Sandhill Wildlife Area
Nature preserve
4,755 acres4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Dexter
More than half of Dexter’s land is conserved: 56%
56% of Dexter’s land is conserved, about 12,501 acres. The biggest trail networks: Sandhill Wildlife Area (4 mi). 12,535 acres are parks and preserves, 38,332 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
56%
12,501 acres · of 34.6 sq mi of land
Trails
5.0 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
12,535 ac
38,332 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
68%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
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
The longest trail network is Sandhill Wildlife Area, with 4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Wood County Forest
Nature preserve
6,804 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
12,501 conserved acres
56% of Dexter’s land. Who manages Dexter’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County7,715 ac
State natural resources4,754 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)31 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service4 ac
Local Conservation Area · 7,715 acState Recreation Area · 4,754 acConservation Easement · 31 acConservation Area · 4 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood County Forest Local Conservation Area | County | 7,715 | Open |
| Sandhill Wildlife Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 4,754 | Open |
| Necedah Wildlife Management Area Conservation Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 4 | Restricted |
Things to do
3 places to go in Dexter
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Dexter
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Dexter
Dexter Park CampgroundFee
DirectionsDexter Park Campground
DirectionsTrails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Dexter
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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 24 | 30 | 42 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 71 | 58 | 42 | 29 |
| Rain (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.4 |
February is the driest month (1.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Dexter →
Next door
Dexter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dexter | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hiles | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Remington | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Cranmoor | — 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 Dexter
Where can I hike in Dexter?
The longest trail networks: Sandhill Wildlife Area, 4 miles; Wood County Forest, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Dexter’s trails?
Sandhill Wildlife Area and Wood County Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Dexter?
66,067 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Dexter or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 12,535 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Dexter 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 →