Photo Credit: McMullen Memorial County Park
2-Day Outdoor Adventure Guide: Monroe County, Wisconsin
In Monroe County the possibilities for outdoor adventure are endless! The region features a variety of recreation areas, parks, lakes, rivers, and trails, which are perfect for getting outside and camping, hiking, fishing, birding, and more. An outdoor-focused trip to Monroe County will reveal the region’s natural scenic beauty, as well as provide you with publicly accessible spaces to get outside in any season of the year.
Let's go!
So pack up your gear, reserve your campsites, and explore Monroe County through this two-day weekend adventure!
Day 1
Photo Credit: McMullen Memorial County Park
Morning
If you’re embracing the outdoors, it only makes sense to reserve a campsite or cabin for your weekend of adventures in Monroe County. Prepare for your trip in advance by booking a reservation at one of the many cabin rentals or campgrounds to serve as your home base for the weekend. McMullen Memorial County Park in Warrens, Wisconsin is one great place to check out if you’re planning on camping. McMullen Memorial County Park and the nearby forest spans over 1,000 acres including 81 campsites, hiking trails, and 50 acre Lake Wazeda. The park also features a reservable picnic pavilion, two shower buildings, a fishing pier, boat launch, fish cleaning house, and multiple playground sets, making it a great location to set up shop for the weekend. There are, of course, many other accommodation options available, and you can check out the Explore Monroe County website to find a place to stay that works for you.
Campsites at McMullen Memorial County Park cannot be checked into until 3:00 pm, so you’ll want to fill your first morning on day one of your trip with some other activities. Given that the mornings are typically the cooler times of the day during the summer in Wisconsin, this could be the perfect time to head out on a hike or bike ride on a nearby trail system. Located on the eastern border of Monroe County with half of the park in Juneau County, Mill Bluff State Park is only a 30 minute drive away and offers a stunning landscape of tall sandstone bluffs and thick forests. Another option is to head to the town of Tomah, Wisconsin. Only a twenty minute drive from the campground, Tomah offers an abundance of local parks for walking and biking or simply having a late breakfast or early lunch picnic. It would be advantageous to fuel up before you head to set up your campsite, so you could also plan to stop at a restaurant or eatery in Tomah to eat lunch.
Photo Credit: McMullen Memorial County Park
Afternoon
Once 3:00 pm rolls around, you can finally head out to McMullen Memorial County Park to check in to your campsite and get your homebase set up for the weekend. If you get there around 3:00 pm, you may be able to get your lodging situation, whether that be a tent or an RV, all set up so you can explore the park before evening. If you’ve already had a busy morning on the trail, you might opt for some peaceful fishing on Lake Wazeda, which makes for a quiet and relaxing time as gasoline engines are prohibited on the lake. Before fishing, be sure you have all the necessary equipment and licenses required for fishing in Wisconsin. It can be a good idea to look into this before you head out for your trip. If you’re not much of a fisherman, there are also hiking trails in the park, including an accessible trail that allows campers of all ages and abilities to enjoy. If you have kids, McMullen has a playground and beach area near the fishing pier, so this can also be a great time to burn off some more energy playing before the evening rolls around.
Photo Credit: Bog’s Edge Brewing Company
Evening
As your first day begins to wind down, you can choose to cook out at your campsite over the fire or head to town for a hassle free dinner at a restaurant. McMullen campsites provide fire rings for cooking food, as well as toasting marshmallows for end-of-the-day s’mores. If you’d prefer to not have to pack all your groceries for the road, Warrens has a variety of restaurants that serve up great food and drinks options. Bog’s Edge Brewing Company, a craft brewery featuring their own beers and beers from other small craft breweries, could be a great place to add to your evening itinerary for the first day of your trip. County Line Bar & Grill and The Berry Vine are two great recommendations for dinner in Warrens as well.
After dinner, you can sit around the campfire until dark, toasting marshmallows and having a good time around the fire. On a clear night, the stars will be visible in the night sky, so you can enjoy some summertime stargazing before heading to bed. Enforced quiet hours are from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am.
Day 2
Photo Credit: Cranberry Country Café
Start day two of your trip with a short drive to Cranberry Country Café for breakfast. The Cranberry Country Café in downtown Warrens offers breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday. Their extensive breakfast menu includes eggs with a choice of potato, bacon, or sausage and toast, as well as corned beef hash, biscuits and gravy, French toast, pancakes, and their popular “Hash Browns All the Way” which are hash browns with ham, cheese and lots more! Stop by anytime between 7:00 am and 2:00 pm to fuel up for one more outdoor adventure before heading home.
While you’re there, you can also check out Discover Cranberries which is proudly called the ultimate cranberry destination featuring a museum and gift shop in Warrens. Being the Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin, you can bring something back to remember your trip and learn about the cranberry industry in the state.
Photo Credit: Evans-Bosshard Park
Afternoon