Off the Water
Area Parks
Both Lake Petenwell and Castle Rock Lake are home to a regional park, so you can enjoy many different areas of the lakes. Take the family and friends on a picnic at Wilderness Park on Lake Petenwell or let the kids play on abundant playground equipment at Castle Rock Park.
Trails
Exciting adventures await you when you venture out on one or more of the many trails in and around the Lake Petenwell/Castle Rock Lake area. Whether you enjoy a ride or hike on one of the state and county bike trails, running your ATV through the woods, or powering your snowmobile through some of the best trails in the state, there’s plenty of challenge waiting for you here.
Bike Trails
The Elroy-Sparta State Bike Trail is the “Granddaddy of All Trails.“ It was the very first Rails to Trails Conversion in the United Sates in 1965. The hard-packed limestone trail covers 32 miles of an abandoned Chicago & Northwestern Railroad bed and has no more than a 3% grade at any point. The trail passes through three tunnels as it makes its way toward Sparta.
The '400' State Trail is often called the most scenic trail in the Wisconsin State Trail System. It's named for the Chicago & Northwestern passenger train that traveled the 400 miles from Chicago to Minneapolis in 400 minutes. The 22 miles of smooth, hard-packed limestone parallels or crosses the Baraboo River the entire length between Elroy and Reedsburg.
For a more peaceful ride, take a tour of the landscape on the Omaha Bike Trail. For a small fee you can enjoy an easy ride on 12.5 miles of seal-coated trail that follows an abandoned Chicago & Northwestern Railroad bed all the way to Camp Douglas.
You can access all of the trails at the hub city of Elroy just minutes from Lake Petenwell.
Snowmobiling
Juneau County has hundreds of miles of well-groomed and clearly marked snowmobile trails for you to enjoy in the winter months. The northern trail takes you through the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge giving you the opportunity to observe its large expanses of prairie and wetlands. For those of you who crave competition, several of the local businesses on Castle Rock Lake sponsor sanctioned time trials on the ice during the season.
Golf
Just minutes from Lake Petenwell, the Town of Rome features two championship golf courses – The Pines and The Lakes, which were originally in Golf Digest's "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" list. These courses are in beautiful condition. The Pines has been ranked among Golf Digest’s top 75 public courses in America. The Lakes, with its challenging water hazards on seven of eighteen holes is a true test and was nominated as one of Golf Digest's Best New Public Courses in America in 1999.
On Castle Rock Lake, you will find the new Northern Bay Golf Resort. This "replica" golf course is the first in the Midwest, and features exact replicas of some of America's top golf holes so that you can put yourself to the ultimate challenge. Our land guides would be happy to schedule a tee time for you if you are so inclined.
Dining
This area makes it easy to take a vacation from everything, including cooking! You’ll be pleased to know that you can find a variety of restaurants in this area and you won’t have to travel far! Just park your boat at one of many restaurants located on Castle Rock Lake or Lake Petenwell and enjoy music and a great view. Or, travel to Necedah, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Dells, Rome, or Friendship to satisfy your appetite.
The Dells
For those looking for excitement and family fun off the water, the bustling Wisconsin Dells area is just a short drive (40 minutes) down the road making it an easy day trip. Wisconsin Dells has been known for years for its natural scenic beauty as well as endless tourist activities including water parks, miniature golf, water ski shows, fudge and candy stores, and endless shopping. Recently, Wisconsin Dells began transforming itself into a year-round upscale destination with the addition of several premier restaurants, spas, indoor water parks, and championship golf courses. Something for everyone! All of this can be enjoyed just a short drive from Lake Petenwell.
Shopping
If you need a break from the sun and lake activities, the Lake Petenwell and Castle Rock Lake area provide a rich assortment of specialty/gift, antique, sporting good, and department stores. Find a unique treasure in the antique stores of Necedah, Friendship, or New Lisbon or travel north to Wisconsin Rapids to find larger shopping venues.
Special Events
Both the Lake Petenwell area and the Castle Rock area are one of Wisconsin's Premiere recreational areas. As such, you will find exciting events taking place in and around the lakes all year round. Check out our events calendar to get a small taste of what is happening in the area.