Trails

The Cable Area is known for having the ‘best trails in the U.S.’ Located in the heart of the 850,000 acre Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest the Cable Area is the mecca for all things trail related. Hiking, mountain bike, ATV, snowmobile, snowshoe and cross country ski trails create an intertwining trail system that is simply awe-inspiring. What makes our trail system truly unique? While many of these trails intersect at some point with another trail, having nearly 1 million acres to play on allows you the freedom to explore at your own pace. Whether riding a snowmobile in January or a bike in June, the scenery is extraordinary and you will swear you are the first person to ever discover this amazing forest.

The American Hiking Society named the Cable Area “Charter Trail Town USA”

Cited by CNN.com Travel: “Top 5 Best Places to Hit The Horizontal Slopes”

The Cable Area boasts the largest community-wide multi-use trail system in the United States.

Current Trail Status
1200 Miles Snowmobile Trails
94 Miles Cross Country Ski Trails
400+ Miles Mountain Bike Trails
150+ Miles ATV/UTV Trails
125 Miles Hiking/Snowshoe Trails

Trail News:
The Cable Area Chamber of Commerce has worked in partnership with local volunteers and CAMBA to build the Cable Classic Trail. This connector trail allows riders to travel between the Namakagon Cluster and the Cable Cluster, both popular trail systems, while remaining off town roads. The Cable Area has the ‘Best Trails in the U.S’ and we are adding to those trails all the time.

This extraordinary trail system is supported by thousands of volunteers and some amazing local clubs & organizations.

CHEQUAMEGON AREA MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION

GREAT DIVIDE RIDERS

NAMAKAGON TRAIL GROOMERS

DRUMMOND SNO-JACKS

NORTH END SKI CLUB

AMERICAN BIRKEBEINER SKI FOUNDATION

GROOMER ETIQUETTE FOR SNOWMOBILES

𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗥

– If you see an oncoming groomer, stop as soon as possible. Do not ride up to the groomer. The groomer operator is making an immediate decision on whether there is enough room for you to safely pass. If there is enough room on a wider trail section, the groomer operator will stop and signal you to pass, most often by flashing and/or dimming the lights on the groomer. If you encounter the groomer on a narrow trail, you must find an opening to pull your snowmobile(s) completely off the trail and stop. If there is no available safe section to pull your snowmobile(s) off the trail, you must turn around on the trail and go back to an open section where you can safely pull your snowmobile(s) completely off the trail and stop. If you have a large group of riders on a narrow trail, plan to turn everyone around and proceed back to an area open enough to get everyone safely off the trail.

𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘕𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘙 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘖𝘕 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭!

This is a huge safety concern. Our drags are very heavy and can slide instantly. Never expect a groomer to move past you unless you are safely off the trail. This also does not mean pulling your snowmobile up on a ridge of snow right along the edge of a narrow trail. If the groomer operator does not feel you are safely off the trail, you must turn around and find a safe place to exit the trail allowing ample room for a groomer to pass. We’re not trying to be jerks and make extra work for you in turning your snowmobiles around. It’s all about safety. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩, 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙!

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗕𝗘𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗗

– If you approach a groomer from behind, be patient. Do not ride up to the back of the groomer/drag. Please stay back at least 100 yards. Most groomers do not have brakes, and in turn, do not have brake lights. Those tens of thousands of pounds in equipment weight can stop instantly if the groomer operator must quickly reduce throttle or hits an obstruction. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂! Have no doubt that the groomer operator sees you. Groomer operators spend more time watching their mirrors and the condition of their drag than watching forward. The groomer will continue moving forward until the operator comes to a location that is safe for you to pass. Sometimes, that may be a greater distance down the trail than you realize. Please be patient! Once the groomer operator determines a safe location for you to pass from behind, they will stop and signal you by flashing/dimming their lights.

𝘼𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙙.

𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗗 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗘𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

– If you encounter a groomer stopped from either direction, approach as slowly as possible and be ready to stop. There is always the possibility that the groomer operator came upon a dangerous situation, obstructions in the trail, mechanical problems, or even someone who broke down and is rendering aid. The trail may be closed because of the situation. Stop and lend a hand!

Remember, we are all very passionate about snowmobiling.

Groomer do what they do for you! Be safe and 𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧!