First Island
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
3 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Balsam Lake
Few parks or trails are on the map in Balsam Lake
1% of Balsam Lake’s land is conserved, about 19 acres. 15 acres are parks and preserves, 20 per 1,000 residents. 1.2 miles of mapped trail cross Balsam Lake, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
1%
19 acres · of 2.3 sq mi of land
Trails
1.2 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
15 ac
20 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
81%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
2 beaches · 1 boat launch
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
19 conserved acres
1% of Balsam Lake’s land. Water is left out: Balsam Lake has 2.3 square miles of land and 1.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Balsam Lake’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Private owners8 ac
Town or city7 ac
State natural resources7 ac
Private Park · 8 acLocal Park · 7 acState Conservation Area · 3 acState Resource Management Area · 3 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Flags Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 8 | Open |
| Park in Balsam Lake Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| State Owned Islands State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 3 | Open |
| State Owned Islands - Nw State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 3 | Open |
Things to do
8 places to go in Balsam Lake
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Balsam Lake
Lakeview Park Swimming Area
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Balsam Lake
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Balsam Lake
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake Pine Park & Campground
DirectionsLakeview ParkLakeview Park
DirectionsDisc golf in Balsam Lake
1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
White Pine Trail0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
1Softball
1Basketball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Polk County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itWhen to get out
The walking year in Balsam Lake
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 22 | 27 | 40 | 55 | 67 | 77 | 81 | 78 | 70 | 56 | 40 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
January is the driest month (0.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.5 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Balsam Lake →
Next door
Balsam Lake and its neighbors
Balsam Lake has the second most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsam Lake | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Milltown | 1% | 0.2 | 34 | 15% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Balsam Lake
Are dogs allowed on Balsam Lake’s trails?
First Island and Balsam Lake Beach don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Balsam Lake?
8,787 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Balsam Lake or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 15 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Balsam Lake neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →