Merrill School Forest
Managed by Merrill Area Public Schools
761 acres4.2 mi of trail
Ice Age TrailBluejay LoopGopher PassSilver Fox Trai
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Rock Falls
Few parks or trails are on the map in Rock Falls
The biggest trail networks: Merrill School Forest (4.2 mi). 3% of Rock Falls’ land is conserved, about 980 acres. 289 acres are parks and preserves, 327 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
3%
980 acres · of 47.7 sq mi of land
Trails
13 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
289 ac
327 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
17%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,490 ft
Ninemile Hill
Lakes & rivers
7
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 Merrill School Forest, with 4.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
776 acres0.3 mi of trail
Ice Age Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Lincoln County Forest
Managed by Lincoln County
21 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Camp Newood County Park
Managed by Lincoln County
8 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Merrill School Forest761 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · Merrill Area Public Schools
Bill Cross Wildlife Area776 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Lincoln County Forest21 acres · Lincoln County
Camp Newood County Park8 acres · Lincoln County
Tug Lake County Park7 acres · Lincoln County
Who protects it
980 conserved acres
3% of Rock Falls’ land. Who manages Rock Falls’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources1,009 ac
County4 ac
Bureau of Land Management4 ac
State Recreation Area · 974 acState Park · 35 acLocal Conservation Area · 4 acNational Public Lands · 4 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Cross Wildlife Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 711 | Restricted |
| Ice Age Trail State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 259 | Open |
| Ice Age Trail - Nw State Park | State natural resources | 35 | Open |
| Lincoln County Forest - Public Fishing Grounds Local Conservation Area | County | 4 | Open |
| Northeastern States District Office National Public Lands | Bureau of Land Management | 4 | Open |
| Statewide Public Access State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 2 | Open |
| Statewide Public Access - Nw State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 2 | Open |
Things to do
4 places to go in Rock Falls
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Rock Falls
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Rock Falls
Ninemile Hill1,490 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Rock Falls
Camp Birch TrailsGirl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes
DirectionsCamp New Wood County Park CampgroundFee · In Camp Newood County Park
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Ice Age Trail5.4 mi
Bluejay Loop1.3 mi
Gopher Pass0.3 mi
Silver Fox Trai0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The walking year in Rock Falls
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) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 21 | 27 | 38 | 52 | 66 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 68 | 55 | 39 | 26 |
| Rain (in) | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
February is the driest month (1.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.6 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Rock Falls →
Next door
Rock Falls 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Falls | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Harding | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Birch | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Merrill | 8% | 0.1 | 963 | 37% | B |
| Bradley | 4% | 0.2 | 744 | 32% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Rock Falls
Where can I hike in Rock Falls?
The longest trail networks: Merrill School Forest, 4.2 miles; Bill Cross Wildlife Area, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Rock Falls’ trails?
Merrill School Forest and Bill Cross Wildlife Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Rock Falls?
78,360 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Rock Falls or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 294 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Rock Falls 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 →