McDonald Creek Hwt
McDonald Creek Hwt Trail is a 14.4 miles trail in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 45.9354, -88.9006 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.8561, -88.8890 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 29 segments.
The trail
| Length | 14.4 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 55298A, 55298AA, 55298AB, 55298AC, 55298AD, 55298B, 55298BA, 55298BB, 55298BC, 55298C, 55298CA, 55298DA, 55298DB, 55298E, 55298EA, 55298EAA, 55298EAAA, 55298EB, 55298EC, 55298ED, 55298EDA, 55298EE, 55298EF, 55298EG, 55298F, 55298FA, 55298FB, 55298FC, 55298FD |
| Forest | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (unit 0913) |
| States | Wisconsin |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 05/01 to 11/30 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWatersmeet Admin Rx
30 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
14.4 miles, the sum of the 29 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
hiking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail start?
The line begins at 45.9354, -88.9006 and ends at 45.8561, -88.8890. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
Luna White Deer Campground (3.2 mi), Luna - White Deer Lake Recreation Area (3.4 mi) and Franklin Lake Recreation Area (4.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Forest Service unit 0913. The trail is in Wisconsin.
Is there a fire near the McDonald Creek Hwt Trail?
1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Watersmeet Admin Rx at 30 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 29 segments named MCDONALD CREEK HWT in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0913. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.