Wisconsin Northwoods: Eagle River Chain, Lac du Flambeau & Rib Mountain

The 28-lake chain connected by the Eagle River is the largest inland chain of freshwater lakes in the world — 4,000 miles of shoreline, all within a few miles of each other. Rent a kayak or canoe from any of the Eagle River outfitters and paddle between lakes through the narrow channels and portages that connect them. The birch-and-pine shoreline is unchanged from the early 20th century when Chicago families began building summer camps here.

Eagle River's compact downtown has a character that larger Wisconsin resort towns have lost — independent fishing tackle shops, bait dealers, a proper hardware store, and the Northwoods supper club architecture that defines the lakes region aesthetic.

A classic Wisconsin Northwoods supper club in a log-and-stone lodge overlooking the chain of lakes — brandy old fashioneds, Friday night fish fries, and prime rib carved tableside. The supper club tradition is the social institution of the Wisconsin Northwoods, and Chanticleer does it properly.

The Lac du Flambeau reservation sits at the center of a system of 10 interconnected lakes — tribal lands protect the most intact Northwoods lake environment in Wisconsin, with wild rice beds, walleye habitat, and old-growth shoreline. Launch from the tribal boat landing and paddle between lakes through the natural flowages and channels the Ojibwe have used for centuries. Quieter and more remote than the Eagle River chain; canoe and kayak rentals available from outfitters in Lac du Flambeau.

A pristine lake in the Nicolet National Forest interior, accessible by a forest road and surrounded by old-growth-style white pine. No development on the shoreline, no motorboats allowed — the kind of paddling lake that used to define the Northwoods before jet skis.

A Minocqua institution since 1923 — perch, walleye, and lake trout fried in butter, with coleslaw made daily and rye bread from a Rhinelander bakery. The supper club dining room faces the lake, and the fish fry on Fridays draws people from a 50-mile radius.

Minocqua sits on a peninsula nearly surrounded by lake — the 1.2-mile island circumference walk passes through town, past the historic Minocqua Theater, and along the shoreline of Lake Minocqua. The town has been a Northwoods resort destination since the early 1900s and maintains the character of that era.

A well-regarded craft brewery in a renovated historic Northwoods building — the IPAs and lagers are carefully made, and the large windows face the lake-town main street. A good afternoon pint after the island walk.

A Minocqua supper club in a 1948 log lodge — one of the most atmospheric dining rooms in the Wisconsin Northwoods, with knotty pine walls, a stone fireplace, and a menu of lake fish and steaks that has changed very little since the original owners.

Rib Mountain is a 1.5-billion-year-old quartzite monadnock rising 700 feet above the Wisconsin plain — the highest hill in Wisconsin at 1,940 feet, and geologically distinct from anything else in the state. The trails to the summit are rocky and rewarding, with views across the agricultural plain in every direction.

A 1927 atmospheric theater in the historic Wausau downtown — one of the best-preserved movie palace interiors in Wisconsin, with a rococo plaster ceiling and a Mighty Wurlitzer organ still in working order. Tours available when productions aren't running.

A Wausau craft brewery in the renovated Wausau historic district — the Red Eye beers are a local institution, and the taproom has a sunny outdoor patio facing the Wisconsin River.

A whitewater course and recreation zone on the Wisconsin River in downtown Wausau — the Big Bull Falls section has been used for kayak racing and public paddling for decades, with a riverside trail giving views of the rapids. Kayak rentals available from Wausau outfitters; the paved river path from Red Eye Brewing leads directly here. A fitting final active stop before the 90-minute drive south to Milwaukee.