Where should we go tubing in Wisconsin?

August 12, 2011 5:54 PM

Where should we go tubing in Wisconsin?

The boyfriend and I are looking to do a weekend getaway centered around inner tubing. We're thinking Wisconsin but we'd be happy to hear suggestions for other locations as long as they're not too far away from Chicago. Snowflake requirements:

- Not a party atmosphere. Neither of us are big drinkers and we'd prefer not to go to a place that's geared toward alcohol.
- Scenic.
- The less dangerous the better. Neither of us are great swimmers, and the boyfriend actually just learned how to swim this summer.
- Nearby, long, not too steep, preferably paved bike trail.
- Nearby campground with cabins.
- This last requirement may be tricky, given all of the above, but ideally we'd like to not find ourselves at a family resort where we might feel out of place as a couple without kids in tow.

posted by january to Travel & Transportation around Wisconsin (10 answers total)

When I was a kid I used to get sunburned as hell on the Apple River in SW WI.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 6:17 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Best answer: i've heard good things about the Root River in South East Minnesota (Lanesboro). There is an excellent bike trail there as well, which is what we went there for. There are a lot of great B&Bs as well.
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 6:32 PM on August 12, 2011

The Apple River is at least 5 hours from Chicago and will be full of drunks, so I don't think you will like it.
posted by soelo at 6:47 PM on August 12, 2011

seconding soelo, STAY AWAY from the apple river, unless you want to experience frat life on the river. it's also full of empty beer cans.

i enjoyed tubing on the cannon river near red wing, mn. it was a tad bit rockier, but preferable to apple river.
posted by mlo at 7:07 PM on August 12, 2011

Apple River was a den of debauchery when I was there years ago and I saw things I never want to see again. Wisconsin Dells has a number of Wisconsin River tubing options...
posted by substars at 8:25 PM on August 12, 2011

I had fun tubing the Wolf River in Wisconsin. When I went, there was not a party atmosphere, it was fairly scenic, and it was definitely safe ( I am not a confident swimmer either). I don't know about a nearby bike trail or campground, but there were state parks or forests nearby.
posted by TrarNoir at 10:29 AM on August 13, 2011

Menomonie WI has what you want. Very close to the interstate, tube rental on the Red Cedar river, which is slow and shallow, and the bike trail is right next to the tube rental place. The camping with cabins is a little trickier, but there are a couple of campgrouns nearby that would be worth checking out.
posted by cosmicbandito at 4:57 PM on August 13, 2011

Wolf River is a great place to tube. I haven't gone in years, but I loved it and people I know love it as well. Another option is the Crystal River, which as I recall, is close to the Wolf. It's smaller, but still fun.

Same as TrarNoir, I don't know about bike trails/campgrounds in the area, though. Fremont is relatively close, and they have a campground there, I think.
posted by altopower at 6:41 PM on August 13, 2011

(This is interesting to me: growing up in Minn., I would never have thought that adults could go tubing without beer.)
posted by wenestvedt at 9:38 AM on August 15, 2011

I live right near the Wolf and Crystal rivers (they are within 20 miles of each other). They both are great for tubing. The campground referred to by altopower is likely Jellystone, which is near the Wolf river. Hartman's Creek State Park is near the Crystal River, and it has campgrounds but no cabins for rent if I recall correctly. The Crystal begins on the "Chain o' Lakes" which is a very tourist oriented area with many different small lakes and parks. Feel free to to memail me if you have any specific questions about places in the area.
posted by greasy_skillet at 1:14 PM on August 16, 2011