Wildcat Mountain State Park

About Wildcat Mountain State Park

Perched on a steep ridge overlooking the scenic Kickapoo River Valley, Wildcat Mountain State Park offers spectacular views of State Park and its surroundings. You can go canoeing on the KickAPoo River on your own, rent one from Ontario or buy it at the park.

The 35.5 km of hiking trails include a variety of hiking trails, most of which are wooded, and a number of mountain bike trails. The campsite at the summit of Wildcat Mountain has 30 pitches that can be reserved. Each pitch has a picnic table and a ring of fire with picnic tables, fire rings and has toilets, showers and landfills.

There are three group places available for reservation and each campsite can accommodate 75 people and has vaulted cabins, picnic tables, fireplaces and shelters. There is no electricity, neither in summer nor in winter, the campsite is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm for the public.

Water must be obtained from the showers in the building or from a water pump at the entrance to the campsite or manually from one of the two water pumps.

Seats 7-10 are served first and 20% can be reserved via the DNR outlet, but there is a limit of 10,000 gallons of water per day for each seat.

Kickapoo is the longest tributary of the Wisconsin River and winds 130 miles from Wauzeka where it flows into the Wisconsin River. The campsite has a trailer hitch - a towed loading dock, a parking lot and a picnic area for up to four people.

The name Kickapoo describes a river that flows part of its length towards the compass, but is as the crow flies farther away, the distance is greater than that distance. It is a slow-flowing river with heavy rainfall that quickly overflows into the Wisconsin River and then into Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes. The name "Kickapoos" is an acronym for "you go here, then you go there," and it is the name of a stream, not the name of a state park.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) operates three gauges on the Kickapoo River; one in Ontario and the other two in Wisconsin. These instruments record the water level and current of the Kickapoos every hour.

If you are planning a canoe trip on the Kickapoo River, please check the exits from the DNR. This 2.5 km long hike takes about 1.5 - 2 hours and starts at the top of the picnic area.

This 1.3 km hiking trail offers good views of the Kickapoo River and the creek, as well as the shore area. This trail starts at the lower picnic area and leads steeply uphill for about 2.5 - 3 hours.

This short and easy path leads to a rock formation that looks like the mouth of a large cave as you approach it. A small spring flows from the edge of the rock formations and solidifies into a giant icicle in winter.

For those who like to get away, Wildcat Mountain offers a number of hiking trails, cycling and horse riding trails, and camping. The park does not have rental horses, but experienced riders can hire horses from the stables of the Ontario village to ride the paths of the park. Red Loop starts at the horse camp and leads south along the Red Lake Trail to the trail head for the main trail.

The Blue and Yellow ribbons are connected by a red ribbon that connects the rider on the lower crest of the Red Lake Trail to the main trail. This short path starts north of the horse camp and connects the high ridge with the Red Loop.

The 7 km long ski trail of the park leads to five picturesque viewpoints, and the trail starts and ends at the upper picnic area. The trail began and ended at an upper picnic spot and connects to the Red Lake Trail.

Beginners and advanced skiers can have fun on this trail that runs along the ridge to the summit. About halfway through, there is a rest area where you can do a short trail turnaround and continue to the Red Lake Trail or the Red River Trail.

From the west, take State Highway 33 (about 2.5 miles) to Ontario and follow it to Red Lake Trail.

If you are coming from Ontario to the north and west, you can visit the state Highway 131 (about 1.7 miles). From Ontario, take State Highway 33 and about 1 / 2 miles to State Route 131 and then return to State Highway 131, about 3 miles.

On the right is the entrance to the main part of the park, and immediately behind it, on the left, is a road to a canoe pier and the Hemlock Trail. The road through the rest of the park is just behind and left and right there is another road, canoe pier and the Hem lockers and a path to the Red Lake Trail.