Brule River State Forest
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
10,565 acres33.7 mi of trail
North Country TrailNorth Country National Scenic Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Highland
More than half of Highland’s land is conserved: 73%
73% of Highland’s land is conserved, about 35,510 acres. The biggest trail networks: Brule River State Forest (33.7 mi). 2,874 acres are parks and preserves, 6,330 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
73%
35,510 acres · of 76.2 sq mi of land
Trails
61 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,874 ac
6,330 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
17%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.0 mi
1.0 mi paths
Highest peak
1,263 ft
Nebaga
Lakes & rivers
25
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 Brule River State Forest, with 33.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Douglas County Forest
Nature preserve
2,842 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Bayfield County Forest
Managed by Bayfield County
15 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
35,510 conserved acres
73% of Highland’s land. Who manages Highland’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources32,645 ac
County2,865 ac
Forest Stewardship Easement · 14,916 acState Resource Management Area · 10,838 acUnknown Easement · 6,891 acLocal Conservation Area · 2,865 acState Conservation Area · 1 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 21,807 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brule River State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 10,837 | Open |
| Douglas County Forest Local Conservation Area | County | 2,825 | Open |
| Bayfield County Forest Local Conservation Area | County | 40 | Open |
| State Owned Islands State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 1 | Open |
| State Owned Islands - Douglas County - Murray Lake - Island No 1 State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 1 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Highland
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Peaks in Highland
Nebaga1,263 ft elevation · In Brule River State Forest
DirectionsTrails & water
2 named trails and 25 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 25.9 mi
North Country Trail12.3 mi
North Country National Scenic Trail8.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Anderson LakeAshland LakelakeBeauregard LakeBig LakelakeBlack Fox LakeBoot LakeCathrine LakelakeDeer Print LakeHigh Life LakelakeHopkins LakelakeHorseshoe LakeJack Pine LakeLoon LakelakeLucius LakelakeMuck LakelakeMurray LakelakeParadise LakeRock LakeRush LakeSand LakelakeSpring LakelakeSunfish LakeWhisky LakelakeBois Brule RiverSucker Lake
Biking & sports
1.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.0 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
1Tennis
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 Highland
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) | 20 | 26 | 38 | 51 | 65 | 74 | 79 | 76 | 68 | 53 | 37 | 25 |
| Rain (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
February is the driest month (1.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.4 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Highland →
Next door
Highland and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Barnes129 miGordon72 miSolon Springs69 miHughes65 miHighland61 miBrule14 miBennett12 miLake Nebagamon2.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Barnes | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lake Nebagamon | 12% | 0.2 | 915 | 72% | A− |
| Bennett | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hughes | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Solon Springs | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Brule | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Gordon | — 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 Highland
Where can I hike in Highland?
The longest trail networks: Brule River State Forest, 33.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Highland’s trails?
Brule River State Forest and Douglas County Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Highland?
1.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.0 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Highland?
186,652 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Highland or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 13,803 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Highland 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 →