 5 minutes ago, Mag6240 said: Yup, been to your place once MANY years ago and you helped a buddy with a part you had. Louie’s still going strong? My place was over by the old Eagle Lodge, which Anna stole from the Wolf family. Yes Louie's still going, for sale though, can get very busy most Months. One of my daughters used to live next to the Wannigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ActionfigureJoe Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 During the mid “80’s I was doing my internship up in Ashland. I’d drive home to Menomonie almost every weekend to see my wife and work the weekend. Drove though Hayward every weekend. It was one of the coldest winters on record that year and some of those remote highway stretches got creepy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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