Mud Lake Wildlife Area
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
3,008 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church · Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC0–Not graded
Outdoors in Shields
Few parks or trails are on the map in Shields
The biggest trail networks: Mud Lake Wildlife Area (1 mi). 18% of Shields’ land is conserved, about 2,875 acres. 2,897 acres are parks and preserves, 5,297 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
18%
2,875 acres · of 25.6 sq mi of land
Trails
1.1 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,897 ac
5,297 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
23%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.1 mi
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 Mud Lake Wildlife Area, with 1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
2,875 conserved acres
18% of Shields’ land. Who manages Shields’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources2,875 ac
State Recreation Area · 2,875 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo - Mud Lake Wildlife Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 2,875 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Shields
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Shields
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Biking & sports
1.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 1980
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Shields
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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 31 | 43 | 57 | 69 | 79 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 45 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
February is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.0 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Shields →
Next door
Shields 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shields | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lowell | 6% | under 0.1 | 1,809 | 20% | B− |
| Emmet | under 1% | 0.1 | 23 | 5% | C− |
| Milford | 1% | 0.1 | under 1 | 1% | D |
| Portland | 10% | under 0.1 | 150 | 9% | B− |
| Watertown | 2% | 0.1 | 15 | 13% | C− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Shields
Where can I hike in Shields?
The longest trail networks: Mud Lake Wildlife Area, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Shields’ trails?
Mud Lake Wildlife Area doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Shields?
1.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Shields?
9,191 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Shields or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,897 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Shields 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 →