By Virginia Roberts
Rhinelander District Library Director

Going outdoors this summer? Check out the Rhinelander District Library for area resources!

“The Northern Wisconsin All Outdoors Atlas and Field Guide,” Sportsman Connections, is a plat map sized guide and trail book with atlas maps, overview maps, tables and charts. This guide indicates state parks and forests, campgrounds and campsites, cross country ski trails, multi-use motorized and non-motorized trails, golf courses, canoeing routes and more. There is also one for Southern Wisconsin and other areas close, but out of state.

A companion volume of sorts, also by Sportsman’s Connection are “Northern Wisconsin Fishing Map Guides” which are published by county and region. Covering lakes, rivers, streams, and flowages, these books contour fishing maps, fishing techniques, access locations, area road maps and more.

If you prefer hiking, there is “Hiking Wisconsin: A Guide to the State’s Greatest Hikes,” by Eric Hansen, “Best Lake Hikes Wisconsin: a Guide to the State’s Greatest Lake and River Hikes,” by Steve Johnson, and “Waterfalling in Wisconsin: a Guide to the State’s Greatest Lake and River Hikes,” by David Hedquist to name just a few. And I do mean just a few, because the library has over a large quantity of local and regional hiking biking, nature walking, and armchair traveling books for your education and enjoyment when planning your next day trip, road trip, or camping trip.

One of the newer guides, “Wisconsin’s Statewide Guide to Stand-Up Paddleboarding,” by Ben Shaw is currently out. I mention it here because the sport is relatively new and a great workout requiring balance, coordination, and willingness to get completely soaked while you figure out how to stand on a board. But many of the quiet northern lakes are well-suited to this activity and it allows the participant to see nature from an entirely different perspective.

Finally, if you are looking for shorter reads on topics local and trendy, RDL carries several periodicals that may be checked out for a week from the current issue on! “Bicycling,” “Mazina’igan,” “Outside,” “Our Wisconsin,” “Wisconsin Natural Resources,” “Wisconsin Game Warden,” and “Silent Sports” to name just a few. There are even more available online through Overdrive/Libby.

Available using your library card, Overdrive/Libby, has magazines, books, audiobooks, and even videos on all subjects. The outdoors is no different. A brief search on Hiking in Wisconsin yielded 15 books, with more available.

It may seem counterintuitive to take your tech out into nature but the County has some great maps detailing recreation, trails, and land open to the public available at https://www.co.oneida.wi.us/departments/li/land-records-system/. And remember, if you need help with any of these resources mentioned, please contact us. We’re here to help you find your way outdoors or anywhere our materials take you.