Sandhill Trumpeter Trail

The Trumpeter Trail is a 14-mile auto tour that takes about two hours to complete. A short-cut road can be taken if you don’t have that much time to spend at Sandhill. The Trumpeter Trail will help you understand and appreciate how the forces of people and nature affect wildlife and their habitat in Central Wisconsin.

The trail is free to enter, although a kind donation from you is very much appreciated. A donation box is located at the chalet near the Sandhill entrance gate.

The Trumpeter Trail is open are from sunrise to sunset April (usually mid-April) through the end of October. The trail is closed during the winter.

Cross-Country Skiing

Just because the Trumpeter Trail is unplowed in winter and closed to auto travel doesn’t mean you have to give up wildlife watching adventures in the winter. Bring your cross-country skis and experience the quiet cold of winter at Sandhill.

Trumpeter Trail Guide

The following PDF file is an interpretive guide to the trail. Print this out and take it with you on your trip to Sandhill. Follow the Trumpeter Trail and stop at each numbered post distinguished by the car and dashed circle symbol. The number on the post corresponds with the numbered stop in this booklet. In addition, we feature a number of "floating stops" that change location from year to year. These stops demonstrate management activities conducted in various habitats at Sandhill. The narratives for these "floating stops" appear below.

Be sure to stop and climb our three observation towers as you tour the Trumpeter Trail.

Trumpeter Trail Nature Interpretive Guide [PDF 137KB]

Please note: No unauthorized vehicles are allowed behind locked gates. Please do not block gates when you park. You are welcome to walk beyond locked gates, except in the rifle range area!

Trash and recycling receptacles are conveniently located at the exit gate for your use. Use them, and help keep our trail and area highways clean.