The lakes in Vilas County far outnumber the towns, so it’s the great outdoors that beckon visitors to this county bordering Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. With more than 1,300 lakes, 73 rivers and streams, and a half million acres of forestland, Vilas County is a popular vacation destination in both summer and winter.
The Vilas County Historical Museum in Sayner displays Indian artifacts and logging memorabilia. The North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters offers hiking and nature trails along with a variety of interpretive programs. In Boulder Junction, visitors enjoy a 100-year tradition of hospitality evident in the area’s shops, restaurants and lodging. Vilas County includes most of the 200,000-acre Northern Highland-American legion State Forest, which ensures a pristine environment and an unhurried pace.