Welcome to your Juneau County Experience

Relax! You’re in for an experience you won’t soon forget, peace and quiet, fun, learning, excitement, challenges, a whole lot more and besides, our rocks are real!

Whether you’re spending some time on our beautiful lakes, rivers or streams, canoeing, kayaking or boating, hiking or biking our many trails, enjoying a round of golf, taking your family on an ATV adventure, snowmobiling on a groomed trail, relaxing by your campfire after a day of exploring or enjoying the many tastes of Juneau County, you’ll know why we’re “worth a closer look.”  Be sure to look at the “The Trails Adventures“ to the left to see maps for canoe & kayak trails, biking trails, snowmobiling trails, ATV trails and more.

Juneau County's natural beauty brings year round pleasure to area residents and visitors alike.  Geographical diversity is a hallmark of Juneau County.  From sand country to hill country, from northern forests to unglaciated “driftless areas”, we have beautiful and scenic landscapes.

Our blend of geography satisfies even the most particular tastes. How many counties can boast of this natural variety?

• Castle Rock and Petenwell lakes, the second- and fourth-largest lakes in Wisconsin
• Three major recreational trails, the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail, the Omaha Trail, and 400 State Bike Trail
• Rock formations such as Castle Rock and Petenwell Rock
• The beautiful sandstone cliffs of the Wisconsin River
• Some of the most beautiful and best golf courses in the region 
• Native American effigies and other sites
• Several wildlife viewing areas, such as the Sprague Mather Flowage, Eagle's Nest, and the Necedah Wildlife Refuge, a national wildlife preserve
• Breathtaking bluffs, including Target Bluff, Mill Bluff, and Mile Bluff

First, some history is in order. Most of what is today’s Juneau County was carved out of the sandstone bedrock during the last North American Glacial Period some 18,000 years ago. For a long time, Juneau County was covered by the glacial Lake Wisconsin. The lake (up to 150’ deep) stretched over 1,800 sq. miles from Tomah to the west and up to Stevens Point in the north. A huge natural dam formed by rock, earth and sand burst some 14,000 years ago and in the three days it took to drain the lake, the runoff created a new course for the Wisconsin River, carved out the Wisconsin Dells and moved south toward Baraboo to create Devil’s Lake.

The rocky outcroppings, called buttes or bluffs, you see throughout the central and northern part of the county are really the tops of islands that dotted the surface of glacial Lake Wisconsin. If you’re ambitious, climbing to the top of one of these ‘islands’ shows you the outline of the old lake. The low and sandy prairies you see are the old lakebed.

Much of the southern part of the county escaped the destructive force of the last glacial period and is part of the “driftless” region of Wisconsin. Deep valleys, high ridges and quiet rural life make this area a special place to visit.

Add to that the quiet joy of some of the nation’s finest bike trails, canoeing & kayaking, golfing, horseback riding, hiking, snowmobiling, ATV riding, hunting, fishing, waterskiing and camping, you’re in for a rare treat.

We invite you to embark on your Juneau County adventure. We know you’ll find a reason to stay for a day, a week, or a lifetime.