Red Cedar Trail and Hoffman Hills

About Us:-

Welcome to the Red Cedar Trail and Hoffman Hills, two of DunnCounty’s premier natural and recreational destinations.  Whether bicycling, skiing, hiking, walking or jogging – you will discover miles of spectacular natural beauty.

The Red Cedar Trail has a compacted limestone surface and meanders past towering sandstone bluffs and pastoral farmland, through deep, deciduous forests, sunny meadows, and expansive river bottoms. Sweeping vistas of the Red Cedar River are found along much of the 14.5 miles of trail. Be certain to slow your pace and enjoy the amazing diversity of animals and plants found here. This gently sloping, four-season trail rests upon the bed of a historic railway. The Red Cedar Junction rail line serviced the Knapp and Stout Company, the world’s largest lumber producing company in the late 1800’s. The line hauled lumber and later general freight until it was abandoned in 1973.  The DNR acquired this abandoned railway and converted it into one of its showcase recreational trails.  The north trailhead is at the old Depot and contains historical and natural exhibits, sells trail passes, and is a visitor center for the city of Menomonie and surrounding area.

Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area offers 707 acres of preserved and restored wooded hills, wetlands, and prairie traversed with hiking and cross-country ski trails. It’s an excellent bird watching area.  A 60-foot-high observation tower crowns one of the highest points in DunnCounty, offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, especially in autumn.  Hoffman Hills was created in 1980 when Richard and Marian Hoffman donated 280 acres of rural Elk Mound farmland to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).