ATV Trail Report

WASHBURN COUNTY ATV TRAIL OPENER (May 22, 2026)

All Washburn County ATV/UTV Trails will open for the season Friday, May 22, 2026, at 8:00 AM. Trails will remain open pending the reported fire danger. Per Washburn County Ordinance (Sec. 50-25.), when fire danger is VERY HIGH or EXTREME all trails, including Wild Rivers Trails #35 & Shell Lake Rail Grade #39S, are closed! Please check the current FIRE DANGER each day at https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn/#/ or call 1-888-947-2876. Riders are responsible for being aware of the fire danger level.

Clubs and county staff maintain and work on the trails throughout the season. Please ride with caution and tread lightly. If you encounter any washouts, downed trees, or debris along the trails please report it directly to the Washburn County Forestry Office at 715-635-4490, Option 3.

Effective May 13th, 2026, all county roads in Washburn County are open to ATV/UTV traffic. Signs are posted at all border crossings authorizing use of the county roads, and No ATV Traffic signs are installed where there is not a direct crossing of the state highway. An updated map can be found on the Highway Department website. Please drive safe and be respectful of others while driving on our highways!

PLEASE NOTE: A washout has occurred on the Wild Rivers Trail just north of County Road B, on the east side shoulder. The area has been barricaded and flagged to push trail traffic over to avoid these hazards. Please use caution while we will continue to monitor this issue.

WASHBURN COUNTY ATV TRAIL SPRING CLOSURE  (March 5-May 21, 2026)

As of March 5, 2026, Washburn County ATV Trail spring closure is in effect immediately. All trails are closed with the exception of the Wild River Trail (Trail 35) and the Shell Lake Grade (Trail 39S); HOWEVER, when fire danger is VERY HIGH or EXTREME, these trails are also closed. Fire danger can be checked at https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn/#/ or 1-888-947-2876.

Washburn County has significant investments in the development and maintenance of these trails. One of the main reasons spring closure is used is to protect trail surfaces during periods of wet, unstable soil conditions. Trails are frozen during winter months and the repeated traffic from groomers and snowmobiles drives frost deep into the underlying soils. These trails generally begin to thaw in mid March and sub-surface remain soft until the thaw is complete and water can filter through the soils normally. In a normal year, trail surfaces dry out and stabilize by mid to late May.

Springtime also brings periods of very high fire danger. ATV/UTV activity and increased recreational use in general, increases risk of wildfire. Some of the largest and most devastating wildfires in Wisconsin have occurred during mid May.

The Washburn County Code of Ordinances creates closure of ATV trails through the first Friday before Memorial Weekend. This same ordinance does grant our department the ability to open trails early if conditions permit.

We are monitoring trail conditions and fire danger daily to determine if/when we can allow for an early opener. One rule of thumb that we, and the public, can use is the amount of new leaves and vegetation in the wooded areas.  This “green up” is generally an indicator of lower fire danger and more stable soil conditions on our trails.

We receive a lot of compliments on the quality of our trail systems here. One of the main reasons that our trails stay in good shape is our ability to close them during muddy and unstable conditions in the spring.

Thank you for your patience and understanding!