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–Not graded
Outdoors in Sterling

Few parks or trails are on the map in Sterling

253 acres are parks and preserves, 441 per 1,000 residents. 15% of residents live within a half mile of a park.

Conserved land
1%
281 acres · of 45.6 sq mi of land
Trails
0.0 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
253 ac
441 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
15%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
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
Who protects it

281 conserved acres

1% of Sterling’s land. Who manages Sterling’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.

State natural resources345 ac
Private owners15 ac
State Recreation Area · 257 acState Resource Management Area · 68 acRecreation or Education Easement · 19 acConservation Easement · 10 acPrivate Conservation · 5 ac
Good to know

Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 16 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.

The biggest protected parcels
Parcel (PAD-US)Managed byAcresPublic access
La Crosse Area Comprehensive Fishery Area
State Recreation Area
Private owners192Open
Scattered Forest Lands
State Resource Management Area
State natural resources68Open
Scattered Forest Land - Wd
State Recreation Area
State natural resources65Open
Stream Bank Protection Fee Program
Private Conservation
Private owners5Open
Trails & water

2 lakes & rivers

Lakes & rivers tap for directions
2 ReservoirreservoirSouth Fork Bad Axe River
When to get out

The walking year in Sterling

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.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight (h)9.310.411.813.414.715.415.114.012.410.99.69.0
High (°F)253043576878817972594330
Rain (in)1.21.22.13.94.85.84.64.44.12.82.11.4

February is the driest month (1.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 5.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Sterling →

Next door

Sterling and its neighbors

Tap a town to see its outdoors.

Freeman4.4 miJefferson1.7 miFranklin1.2 miWheatland1.1 miSterling0.0 miHarmony0.0 mi
TownConserved
of land		Trail mi
per sq mi		Park acres
per 1,000		Near a park
½ mile		Outdoors
Sterling— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Franklin2%under 0.15106%C
Freeman— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Wheatland— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Harmony— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Jefferson4%under 0.198929%B−

The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.

Questions about parks and trails in Sterling

Is there public land near Sterling?

10,132 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Sterling or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 257 of them inside the town line.

Trail talk

Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Sterling neighbors.

Town Square →
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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 →