Trails at Wildcat Mountain State Park

• Hiking trails
• Horse trails
• Ski trails

Hiking Trails

Old Settler's Trail

This 2.5-mile trail takes about 1.5-2 hours to complete. It begins in the upper picnic area.

Hemlock Nature Trail

This 1.3-mile loop trail has interpretive stops covering subject such as plants, animals, ecology, and history of the area. The trail begins at the lower picnic area bulletin board.

Ice Cave Trail

This short, easy trail leads to a rock formation that looks like the mouth of a large cave as you approach it. A small spring runs over the edge of the rock formation and freezes into a giant icicle in winter.

Horse Trails

For those who enjoy getting away from it all, Wildcat Mountain has three color-coded loop horse trails totaling 15 miles.

Horses and riders ready to go.
DNR Photo by Jayne Collins

The park does not have horses to rent. Experienced riders can rent horses to ride the park trails from a stable near the Village of Ontario.

Red Loop

The Red Loop begins at the horse campground and winds its way through the park's hills and valleys.

Blue and Yellow Loops

The Blue and Yellow Loops connect to the Red Loop, taking riders farther from the park's main use areas.

Rock Johnson Loop

This short trail begins north of the horse camp and winds its way up onto a high ridge connecting with the Red Loop.

Cross-country Ski Trails

The park's 7-mile-long ski trail takes you to five scenic overlooks. The trail begins and ends at the upper picnic area. There's a rest stop midway where you can continue or take a short trail turnaround. Beginner and intermediate skiers can enjoy this trail with easy bypasses on steeper areas, as the trail follows along the ridge top.

In the Area

"400" State Trail
Elroy-Sparta State Trail
La Crosse River State Trail

For more information, ask:

Wildcat Mountain State Park
E13660 State Highway 33, PO Box 99
Ontario, Wisconsin 54651
(608) 337-4775