Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
9,025 acres8 mi of trail
Redhead Hiking TrailRed Fox Hiking TrailEgret Hiking Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Chester
Few parks or trails are on the map in Chester
The biggest trail networks: Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (8 mi). 44% of Chester’s land is conserved, about 9,195 acres. 79 acres are parks and preserves, 93 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
44%
9,195 acres · of 32.7 sq mi of land
Trails
17 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
79 ac
93 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
56%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.7 mi
0.7 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
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
The longest trail network is Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, with 8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Marsh Haven Nature Center
Nature preserve
2 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
9,195 conserved acres
44% of Chester’s land. Who manages Chester’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service18,047 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government9,021 ac
Private owners92 ac
State natural resources78 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 18,047 acConservation Easement · 9,021 acState Conservation Area · 92 acState Park · 78 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 5 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horicon National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 18,047 | Restricted |
| Glacial Habitat Restoration State Conservation Area | Private owners | 92 | Restricted |
| Wild Goose State Trail State Park | State natural resources | 78 | Open |
Things to do
2 places to go in Chester
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Fishing spots in Chester
1 fishing spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Chester
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Trails & water
4 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.2 miUnpaved · 12.0 mi
Wild Goose State Trail6.5 mi
Redhead Hiking Trail1.5 mi
Red Fox Hiking Trail1.1 mi
Egret Hiking Trail0.6 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.7 mi
off-road bike paths
Wild Goose State TrailBike route
6.5 miRock River TrailBike route
4.1 miCourts & fields
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Chester
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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 30 | 42 | 56 | 68 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 72 | 59 | 44 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
February is the driest month (1.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Chester →
Next door
Chester and its neighbors
Chester has the most mapped trails of the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Waupun | 6% | 0.4 | 20 | 99%+ | A− |
| Burnett | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Waupun | 9% | 0.1 | 198 | 28% | B |
| Oakfield | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Leroy | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Chester
Where can I hike in Chester?
The longest trail networks: Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, 8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Chester’s trails?
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge and Marsh Haven Nature Center don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Chester?
0.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.7 of off-road paths. Named routes: Wild Goose State Trail and Rock River Trail.
Is there public land near Chester?
14,086 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Chester or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 79 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Chester 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 →