Trails for every season

Explore miles of scenic trails through the forests of Wisconsin’s Northwoods. The CAMBA Trails system offers five distinct trail clusters, with routes ranging from gentle, beginner-friendly paths to more technical wilderness adventures. Enjoy mountain biking, hiking, trail running, or winter fat biking, depending on the season. Before heading out, visit the CAMBA website to download trail maps and check current trail conditions. 

Year-Round Adventure with Birkie

Just minutes from Sunny Shores, the American Birkebeiner Trail is one of the Midwest's premier outdoor destinations. While it's famous for North America's largest cross-country ski race, the Birkie has grown into a year-round adventure hub offering trail running, mountain biking, hiking, training programs, family events, and outdoor festivals.

Whether you're visiting in the warmth of summer, the colors of autumn, or the quiet beauty of winter, the Birkie offers unforgettable ways to explore Wisconsin's Northwoods. Browse upcoming events, races, and activities at birkie.com.

Ride into the Northwoods

ATV and UTV riders have direct access to expansive trail systems throughout Chequamegon National Forest, making it easy to travel deep into the Northwoods. For a slower pace, the surrounding forests invite another kind of attention. Wild mushrooms, berries, and herbs appear naturally for those who know how to look. Direct access to forest trail systems. You can download all maps here.

Fishing

Sunny Shores rests beside one of the chain’s quiet, sheltered areas—what we lovingly call the womb of the lakes. Here, calm water and aquatic plants create a natural nursery where young fish grow, tadpoles become frogs, dragonflies emerge, and countless small creatures find shelter. This rich, living ecosystem makes the surrounding waters especially wonderful for fishing.

The clear lakes of the Eau Claire Chain support muskellunge, northern pike, walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, as well as crappies, bluegills, sunfish, and perch. Nearby rivers and forest streams also offer peaceful settings for trout fishing.

Cast a line from our dock, head out in a kayak, or bring your own boat and keep it at the dock throughout your stay. Begin early as the morning mist rises through the trees, or fish in the softer light of evening. Even if you never cast a line, sitting beside the lake and watching this living world unfold can become an experience of its own. Here, fishing invites you to slow down, listen, and become fully present with the water.

Kayaking, Boating & Lake Exploration

The Eau Claire Chain of Lakes, 11 interconnected lakes surrounded by Northwoods forest, seems made for slow exploration by water. Paddle through quiet bays, follow the chain’s hidden shorelines, watch loons glide across the lake, and surrender to the peaceful rhythm of the water.

Sunny Shores provides kayaks for guests but does not currently offer a motorboat. You are welcome to bring your own boat and keep it at our dock throughout your stay, giving you the freedom to venture farther into the chain for fishing, swimming, or a full day of exploration.

Sunny Shores rests beside one of the chain’s quiet, sheltered areas—what we lovingly call its womb. These living waters form a natural nursery where young fish grow, tadpoles become frogs, dragonflies emerge, and aquatic plants shelter countless small creatures. It is a place where the entire ecosystem is visibly alive, renewing itself through every season. Fishing makes it amazing! 

Whether you head out beneath the morning mist, spend the day exploring by boat, or drift across calm evening waters in a kayak, move gently, look closely, and allow the lake to reveal its smaller worlds. It is one of the most intimate and memorable ways to experience Sunny Shores.

Evenings and Local Life

Evenings here follow their own tradition. Local supper clubs, lakeside restaurants, and small-town bars create a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. It is not about fine dining in the traditional sense. It is about familiarity, quality, and time well spent.

Cedar Lodge Steakhouse & Grille — website

Windsor — 50750 Outlet Bay Rd, Solon Springs, WI 54873

Georgia Bar & Grill — 11050 Ellison Lk Rd, Barnes, WI 54873

PJ's Cabin Store — 1040 Lake Rd, Solon Springs, WI 54873

Forest Point Resort & Golf Course — 13702 Fowler's Cir, Gordon, WI 54838

Y GO BY - 13889 Co Rd Y, Gordon, WI 54838

Nearby towns such as Hayward and Cable also offer golf courses, charming local shops, restaurants, and seasonal events that add another layer to the Northwoods experience.

Foraging

The forest around Sunny Shores offers a changing abundance of wild mushrooms, berries, and herbs throughout the warmer seasons. What appears depends entirely on the time of year, recent rainfall, and the rhythms of the forest—each visit may reveal something different beneath the trees.

Foraging here is an invitation to slow down, look closely, and discover how much life is growing all around you. After booking, ask us what may be in season, where gathering is permitted, and how to forage with care and respect for the land. Because wild plants and mushrooms can be easily misidentified, please consume only those you can identify with complete certainty.

Snowmobiling & ATV/UTV Adventures

The Northwoods offers a completely different kind of adventure in every season. When snow covers the forest, Douglas County’s winter trail system opens more than 300 miles of groomed snowmobile and winter ATV trails. The routes wind through snow-covered pine forests, open countryside, and small Northwoods communities, offering everything from a short scenic ride to a full day of exploration.

During the warmer months, riders can explore more than 100 miles of maintained summer ATV/UTV trails. Riding through the forest is a wonderful way to travel farther into the landscape, discover places beyond the main roads, and experience the wilder side of northern Wisconsin.

Sunny Shores does not provide snowmobiles or ATV/UTV vehicles, but several rental companies operate in the surrounding area.

Where to Rent

Runamuk Rides
Located between Hayward and Cable, Runamuk offers one- and two-person snowmobiles and two- and four-person side-by-side UTVs. Guided and unguided rides are available, and helmets and trail maps are included. Their trailside location allows you to park your car, collect your rental, and begin riding directly from there.

13679 W Thannum Fire Lane, Hayward, WI 54843
Call or text: (715) 222-9911

Hayward Power Sports
Hayward Power Sports offers single and two-person snowmobiles, as well as UTV/side-by-side rentals. Full-day, overnight, and longer rental options may be available depending on the season and trail conditions.

12305 WI-77, Hayward, WI 54843
Phone: (715) 462-3674

Trail availability changes with weather, snow cover, and seasonal closures. Before setting out, always check the current Douglas County trail report or call the 24-hour Trail Hotline at (715) 378-4528. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for weekends and holidays, and riders should confirm Wisconsin safety-certificate requirements with the rental company before arrival.

Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing

Winter in the Northwoods has its own quiet rhythm. Cross-country skiing allows you to glide through snow-covered forests and rolling hills, while snowshoeing invites you to move slowly, follow animal tracks, and enter parts of the winter landscape that are difficult to reach on foot. After fresh snowfall, even the familiar forest around Sunny Shores becomes an entirely new world.

Northwestern Wisconsin offers an extensive network of groomed ski trails and designated snowshoe routes for every level of experience—from gentle woodland loops to longer and more challenging adventures.

Nearby Trails

Tomahawk Lake Park Trail System in Barnes offers approximately 14 kilometers, or eight miles, of beautifully marked trails through rolling forest. Several loops allow visitors to choose distances from two to ten kilometers. Most of the system is groomed for both classic and skate skiing, and a heated shelter with a changing area welcomes skiers at the trailhead.

The Douglas County Cross-Country Ski Trail System, located between Solon Springs and Gordon, includes more than ten miles of groomed trails east of Highway 53. It is a peaceful local option for experiencing the Douglas County Forest in winter.

For a longer adventure, the world-famous American Birkebeiner Trail stretches through the forests between Hayward and Cable. The larger Birkie trail network offers numerous access points and routes for both recreational and experienced skiers. Dedicated snowshoe routes can also be found near Hayward and Cable, including the North End Snowshoe Trails and the HASTA Hospital Trail.

Equipment Rentals

If you do not have your own equipment, New Moon Ski & Bike in Hayward rents classic and skate-style Nordic skis, boots, poles, and snowshoes. The Cable Natural History Museum also offers snowshoe rentals for adults and children.

Trail grooming and accessibility depend on snowfall and current conditions. Please check individual trail reports before leaving and remember that snowshoeing and walking are not permitted on groomed ski tracks unless a trail is specifically marked for shared use.