Vilas County Snowmobile
Vilas County Snowmobile Trail is a 35 miles snow trail in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It enters Blackjack Springs Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 45.9760, -89.1908 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.0940, -89.1710 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 35 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | snow trail |
| Surface | snow |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | SNO-33275 |
| Forest | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (unit 0913) |
| States | Wisconsin, Michigan |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Snowmobile | Allowed 12/01 to 03/14 (month/day) |
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Blackjack Springs Wilderness WildernessFS · the line touches the boundaryWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- WildfireBog
42 mi from the trail midpoint · 94 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
35 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail start?
The line begins at 45.9760, -89.1908 and ends at 46.0940, -89.1710. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Blackjack Springs Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
Anvil Lake Campground (0 mi), Lac Vieux Desert Campground (1.9 mi) and Franklin Lake (2.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Forest Service unit 0913. The trail is in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Is there a fire near the Vilas County Snowmobile Trail?
1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Bog at 42 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named VILAS COUNTY SNOWMOBILE in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0913. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.