Rainbow Lake Wilderness
Slightly more than six miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail cross this Wilderness from northwest to southeast, passing close to Rainbow Lake itself. Anderson Grade is the only other maintained pathway, crossing from east to west for about four miles. Rolling terrain stands cloaked in northern hardwoods, balsam fir, pine, and paper birch that provide shelter for deer, black bears, red foxes, and coyotes. Bald eagles, hawks, owls, loons, woodpeckers, and songbirds enliven the skies, and waterfowl are often seen on Reynard and Wishbone Lakes. Thousands of migrating birds stop for a rest in spring and fall. Anglers should find the pan fishing excellent on Rainbow Lake, and very good in the 15 other lakes and nine small ponds.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wisconsin |
| Size | 7,135 acres |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.42° N, 91.30° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 viewing Wildlife. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- under 1 miRainbow Lake Wilderness ↗Viewing Wildlife
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 35 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| North Country National Scenic ↗ | 34.9 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx-West Church Windrows
9 mi from the center point · 81 acres
- WildfireRedhouse
36 mi from the center point · 22 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 9.2 miIsland Lake Camp ↗Drummond, WI
- 12.1 miForest Lodge Library ↗Cable, WI
- 12.5 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Wisconsin
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes on and Around the North Country Trail - Michigan and WisconsinThomas Funke, 2016Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Rainbow Lake Wilderness?
7,135 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Rainbow Lake Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Rainbow Lake Wilderness in?
Wisconsin.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Rainbow Lake Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Rainbow Lake Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Rainbow Lake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.416° N, 91.304° W. North Country National Scenic Trail is 22 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Rainbow Lake Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx-West Church Windrows at 9 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Rainbow Lake Wilderness?
North Country National Scenic Trail (22 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Rainbow Lake Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Island Lake Camp and Forest Lodge Library.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.