Things to Do in Forest Lake

Amid the lake-speckled country of northwestern Wisconsin and draped over the terrain’s volatile elevation changes rest the bentgrass fairways and greens of Siren National Golf Course. Sculpted into the land in 2001, the course forces players to corral golf balls over terrestrial ripples with peak-to-peak amplitudes of more than 100 feet, but it offers five sets of tees and generous landing areas as a friendly gesture to less experienced players. After starting out with a moderate-length par 5 to warm up, golfers must hit a long uphill shot—206 yards from the back tees—to reach the par 3 third hole’s green, which is fronted by an intimidating rock wall. The designers saved the hardest hole for last, however, as players must make a decision on the 18th tee to use the driver, lay up for a full wedge shot into the small green, or chip onto the back of a carrier pigeon.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,737 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 73.1 from the back tees
• Course slope of 132 from the back tees
• Five sets of tees per hole

Apple River Hideaway's mile-long shoreline unfolds its verdant foliage for tents, campers, and travelers to soak up the sun's rays river-side or recline beneath the leafy canopies of towering trees. Staffers rent out rubber tubes for bobs down the Apple River, where friends can admire the stunning scenery as they sail over rapids, beneath a road bridge, and beside an off-duty Charybdis. Offering an idyllic respite from the bustle of city life, the campsite makes for an ideal after-party spot for those attending a nearby concert.

Outdoor enthusiasts Dan and Sandra Meer equip adventurers with canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards to explore a 60-mile stretch of the Mississippi River whose picturesque shores have been designated wild and scenic by the Department of Natural Resources. “One group we sent out on just a two- or three-hour trip counted 12 eagles,” Dan says, marveling at the myriad wild turkeys, muskrats, and deer that often congregate along the protected waterway to gossip about bald eagles’ unconvincing hair plugs. Gleaming schools of small-mouth bass lure fishermen to the rippling waters, and plentiful sandbars and shallow depths also beckon younger explorers. “We want to get kids involved,” says Dan—himself a former Boy Scout and now the father of two more Scouts. “Get them away from their screens.”

He and his wife entice those youths, and older adventurers as well, with day trips in canoes and kayaks whose hulls are made in nearby Wenonah. For overnight jaunts down the river, the couple rents both vessels and camping gear, and at their store—housed in an old creamery building on the riverbank—they sell new and used canoes and kayaks to dedicated paddlers who know the river so well they can fall asleep while swimming across it.

At a certain point, the Rum River's slow, meandering current bends around a corner on its journey south, almost stopping entirely to soak in the view of Stones Throw Golf Course. In addition to the two holes directly on the Rum River, the course features O'Neill Brook, which babbles into play on six holes, and ponds that await on four more holes. The omnipresent water hazards, along with tight tree lines that form fairway chutes through dense forests, force players to demonstrate control over ball placement and enough self-control to leave portable-party-starting slip 'n' slides in their golf bag. In an effort to further beautify the grounds, the course received a major overhaul in 2000, with 11 new holes added.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-70 course
• Total length of 6,103 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 69.9 from the back tees
• Course slope of 123 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole