Outdoor Recreation

According to federal data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation contributed $11.2 billion to Wisconsin’s gross domestic product in 2023, underscoring its importance to the state’s economy.

After two years of cancellations, organizers are ready to give the Amnicon Lake ice fishing event another shot. A lack of volunteers might stand in their way.

The Lake Superior Ice Festival is one of the city’s biggest annual events. It’s held on Friday and Saturday, with a plethora of activities on Barker’s Island, along with ice sculptures popping up around the city.

A blast of Arctic air is descending on a large span of the country this weekend, and Wisconsin residents can expect bitterly cold temperatures to linger into the middle of January.

After 125 years, the Wisconsin State Park System has grown to include 50 state parks, 44 state trails, 15 state forests, nine state recreation areas and eight river and resources areas.

A new ice skating ribbon at Boulder Junction’s Winter Park will give visitors the opportunity to skate through snowy woods. 

Ice fishermen have found ways to adapt to low ice cover for the last two winters. Warm lake temperatures may delay the start of this year’s ice season once again.

At least two people in southeast Wisconsin fell through the ice and had to be rescued last weekend.

There are several ways to please nature-lovers this holiday season through wildlife conservation efforts in Wisconsin, senior wildlife outreach specialist Jamie Nack told WPR’s Larry Meiller.

Author Rachel Gross joined WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” to share the history of outdoor recreation marketing and some of its Wisconsin ties.