Rainbow Lake Wilderness
Managed by United States Forest Service
3,609 acres6.1 mi of trail
North Country Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Delta
More than half of Delta’s land is conserved: 59%
59% of Delta’s land is conserved, about 26,170 acres. The biggest trail networks: Rainbow Lake Wilderness (6.1 mi), White River Fishery Area (2.4 mi). 3,654 acres are parks and preserves, 13,790 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
59%
26,170 acres · of 69.5 sq mi of land
Trails
44 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,654 ac
13,790 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
17%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
51
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 Rainbow Lake Wilderness, with 6.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
White River Fishery Area
Nature preserve
3,478 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Inch Lake State Natural Area
Nature preserve
446 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Delta County Park
Managed by Bayfield County
22 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Rainbow Lake Wilderness3,609 acres · 6.1 mi of trail · United States Forest Service
White River Fishery Area3,478 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
Inch Lake State Natural Area446 acres
Delta County Park22 acres · Bayfield County
Bayfield County Forest19 acres · Bayfield County
Who protects it
26,170 conserved acres
59% of Delta’s land. Who manages Delta’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service21,898 ac
State natural resources4,378 ac
County216 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)182 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits30 ac
National Forest · 21,898 acState Recreation Area · 3,612 acState Conservation Area · 891 acConservation Easement · 212 acRecreation or Education Easement · 78 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 290 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chequamegon National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 21,898 | Open |
| White River Fishery Area-Bayfield State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 3,533 | Open |
| Inch Lake State Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 446 | Restricted |
| Statewide Natural Area 190 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 242 | Open |
| Natural Area State Conservation Area | County | 203 | Restricted |
| White River Fishery Area-Bayfield 18 State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 79 | Open |
| Bayfield County Forest Local Conservation Area | County | 13 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Delta
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Campgrounds in Delta
CrossWoods
DirectionsTrails & water
7 named trails and 51 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 2.2 mi
North Country Trail10.0 mi
Buckskin Trail3.8 mi
Forest Road 3992.1 mi
Forest Road 4131.1 mi
Forest Road 4101.1 mi
Forest Road 4001.0 mi
Buckskin Trail / FR1632B0.9 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Bass LakelakeBasswood LakelakeBear LakeBeaver LakelakeBell LakelakeBellevue LakelakeBog LakelakeBroadax LakelakeCamp One LakelakeCamp Two LakelakeCanthook LakeCarson PondlakeDeep LakelakeEagle LakelakeEverett LakelakeFlynn LakelakeFrog LakepondGetsey LakelakeHapples LakeHay LakelakeHeart LakeHildur LakelakeHollibar LakepondInch LakelakeKern LakelakeLake BullheadlakeLake DeltalakeLake RuthlakeLake TwolakeLemon LakelakeLester LakelakeLine LakelakeMud Flat LakeMud LakepondMuskellunge LakelakeMystery LakelakePhantom LakelakeRainbow LakepondSand LakelakeSawmill LakeSilver LakeSpirit LakelakeSquare LakeSteelhead LakeSwede LakelakeTeacup LakepondTower LakepondTrout LakelakeWest LakelakeWolf LakeWhite River
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Delta
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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°F) | 21 | 26 | 38 | 51 | 66 | 74 | 79 | 77 | 68 | 54 | 38 | 25 |
| Rain (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
February is the driest month (1.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.3 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Delta →
Next door
Delta and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Drummond | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Barnes | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Keystone | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Iron River | 32% | 1.2 | 4,869 | 89% | A+ |
| Mason | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hughes | — 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 Delta
Where can I hike in Delta?
The longest trail networks: Rainbow Lake Wilderness, 6.1 miles; White River Fishery Area, 2.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Delta’s trails?
Rainbow Lake Wilderness and White River Fishery Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Delta?
207,422 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Delta or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 21,130 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Delta 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 →