This Tiny Wisconsin City Is A Quiet Midwest Escape With Close-Up Zoo Encounters And Wooded Trails

Sitting in the heart of the midwest, 191 miles from one of Milwaukee's most vibrant neighborhoods and 32 miles from Central Wisconsin Airport, is the quiet town of Marshfield in Wood County. With just over 18,000 residents, Marshfield is a small city notable for its substantial greenery. It was established as a railroad town, with its location in the middle of Wisconsin making it the obvious spot for the railways to intersect. To this day, people call Marshfield 'Hub City' because of the old railway system. 

Marshfield sprung up in the 1870s, but a fire destroyed many of its original structures — because they were made of wood. The city was rebuilt with less flammable materials in 1887, and many of those late Victorian buildings are still standing along Central Avenue. Marshfield became a key player in Wisconsin's dairy industry, and today is still a leading cheese producer. For visitors, though, the city stands out due to the unique nature experiences you can enjoy at the Wildwood Park and Zoo and the area's many wooded trails.

The US isn't the easiest place to navigate if you're not driving, and Marshfield is no exception. This city doesn't have an operating train station anymore, but it does have a shared-ride taxi program. If you're not driving, you could get to the city by catching a bus from Madison to Stevens Point and riding a taxi for the rest of your journey, and once you arrive, there are several hotels, inns, and motels that would be glad to have you.

Wildwood Park and Zoo, established in 1937, is home to twin rescued Kodiak bears. Their enclosure includes a glass observation wall, so you can get up close and personal with the bears without risking your life! The zoo is free to visit, and also houses cougars, Lynx, mountain lions, owls, bald eagles, rescued migrating Monarch butterflies, and an interactive sensory garden which encourages people to mindfully explore how the plants physically feel and smell. You can take a drive to see the bigger animals, including bison, elk, wolves, and deer, and there are miles of nature trails to investigate around the area.

Other things to do in Marshfield include taking a look at the imposing over-100-year-old World's Largest Round Barn (pretty self-explanatory), hiking through the woods and spotting herons at Joe & Bernadine Weber's Nature Park, taking a tour around North Wood County Historical Society, and learning about military history at the Marshfield Heritage Museum. There are also fun events held in town throughout the year, such as the Saturday farmer's market, live music, bird walks, and the annual Central Wisconsin State Fair, which features rides, comedy, music, dance, horse shows, and local vendors.

There are 20 parks and 16 trails in and around Marshfield, making it the perfect place to get your steps in! The George W. Mead Wildlife Area, located 20 miles out of Marshfield, contains 33,000 acres of diverse landscapes, including 70 miles of walking trails through the forests, wetlands, and marshes.  At least 273 species of bird call this area home, as well as numerous other reptiles, mammals, and insects. For a shorter walk in the woods, take the easy Hamus Natures Preserve loop and enjoy a moment of solitude amongst the trees.  While you're in the state, take a trip to Wisconsin's secret slot canyon, a short drive that should take less than two hours.

For a different type of nature, take a short drive to Jurustic Park, a unique outdoor folk art attraction run by a local couple. The park contains a series of metal sculptures depicting quirky metal creatures, including a racing turtle, a suggestive rooster, a clever dog, a jabberwock, and an iron age fish.  Visitors can walk around the park for free, or you can book ahead for a guided group tour. For more of Clyde Wynia's work, take a self guided walking tour along the Downtown Jurustic Trail, which is a 1 ½-mile route through town passing several weirdly wonderful sculptures as you explore the city. If you enjoy the weirder things in life, head about 2 ½ hours south to the quirky Wisconsin town known as the troll capital of the world.