Vacation rentals in Mountain

Let’s get one thing straight: There are no mountains in Mountain. Instead, this rustic getaway is located in the southern end of the expansive Nicolet National Forest in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. First settled by the Menominee, whose reservation is just outside town, Mountain was a 19th-century logging village that has endured as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and seasonal residents. In the surrounding area you’ll find plenty of lakes for fishing walleye, trout, and muskie; rivers for rafting or tubing; some of the state’s best single-track mountain biking trails; and scenic routes for ATVs and UTVs. Even at peak season, it’s still pretty easy to find a secluded nook where you can while away an afternoon. The area’s supper clubs and resorts provide plenty of entertainment when you emerge from the forest, not to mention Wisconsin’s famous Friday fish fries.

Peak season for visiting staying in a cabin in Mountain is definitely from May through September. That’s when the sound of laughter floats over the rivers and lakes, the restaurants are filled with diners, and hikers and bikers wave to one another on the trails. The temperatures are reliably in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit in July and August, which makes for perfect lakeside weather. September and October bring crisp days and miles of spectacular autumnal foliage, and then the snow arrives — and stays through April. In December and January, you won’t encounter many days where the temperature rises above the freezing point. But the opportunity for outdoor adventure doesn’t stop: The lakes freeze over for ice fishing, and snowmobiles zip along well-groomed trails through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest

The Nicolet half of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (separated from the Chequamegon side by 150 miles) covers 665,000 acres of spectacular Northwoods pine and hardwood forests, dotted with campgrounds and placid lakes. Near town, search out the 100-foot Mountain Fire Lookout Tower, built in 1935, which offers unparalleled views over the canopy. Mountain bikers will find trails that range from comfortable to challenging. In addition to trout streams, a number of the campgrounds have accessible fishing piers.

River Rafting

The Upper Wolf River flows through White Lake, just a 20-mile drive west of Mountain, and in that town you’ll find several rafting companies that can lead you on excursions lasting a few hours or all day. Rafting season generally extends from May through September. Here, the river drops 430 feet over 28 miles, with plenty of rapids and falls to roar through. More languid stretches will allow you to admire the surrounding forest and perhaps spot a black bear or river otter.

Nicolet State Trail

ATV and UTV owners flock to the Northwoods for some of the state’s most scenic off-road riding. The Nicolet State Trail, which starts in Gillett and leads north for 89 miles up to the Michigan state line, parallels Highway 32 as it passes through Mountain. You’ll pass through miles of forest, secluded Northwoods communities, and over roaring rivers, occasionally sharing the crushed-gravel road with horses and off-road motorcycles. In winter, the trail is just as popular with snowmobiles.