Fishing • Lakes • Trails • Northwoods • Adventure
Meet Hayward.
Big fish, big forests and some of Wisconsin's most famous Northwoods traditions. Hayward is built for people who would rather spend the weekend outside.
Big fish, big forests and some of Wisconsin's most famous Northwoods traditions. Hayward is built for people who would rather spend the weekend outside.
Hayward sits deep in Wisconsin's Northwoods, surrounded by lakes, rivers, forests and an enormous network of trails. Fishing may have made the area famous, but it is only the beginning.
Paddle the Namekagon, explore the Chippewa Flowage, ride forest trails, ski Birkie country or come back downtown for shops, food and classic Northwoods character.
Fish the water. Hit the trails. Then find your way downtown.
There is always another lake, trail or back road to explore.
Cast for musky, walleye, bass, northern pike and panfish.
Boat, paddle or spend the afternoon beside a Northwoods shoreline.
Explore the Hayward area's extensive biking and forest trail network.
Trade pavement for wooded trails and quiet Northwoods scenery.
Paddle lakes and rivers or spend a summer day out in the boat.
Browse local shops and grab something to eat after the day's adventure.
Explore Northwoods roads when the forest turns red, orange and gold.
Skiing and snow transform Hayward into a completely different getaway.
Hayward's reputation as a fishing destination runs deep. The surrounding lakes and waterways give anglers an enormous amount of water to explore.
The Chippewa Flowage alone covers roughly 15,300 acres, with bays, islands and wooded shoreline creating a Northwoods landscape made for long days on the water.
Explore Wisconsin Fishing →
The American Birkebeiner helped make Hayward famous far beyond Wisconsin. Each winter, the area becomes the center of one of North America's best-known cross-country ski events.
But the trails don't disappear with the snow. The broader trail system is used throughout the year for hiking, running and biking, giving Hayward another major reason to visit outside of lake season.
Explore Wisconsin Trails →
Downtown brings together the other side of the Hayward experience: locally owned shops, restaurants, treats, events and the unmistakable feel of a northern Wisconsin vacation town.
It's the natural place to wander after a morning on the water or an afternoon on the trails.
Explore Wisconsin Food & Drink →Hayward has built an identity around the outdoors unlike almost anywhere else in Wisconsin.
Hayward's Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame celebrates the region's fishing heritage with its enormous musky landmark.
One of North America's largest cross-country ski races brings thousands to the Hayward area.
The Lumberjack World Championships celebrate Hayward's deep Northwoods logging heritage.
A longtime community celebration built around one of Hayward's favorite fish.
Fishing, trails and classic Northwoods downtime.
Check in, walk downtown and start the weekend with dinner in Hayward.
Fish, paddle or boat one of the area's lakes or head toward the Chippewa Flowage.
Trade the boat for hiking or biking through the surrounding Northwoods.
Grab breakfast, explore another lake and make a scenic Northwoods drive part of the trip.
Northwestern Wisconsin gives you plenty of reasons to keep driving.
Discover more lakes, forests, cabins and outdoor adventures across northern Wisconsin.
Go EastPair Hayward with another of Wisconsin's classic Northwoods lake towns.
Keep ExploringAdd Hodag Country, more lakes and another Northwoods downtown.
Hit the RoadBuild Hayward into a longer northern Wisconsin driving adventure.
The Northwoods wakes up and another season of fishing and trails begins.
SummerLong days are built for fishing, boating, paddling and time at the cabin.
FallForests surrounding Hayward turn the region into one of Wisconsin's great autumn drives.
WinterSnow puts skiing and winter trails at the center of the Hayward experience.
Spend one day on the lakes, another exploring trails and town, and leave enough room in the schedule to discover why so many Wisconsin travelers keep returning to Hayward.
Hayward is known for Northwoods lakes and fishing, the American Birkebeiner, extensive trail systems, lumberjack traditions and its popular downtown.
Yes. Fishing is one of the Hayward area's signature activities, with thousands of acres of lakes and waterways surrounding the city.
The Chippewa Flowage is a roughly 15,300-acre body of water near Hayward known for its wooded shoreline, islands, wildlife and fishing.
The American Birkebeiner is Hayward's signature cross-country ski event and one of the largest events of its kind in North America.
Yes. Summer brings fishing, boating, paddling, hiking, biking, community events and long days on the area's lakes.
Yes. Its combination of outdoor recreation, downtown attractions, lodging and dining makes Hayward especially well suited to a two- or three-night Northwoods trip.
Find a lake, cast a line and disappear into the Wisconsin Northwoods.