Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Small Village Is A Gateway To An Outdoor Paradise Full Of Natural Beauty And Laid-Back Vibes – Islands
Everyone knows the legendary Appalachian Trail, stretching thousands of miles from Georgia to Maine. But many travelers are unaware that it’s just one of 11 routes designated by the National Park Service as National Scenic Trails. This includes the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, extending 1,200 miles through Wisconsin’s wilderness. The historic trail winds through thirty counties and dozens of towns and villages along the way, including New Auburn, a gateway to the great outdoors.
About 35 miles north of Eau Claire, a university town with a revitalized downtown and lovely river trails, the village of New Auburn is tiny and quiet, with a population of around 500 people. Its downtown is only a few blocks wide, with a few churches, a park, a post office, and a gas station. It’s also home to a couple of cozy cafés, including Nauburn Coffee (open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days) and the New Auburn Cheese Company, serving breakfast and lunch alongside a wide selection of locally produced cheeses. But while New Auburn might be light on shopping and other entertainment options, it’s the ideal home base for an epic escape into the great outdoors.
Discover New Auburn, a village surrounded by wilderness
Espresso and cheese aside, what’s notable about the laid-back town of New Auburn is the fact that it’s surrounded by an outdoor paradise. Just east of town is the Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area, which is located directly on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Stop into the David R. Obey Ice Age Interpretive Center, with exhibits displaying information about the region’s glacial history, to learn about the park’s offerings. In addition to pristine lakes for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing (including ice fishing in winter, permit required), the park has 23 miles of trails that are ideal for hiking and snowshoeing.
Popular self-guided treks that start at the interpretive center include the 0.7-mile Mammoth Trail loop and the 1.8-mile Dry Lake Trail. There are picnic areas near the interpretive center where you can have lunch while exploring the park, and primitive camping is available nearby, within the limits of the recreation area. Reservations are required, and you can make them online. The Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and a daily pass costs $13 for Wisconsin residents and $16 for out-of-state visitors.
Plan your visit to Chippewa County and New Auburn
Another outdoor activity to consider is snowmobiling, a big draw for New Auburn residents who love to explore the region’s snowy landscapes in winter. Apply online for a Wisconsin Snowmobile Trail Pass ($30 for residents and $50 for non-residents) for permission to access the many public trails that criss-cross the region. Travel Wisconsin has a comprehensive list of snowmobiling parks, trails, and outfitters where you can rent equipment. Alternatively, check out Trailhead Adventure Off-Road Rentals in nearby Rice Lake, where you can rent snowmobiles and join in on all sorts of preplanned excursions.
Since New Auburn doesn’t have any hotels, your best bet for staying in the area is an Airbnb. It’s also possible to day-trip to the town (and the Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area) from Minneapolis, which is about one hour and 45 minutes away by car. If you’re flying into Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, it’s a good idea to pick up a rental car to make the trip, as the remote region isn’t well-served by public transportation. And before you start your adventure, be sure to read up on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and how you can follow in the footsteps of woolly mammoths.
A troubling trend for the Wisconsin football continues when it comes to the NFL Draft.
In the past, it was common for Wisconsin football players to be taken early and often over the three days of the draft, but recently, the number of Badgers being taken is dwindling. And when they are, they have been late Day 3 picks.
This year the program hit rock bottom. Not one Badger got drafted in 257 selections, the first time since 1978. There was a thought that maybe a few Badgers would be picked late, but they all went undrafted.
But that doesn’t mean those players football dream is over.
As soon as that last pick is announced, players are agreeing to sign on with teams as undrafted free agents (UDFAs). As was the case with many other former Wisconsin Badgers, these players will have a shot to make an NFL roster in 2026 the hard way.
Here is where every Badger landed as an undrafted rookie after the NFL Draft was completed.
Destinations For Every Undrafted Wisconsin Badger
EDGE Mason Reiger – Signed with the Miami Dolphins – via Jordan Schultz
WR Vinny Anthony – Signed with the Atlanta Falcons – via Nick Osen, 247Sports
TE Lance Mason – Signed with the Seattle Seahawks – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
S Austin Brown – Signed with the Indianapolis Colts – via Tom Pelissero, NFL Network
OL Riley Mahlman – Signed with the Atlanta Falcons – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
CB Nyzier Fourqurean – Signed with the Los Angeles Rams – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
EDGE Darryl Peterson – Signed with the Los Angeles Rams – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
FB Jackson Acker – Signed with the Buffalo Bills – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
DL Ben Barten – Signed with the New York Giants – via Wisconsin Football
WR Jayden Ballard – Invited to minicamp with the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts – via Aaron Wilson, KPRC 2 Houston
DL Jay’Viar Suggs – Signed with the New Orleans Saints – via US Sports Management
DL Parker Petersen – Signed with the Carolina Panthers – via Wisconsin Football
K Nathanial Vakos – Invited to minicamp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – via Wisconsin Football
This will be updated with new signings.
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MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – A Columbia County restaurant has earned the title of making Wisconsin’s best burger.
Awarded by the Wisconsin Beef Council, the Tennessee Whiskey Burger from Dump Bar and Grill in Cambria is this year’s winner.
The content promotes 100% beef burgers made in Wisconsin restaurants.
The Dump earned the highest ranking from a secret panel of three judges who travel to the elite eight restaurants.
The dump has been nominated by customers for three years in a row.
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Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield shares his biggest spring takeaway
Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield shared his biggest takeaway from the spring following the Badgers’ four-set win over Northern Illinois.
MADISON – Wisconsin volleyball got one last tune-up in the spring.
The Badgers, while showing some things that still need to be tuned up, ultimately won four sets against Northern Illinois, 25-18, 25-18, 25-13, 25-22, on April 24 at the UW Field House to conclude their spring schedule.
UW and Northern Illinois planned to play four sets regardless of the outcome of the first three sets (although they did not record stats for the fourth set).
The second and third sets had a combined 13 ties and six lead changes in the four sets as the Badgers faced a Northern Illinois team with only eight players (and no players taller than 6-foot-2). UW broke free in the third set with a 12-0 scoring run, but the fourth set was tied as late as 21-21.
Here are three takeaways from the Badgers’ win:
Eva Travis, Jaela Auguste again have starring roles (and highlight-worthy kills)
Eva Travis’ first spring after playing in the Big West ended with a big performance against Northern Illinois, recording 10 kills while hitting .643 as she started the first two sets and subbed in for the third set.
“Eva’s getting a lot better,” Sheffield said. “That’s not to say that she hasn’t had a great first freshman and sophomore year because she did. But where she’s been the last two weeks versus the first month here – she’s really settling in and becoming the player that we thought she was capable of being when we went after her in the portal.”
Fellow transfer Jaela Auguste also had 10 kills while hitting .769 and recording four blocks. Sheffield will especially remember one of those 10 kills – an authoritative blow off a one-handed set by Charlie Fuerbringer that excited the UW Field House crowd.
“That’s probably one of the top five highlights this building has even seen,” Sheffield said. “Unfortunately, we threw the next ball into the net when we were serving. But for that one fleeting moment, that was a pretty sweet play.”
Travis and Auguste’s starring roles were a similar story as six days earlier, when Travis had eight kills and Auguste had 10 against UW-Green Bay. Auguste also had six blocks in the road win.
Wisconsin’s depth on display against Huskies
While Auguste and Travis were at the top of UW’s box score, the Badgers also showcased the depth of their attack in the win over Northern Illinois.
Freshman outside hitters Audrey Flanagan and Halle Thompson each had seven kills. (Flanagan hit .455, and Thompson hit .353.) Sophomore middle blocker Natalie Wardlow had six kills while hitting .625.
Freshman middle blocker Lynney Tarnow’s stat line did not jump out as much – three kills while hitting .429 – but one of those was practically a bullet down the right side that landed right in front of the NIU back row.
Eight of the 10 non-libero UW players recorded at least two kills in the three sets that counted toward the official stats, and those eight players each hit above .350 in the process. The Badgers hit .525 as a whole.
That was all while the Badgers were once again without Grace Egan and Grace Lopez amid their continued injury recoveries. Neither player saw the floor in any of UW’s three spring matches.
“It’ll be a nice parlor game trying to figure out who’s going to play for this team,” Sheffield said. “Especially on the pins, there’s a lot of capable players, and we had some of them that didn’t even get in today.”
Wisconsin gets sloppy from service line
The Badgers certainly did not have their finest showing from the service line in their spring finale against Northern Illinois.
UW had 14 service errors while recording only three service aces in the three sets where the team kept official stats. Those 14 errors came from eight UW players, as Sheffield said jokingly that “everybody felt like it was their duty to miss two or three.”
“In three [sets]? You’re too kind not counting the fourth set,” Sheffield said. “It was sloppier than it’s been in previous matches. … Sometimes that can be a little bit contagious, like free-throw shooting.”
The 14 service errors against NIU were up from Wisconsin’s seven in the first three sets against UW-Green Bay and 11 in four sets against Marquette. Sheffield seems unlikely to lose too much sleep over the woes at the service line, though.
“I really think that’s going to end up being a strength of ours, so I’m not overly that concerned,” Sheffield said. “We’ve been really good behind the service line in the other matches that we played. We’ve been really good behind the service line in practices.”
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