Hiking Timms Hill Wisconsin: The Highest Point in Wisconsin
Not every state high point hike in the US boasts lofty elevation or challenging hiking, but some of the humbler ones, like Timms Hill Wisconsin, still shine with a unique and quaint appeal, one that makes the most of highlighting the highest point in Wisconsin. Timms Hill is set in rural Wisconsin, in the heart of Timm’s Hill County Park. If you are planning to take in the views from the highest elevation in Wisconsin, get ready for observation towers, panoramic views, twin lakes, and shady park hiking!
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Timms Hill Wisconsin
Here is everything you need to know about visiting and hiking the highest point in Wisconsin, Timms Hill, including the location, info on the county park, and what to expect on your visit.
Location of Timms Hill Wisconsin
Timms Hill is located in north-central Wisconsin. There are no large cities in the immediate area, just a smattering of small towns nearby, including Ogema and Prentice, Wisconsin. Timms Hill resides inside Timms Hill County Park, and is a very rural, secluded setting.
Location of Timms Hill – the highest point in WI!
Hiking the Highest Point in Wisconsin
Hiking to the highest elevation in Wisconsin will not take a whole day, but a visit to Timms Hill and Timms Hill County Park can include activities that make it a worthwhile day visit.
There is one main park road that cuts through Timms Hill County Park, and this is how you can access the Timms Hill Observation Tower, as well as the twin lakes in the park, Timms Lake and Bass Lake.
Quick Facts on Timms Hill
Length: .4 miles out and back (from parking area to the Timms Hill Observation Tower)
***Read More: What exactly does an “out and back trail” mean?
Elevation: 1,951.5 feet
Elevation Gain: approx. 100 feet
Dog / Kid Friendly: Yes (though your pup may not feel comfortable doing the stairs at the observation tower!)
How Long Does It Take to Hike Timms Hill? The hike will take about 10 minutes for most, though you may spend more time actually climbing the observation tower and enjoying the views.
Fees: None! It is free to enter the park and access Timms Hill. There is plenty of parking available also.
Hours: 7:30 AM – 9:30 PM May through October. The park is open in the winter (November through April), but is walk in access only during those months).
To hike to the top of Timms Hill and the observation tower, look for the covered shelter area and accompanying parking lot right off the main park road. There is a plaqued boulder marking the beginning of the short Timms Hill Observation Tower trail to the left of the parking area and covered shelter.
The Timms Hill Observation Tower trail is approximately 4 tenths of a mile (0.4 miles out and back roundtrip), and several minutes, in length. However, there is a slight uphill grade that is consistent throughout, and actually provides brief, moderate, exercise.
The trail up to the observation tower is entirely shaded, and provides an enjoyable jaunt through some dense Wisconsin forest canopy, right up until reaching the base of the observation tower.
The Timms Hill Observation Tower is probably the most fun part of visiting the highest point in Wisconsin (every state high point is fun to visit, but there is just something better when there’s an observation tower to climb!) There are actually two towers here, a wooden and metal one. They are both “climbable”, but I would stick to climbing the wooden one, as it is easier, and the metal one is a little sketchier!
The wood structure tower is the one intended for visitors to climb up in (though I did witness other visitors scaling the metal railing up to the top of the metal tower, though I do not recommend this for safety reasons).
The wooden observation tower at Timms Hill is several flights up, and is open on all sides at the top, providing some really beautiful, green, panoramic views. For those who feel comfortable with several stories of stair climbing, this is a fun, and safe, way to get the best birds eye view of the highest point in Wisconsin!
So since you are here at Timms Hill and the Timms Hill County Park, what else is there to do in addition to your visit to the observation tower? Timms Hill County Park and its twin lakes of Bass Lake and Timms Lake provide visitors with opportunities to boat, fish, and swim, as well as hike on other trails in the immediate area, including the Timms Hill portion of the National Ice Age Trail (also referred to as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail).
The Timms Hill/National Ice Age Trail is an approximate 1,000 mile long footpath that traverses part of Timm’s Hill County Park, and accesses the Timms Hill Observation Tower trail. The Ice Age National Trail is contained entirely within the state of Wisconsin, and highlights some of the state’s best features, with plenty of forests and lakes!
Know Before You Go
A couple things to know ahead of time to make your visit to Timms Hill more enjoyable!
- bring bug spray! The forest canopy can make for a slightly humid environment, especially in the summer, and the bugs appear to revel in that!
- Timms Hill County Park is open 7:30 am – 9:30 pm, May through October
- there is NO entrance fee to enter Timms Hill County Park
- there is a swimming beach at Bass Lake
- there is a fishing pier and boat landing at Timms Hill County Park
What You Need to Hike Timms Hill Wisconsin
- as mentioned before, bug spray!
- the best insulated water bottle to keep hydrated
- my favorite trail runners with a little extra grip for hiking to the observation tower and any other trails!
And there you have it, what to expect if you want to take on the highest point in Wisconsin! Whether you are just looking for a relaxing day trip to a quaint, quiet, secluded spot in rural Wisconsin, or if you are checking your way through all 50 state high points in the US, this is a charming spot worth a visit!
BONUS! Want to learn about other state high point hikes?
Grab a cool 50 state high points graphic HERE!
***For more in depth, detailed guides to other state high point hikes, be sure to check out all my sister state high point posts, including some of my favorites such as:
- the clash of the Rockies and Central Plains at Oklahoma’s mesa filled high point
***As a native Texan, how do I prepare for challenging, uphill, or high altitude hikes? One of the ways I accomplish and maintain my baseline is with these 6 straightforward, uncomplicated, realistic hiking training exercises you can do from anywhere!
Grab your FREE Hiking Training Exercises HERE!
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