Photo: Downspec · CC BY-SA 4.010% of Hayward’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 390 acres are parks and preserves, 153 per 1,000 residents. 10% of Hayward’s land is conserved, about 244 acres.
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #23 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Hayward?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Hayward have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Hayward is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #23 of 362 in Wisconsin. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, trail miles lowest.
Water is 6% of Hayward’s area (0 of 4 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 10%.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
244 conserved acres
10% of Hayward’s land. Water is left out: Hayward has 3.8 square miles of land and 0.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Hayward’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 130 | Open |
| Hayward Golf And Tennis Club Private Park | Private owners | 63 | Open |
| Greenwood Cemetary Local Historic or Cultural Area | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Hayward Station Unknown | State natural resources | 9 | Open |
| Roynona Creek Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 8 | Open |
| Smith Creek Dog Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| Smith Creek Park Trail Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
| Hayward City Beach Local Park | Town or city | 5 | Open |
| Shues Pond Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Chequamegon National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 2 | Open |
2 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
12 places to go in Hayward
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
8 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
1 campground without a name on the map.
2 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
6.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
The walking year in Hayward
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 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 21 | 26 | 39 | 53 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 77 | 68 | 55 | 38 | 26 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
January is the driest month (0.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.3 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Hayward →
Questions about parks and trails in Hayward
How much of Hayward is conserved land?
10% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Wisconsin town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Hayward’s trails?
Hayward City Beach and Shues Pond Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Hayward?
6.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.8 of painted or protected lanes and 5.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Hayward?
95,494 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Hayward or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 397 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Hayward have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #23 of 362 in Wisconsin. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Hayward neighbors.
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 →