Columbus Wetland Public Hunting Grounds
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
251 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Columbus
Few parks or trails are on the map in Columbus
1% of Columbus’ land is conserved, about 304 acres. 7 acres are parks and preserves, 13 per 1,000 residents. 0.3 miles of mapped trail cross Columbus.
Conserved land
1%
304 acres · of 31.0 sq mi of land
Trails
0.3 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
7 ac
13 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
3%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.2 mi
0.2 mi lanes
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
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
304 conserved acres
1% of Columbus’ land. Who manages Columbus’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources328 ac
County175 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)109 ac
State Recreation Area · 255 acState Conservation Area · 248 acConservation Easement · 109 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 48 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensive Wl Habitat - Sd State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 183 | Open |
| Extensive Wl Habitat - Public Hunting Ground State Conservation Area | County | 175 | Restricted |
| Statewide Wildlife Habitat State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 72 | Restricted |
| Statewide Wildlife Habitat - Sd State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 72 | Open |
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Holsten Family FarmsteadBuilding · listed 1992
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Columbus
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 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 31 | 43 | 57 | 69 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 45 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
February is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.1 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Columbus →
Next door
Columbus and its neighbors
Columbus has the second most mapped trails of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| York | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Elba | under 1% | under 0.1 | 116 | 20% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Columbus
Are dogs allowed on Columbus’ trails?
Columbus Wetland Public Hunting Grounds doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Columbus?
0.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.2 of painted or protected lanes.
Is there public land near Columbus?
12,949 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Columbus or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 7 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Columbus 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 →