Bull Billy Jack

The route name comes from Wausau’s original historic name, Bull Falls, the Hill Billy Hilton, and Jack Lake. Right from the start this route surprises riders with its signature red granite gravel and those classic red barns dotting the landscape perfect for those looking to make the most of Wisconsin’s legendary dairy scenes. Soon the route winds through raw wilderness, crisscrossing the iconic Ice Age National Scenic Trail, and meanders past sky-blue lakes, pristine landscapes. Heading back south on the final end riders will come back into the dairy area with small town atmosphere vibes.

This bikepacking route starts in Wausau but there are numerous other starting points. It is recommended to ride it clockwise to go with the flow of the singletrack sections. Riders will find great food, resupply, and even a few bike shops in Wausau.

The route hits gravel just after heading west out of Wausau. As riders pass through the town of Edgar, they will hit some singletrack in the Scotch Creek Woodland Preserve. Weik’s Pub and Grill is a great place to stop for food in Rib Falls. Shortly after leaving town, a challenging river ford provides a great opportunity to cool off. The first two river crossings on the route are typically about knee-deep. Take caution after heavy rain, detours have been provided on the route POIs for these crossings in case of high water.

In the Village of Athens, the route takes the Odyssey Trail System as it winds through town. It is a combination of a narrow trail and a wide, well-maintained ski trail along the Black Creek. While in town, check out some local eateries and the old-timey grocery.  Just outside of town is Miltrim Farms. They offer tent camping to cyclists, in addition to a farm museum and tours of the farm.

Shortly after leaving Athens, riders will find themselves facing another challenging river crossing. If you are riding through on the weekend, be sure to check out pizza on the farm at Stoney Acres.

The Rib Lake area caters to all silent sports. They are best known for their ski trails and premier sections of the Ice Age Trail. Recommended food stops are Camp 38 in Rib Lake and Hill of Beans near Timm’s Hill. Climb Timm’s Hill lookout tower to check out an amazing viewpoint before heading out onto the Timm’s Hill multi-use trail. Except for the Timm’s Hill County Park, the entire trail is on private property. The landowners have graciously allowed the trail to cross their property, so it’s very important that all trail users respect the trail and the property it crosses (more info here). The next stretch is truly unique with some challenging climbs with rough and chunky trail conditions that will require most riders to do some hike-a-biking.

Riders will find some of the area’s best old school singletrack in the Underdown area that passes many lakes and bogs, offering exceptional opportunities to camp. Between Harrison Hills and Parrish Highlands, riders will tackle some remote sections of the route where dispersed camping opportunities are plentiful. These are great spots for dark sky viewing, where you are not likely to see another person.

Next, riders will find the last singletrack section of the route as they approach crystal clear Jack Lake, which happens to be the best of the two great swimming holes on the route. Showers are also available here.

The Bull Billy Jack, and Tour de Nicolet bikepacking routes overlap in the Augustyn Springs area. As they pass through here, riders can look forward to checking out the Hillbilly Hilton historical cabin and the old Kent firetower as they tackle the hilly and chunky logging roads through the area.

Along the next stretch, riders will find the famous Crotch Vegas food cooler, which is likely the most unique soda experience one will ever have. The “Crotch Vegas” is an honor-system food and soda cooler located in a remote area along the Tour de Nicolet and Bull Billy Jack bikepacking routes.

Next, riders will likely want to stop into Mattoon, an old lumber mill town, and take some time to visit the Mattoon Market for some tasty food.

• Paved: 35%
• Smooth Gravel: 53%
• Rough Gravel: 9%
• 4×4 Road: 0%
• Singletrack: 3%

Bike Selection:

With plenty of smooth gravel, this route can be ridden on a traditional gravel bike. For a more fun experience, I would recommend 2.25 tires for the singletrack sections.

Riding Season:
To enjoy the singletrack sections, this route is best ridden in late spring through late fall. If ridden too early in the spring and the ground is soft, please bypass the singletrack sections and do not attempt the river crossings.

Accessibility:

Overnight parking is an option at all Mountain-Bay State Trail parking trailheads. If coming from the west, the recommended overnight parking is at Erbach Park in Athens. Other parking options are marked on the route map.

Camping:

• Camping opportunities are a little difficult close to Wausau with the exception of Marathon Park, an urban campground in the center of the city (the towering pines, showers, and proximity to all that Wausau has to offer make this a great option).
• Other great camp spots are Erbach Park in Athens, Stoney Acres farm just north of Athens, Underdown and Harrison Hills lakeside dispersed spots, Jack Lake, the city park in Mattoon, and Hayman Falls County Park near Caroline.
• Dispersed camping is allowed in the Lincoln and Langlade county forests on the northern part of the route – boundaries for some of the main stretches where dispersed camping starts and stops are marked on the route map. In other areas, a few recommended dispersed camping areas are marked. If you might want to camp in other areas, we recommend referencing GAIA GPS or OnX backcountry to confirm land boundaries.

Food and Water Resupply:

• Food and water are relatively accessible; however, on the hottest days of summer, consider bringing a filter system. Without a filter system, the longest stretch without water is 50 miles.
• Since there are numerous small businesses along the route, please check hours of operation to ensure you have enough food. It is wise to call ahead at those locations, as the hours online are not completely reliable.

Want to shorten or extend your adventure? Find a collection of bikepacking loops in this area here.

Information about dispersed camping on Lincoln County Forest Land: https://www.co.lincoln.wi.us/forestry-land-and-parks/page/camping-county-forest-land

Information about dispersed camping on Langlade County Forest Land can be found here (linked from this county parks page)

Information on Timm’s Hill Trail: https://www.timmshilltrail.com/ (note the trail is closed during gun deer hunting season).

The Bull Billy Jack route is the work of Shane Hitz, also the creator of the Tour de Nicolet.

Shane would like to thank the following organizations for their work:

• Athens Trail Association
• Jack Lake Silent Sports
• Underdown Dells Project

This route traverses the traditional lands of the Ojibwe and Menominee.