Success Story in Northern Oconto County

MOTORIZED RECREATION SUCCESS STORY IN NORTHERN OCONTO COUNTY: Four years ago the Red Arrow Snowmobile/ATV club from Townsend WI, The White Lake WI ATV Club and a business owner (Mike Richling, Animal's Bear Trail Inn) from the Town of Doty developed a plan to create a 40 mile ATV Trail/Route loop from the Nicolet State Trail. Riders would travel to the west thru the townships of Townsend, Wolf River, go south to Doty and back northeast thru the towns of Mountain & Riverview finally reconnecting with the Nicolet Trail between Mountain and Lakewood.

In August of 2009 the Hidden Bear Trail ATV Club (HBT ATV Club) was formed and joined the other 2 clubs in working on this project. All 3 clubs were involved with getting the 5 townships to open mostly gravel town roads needed to complete the project. The next challenge was a half mile of private property. The clubs worked with property owners Patrick & Jennifer O'Brien to get permission to travel on their land along Hwy T. The Red Arrow Club & HBT ATV Club agreed to construct a fence and on May 8 & 9th, nine members from both clubs constructed the 1/2 mile of fence (see ATV1 picture above). Mon May 15th, 2011 the first 21 miles of the mostly gravel trail/route was opened from Townsend to Highway T & 64 in the Town of Doty (see ATV2 Picture). In 2009 the HBT ATV club applied for a $23,000.00 RAC Grant from the Nicolet/Chequamegon National Forest Service to improve 3.7 miles of Forest Service trails. The work was completed in September 2011 and on Thursday September 15th the remainder of the 40 mile ATV Route/Trail was opened.

On Saturday September 17th members from the Woodland Trails ATV Club, HBT ATV Club and the Red Arrow Snowmobile/ATV Club started at the Lakewood Trailhead on the Nicolet State Trail, went North to Townsend and then on the new Trail/Route. The group had lunch at Animal's Bear Trail Inn (see ATV005 picture) and ended up back on the Nicolet Trail 40 miles later (seeATV007 picture). The new trail/route connects with 5 businesses that were not on an ATV route/trail before. This very scenic loop is suitable for all experience levels of ATV enthusiasts. A special thanks to all the town officials, to the staff at Laona/Lakewood FS Ranger Station, to property owner's Jenny & Patrick O'Brien. Also thanks to all the officer's and members of the ATV Clubs for all their had work and endless hours that made this possible. Detailed directions regarding this new route/trail from the Nicolet State Trail can be found on the HBT ATV Club website at: www.hiddenbeartrailatvclub.com./

Jim Wisneski
Secretary
HBT ATV Club