Wisconsin · Hiking

North River Trail

North River TrailPhoto: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
round trip
567 ft
climb
916 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

North River Trail is a short, easy hike in Afton State Park in Wisconsin, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is about a mile long and rises roughly 200 feet from its starting point, which sits at about 737 feet. The full out-and-back route covers about 2 miles, with a total climb of about 567 feet and a steepest stretch of about 26% grade at around 0.4 miles in. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby River Falls weather station show July highs around 81°F with lows near 58°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. Several other trails sit close by. South River Trail and Oliver Charley Trail are both within half a mile, and the Interpretive Trail and Prairie Loop are each about 0.8 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit North River Trail

    Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      22° / 4°

    2. Feb

      27° / 8°

    3. Mar

      40° / 20°

    4. Apr

      55° / 32°

    5. May

      68° / 43°

    6. Jun

      77° / 54°

    7. Jul

      81° / 58°

    8. Aug

      79° / 56°

    9. Sep

      71° / 49°

    10. Oct

      57° / 36°

    11. Nov

      41° / 24°

    12. Dec

      27° / 12°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at River Falls, WI, 7.9 mi away at 940 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Oliver Charley TrailPhoto: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Oliver Charley Trail

Next door

0.86-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 17 ft gain and 292 ft loss.

Lone Rock LoopPhoto: Sank63, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lone Rock Loop

~33 min drive

A 4.69-mile out-and-back Minnesota trail featuring woodland scenery and rock formations.

HIKE

Mississippi River Trail

~20 min drive

31.2-mile out-and-back trail on the Mississippi River in Minnesota with 374 ft of elevation gain.

Interpretive TrailPhoto: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Interpretive Trail

~1 min drive

Easy interpretive loop with educational signage through Wisconsin nature.

Voyageur TrekPhoto: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Voyageur Trek

~34 min drive

Historic point-to-point trail following a voyageur water route through Minnesota.

Bobolink LoopPhoto: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bobolink Loop

~2 min drive

0.84-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 98 ft of elevation gain.

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Prairie Loop (South)

~25 min drive

Easy out-and-back prairie trail with native grassland views.

Plum Tree TrailPhoto: Gabriel Vanslette, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Plum Tree Trail

~13 min drive

0.43-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 43 feet of elevation loss.

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Sam Morgan Regional Trail

~26 min drive

17.3-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 154 ft elevation gain.

Big WheezyPhoto: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Big Wheezy

~22 min drive

0.76-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 88 ft of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors