Hike Wisconsin's Spectacular Blue Hills, An Ancient Mountain Range You Might Have Never Heard Of
By Ben Jones|Published June 15, 2021
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Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
Wisconsin’s forested Blue Hills are an underappreciated natural treasure. You’ll understand the name when you approach the hills early in the morning; they take on a dusty blue hue from a distance, rising up from the surrounding countryside. The Blue Hills are not as well known as some other hiking destinations in Wisconsin, but they offer some unique trails that are unlike any others in the Dairy State.
Lace up your boots – here’s what you can discover in Wisconsin’s amazing Blue Hills.
The Blue Hills are located in Northwestern Wisconsin and were named by the Woodland Sioux "Paja Toyela," which means "Blue Hills."
The Blue Hills are the remnants of an ancient mountain range that's been worn down by time. They rise about 500 feet from the surrounding countryside. The area is covered by forest and has some small lakes and ponds.
There is a lot to explore in the Blue Hills - the area covers about 60,000 acres and is mostly county-owned so it's open to the public. The Blue Hills are laced with unpaved logging roads and dotted with campsites.
There are many small valleys in the Blue Hills caused by water from retreating glaciers. Long ago, a tundra climate caused rock to split apart, causing an unusual feature in the forest called the Blue Hills Felsenmeer.
You have a lot of hiking options in the Blue Hills, including the Blue Hills Nature Trail (1.5 miles) the Blue Hills Trails (23 miles), and the Ice Age Trail (27 miles). The hiking can be rugged and depending on the season, the trails can get a little muddy. The effort is worth it! Interested in more amazing places to hike in the Dairy State? Put these scenic trails on your bucket list.
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