The Wild Rivers State Trail stretches 104 miles through Douglas, Washburn, and Barron counties in northwest Wisconsin from Superior to Rice Lake. It follows the route of the former Chicago and North Western Railway line. In the early 1990s, the Wisconsin DNR began acquiring the right-of-way from the railroad, with the goal to create a recreational trail. The Wild Rivers State Trail was officially established and has been developed over time, with the initial section opening in 1993. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages the trail, with the help of each county’s forestry department and area ATV & Snowmobile clubs, ensuring its maintenance and continued accessibility for public use. Although the trail is mainly used by ATV and snowmobiles, it is open for hiking, biking, and snowshoeing. A state trail pass is not required on the Wild Rivers State Trail. The trail may be rough or soft in many sections. If you plan to bike the trail, the tread is more suitable for off-road bikes..
At trail marker 51.9, the Wild Rivers Trail crosses the Totagatic River in the town of Minong. This is approximately the halfway point of the trail.
The Totagatic River (generally pronounced Tuh-TA-ga-tik) is an 80.0-mile-long tributary of the Namekagon River in northwestern Wisconsin. Via the Namekagon and St. Croix rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. Although the Totogatic is a major tributary of the Namekagon, it was not included in the St. Croix National Wild and Scenic Riverway. However, it is classified as an "Outstanding Resource Water" under ch. NR 102, Wis. Adm. Code. This designation offers further protection from the effects of development and new wastewater point-source discharges. According to the Geographic Names Information System, the river's name has also been historically spelled Togatatic and Totogatic. Its name is derived from the Ojibwe language Dootoogaatig-ziibi, meaning "River of Boggy Riverway" (or literally, "River of spongy-ground river-course"), due to its course through wetlands.
There are several ways to access GZ along the trail. The quickest is by ATV or bicycle, as you can ride right up to the access trail leading to the cache. By vehicle, you can park as close as .25 mile away along Bear Track Rd and walk the trail north to the river. Other parking areas are along Poppleshoot Trail (a forest access road) north of GZ, with a walk of approximately 1 mile. PLEASE NOTE, ONLY RECREATIONAL VEHICLES (ATV/UTV/SNOWMOBILES) ARE ALLOWED ON THE WILD RIVERS TRAIL. Cars, trucks, Jeeps, motorcycles, mini bikes, etc. may not drive on the trail!!
Please use caution when using the trail. ATV/UTV use is heavy in the summer and fall, and the trail is often dry and dusty, limiting visibility for trail users. Keep to the side when walking the trail and consider wearing bright colors to increase your visibility when walking or biking.
Please be aware of hunting seasons. The trail may be used by bear, bird, and deer hunters to access county land throughout the many hunting seasons, which can run from September- January.
The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to the Wisconsin DNR. Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all required information, then submit it to the land manager. The DNR Notification form and land manager information can be obtained at: http://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/forms/2500/2500-118.pdf