Wisconsin's Underrated Town Is The Perfect Midwest Escape With Scenic Trails, Antique Charm, And Boat Parades

Ladysmith, a small town in north-central Wisconsin, proudly claims the motto, "City of pride, progress, and promise." While its population was only 3,152 as of 2023, this small city offers visitors and residents a wealth of history and culture. If you're driving up through southern Wisconsin, you'll find Ladysmith nestled along the Flambeau River, flanked by forests as rolling farmland gives way to lakes and the Northwoods. Named after the wife of a 19th-century local factory owner, this underrated, scenic river town in Rusk County has evolved through numerous key industries over the years. Today, Ladysmith is best known for the Northland Mardi Gras, an annual, four-day festival that features carnival rides, lumberjack events, craft shows, and a street parade that culminates in a nighttime boat parade and fireworks show on the Flambeau River in Ladysmith's Memorial Park.

Wisconsin was once inhabited by the Ojibwe people, and their influence is still prevalent in Ladysmith. Early European settlers referred to them as the Chippewa, possibly meaning "puckered up," in reference to the top seam on their traditional moccasins. Ladysmith honors its first residents, and the Rusk County Historical Society Museum features exhibits about Indigenous history and culture, including a geodesic dome and a traditional Ojibwe wigwam.

The closest major city is Minneapolis, Minnesota, 130 miles southwest of Ladysmith. It's about 230 miles from Madison and is just over 60 miles from the closest small city, Eau Claire, the "Indie Capital Of The Midwest" with a fabulous artist scene. As with many American Midwest towns, the best way to get to Ladysmith is to drive there, since there's no public transportation. It's typically cheaper to rent a car at the airport than anywhere else, so if you're traveling from far away, consider flying to Minneapolis or Eau Claire and renting one there.

Every July, Ladysmith turns out for a four-day celebration celebrating the town's culture and history. Northland Mardi Gras started in 1937 as a "water festival" on the banks of the Flambeau River in Memorial Park and evolved into the county fair-esque event it is today, complete with carnival rides, contests, craft fairs, and more. Lumberjacks have long been a symbol of Wisconsin, and Ladysmith boasted a major lumber industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries, harvesting white pine and hemlock to ship down the Flambeau River to mills in Eau Claire. Today, lumberjack shows are a popular celebration of state history where flannel-dressed folk compete in events like pole climbing, chainsaw carving, and log rolling. Mardi Gras closes out with the Venetian Night Parade, during which boats decorated in lights parade down the river beneath dazzling displays of fireworks.

Of Wisconsin's many rivers and lakes, the Flambeau River is considered one of the best summer vacation spots, and Rusk County considers itself "a paddler's paradise," offering canoe, kayak, and boat opportunities on the Flambeau and other rivers nearby. Memorial Park is also one of the town's favorite green areas that has playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, and hosts community events.

In addition to a reconstructed wigwam, the Rusk County Historical Society Museum has numerous exhibits with artifacts and educational tools related to the area's logging, agricultural, and mining history. It's home to replicas of the Gates County Courthouse, the Little Red (one-room) Schoolhouse, and a log cabin. There's even a machine shed museum with dozens of farm plows on display. The Rail Museum at the Rusk County Visitor's Center is also full of artifacts and history related to the region's railroads.

Metal was discovered in Ladysmith in 1969 and eventually, Flambeau Mine was built and permitted. Though it only operated for a few decades, the mine produced copper by the tons as well as a significant amount of gold and silver before being shut down in the 1990s. The 150 acres around Flambeau Mine has been reclaimed as a recreational area landscaped with five miles of trails — utilized by horseback riders, snowmobilers, runners, walkers, and dogs alike — through restored natural habitats including forests, wetlands, and meadows. The area is also a great place for birdwatching; keep an eye out for bald eagles, kingfishers, and hummingbirds, to name a few species. About a 40-mile drive away, Flambeau River State Forest has plenty of backcountry appeal with trails, camp sites, and river put-ins for canoes and kayaks.

After traversing all those trails, you'll need to stop and quench your thirst the Wisconsin way. Heart of the North Brewing is a small, unique brewpub run by a father-son duo in a greenhouse just south of the Flambeau Mine on State Highway 27. It serves a variety of inventive beers alongside wood-fired pizza and small bites. Miner Avenue is Ladysmith's main drag, an easily walkable road with delightful boutiques and restaurants, and a block away is the twice-weekly Rusk County Farmers Market, where you can get fresh produce, jellies, and bread.

Although Ladysmith is a historic town with a lot of antique charm, in the past few years, the city has undergone intentional revitalization to improve infrastructure and enhance the downtown, and it seems to be working. The city reported a significant increase in visitor traffic, and building and business growth is projected to continue.