Newton Blackmour State Trail: Black Creek to Shiocton
As it journeys southwest from Black Creek to Shiocton over 7.7 miles, the Newton Blackmour State Trail traverses a variety of landscapes. After departing Black Creek, the path travels through open farmland. A corridor of trees sometimes lines the trail, but the terrain is often very open. The middle portion of this trial segment passes through low woodlands, marshes, and swamps. Closer to Shiocton thick trees and dense vegetation surround the trail, obstructing much of the neighboring countryside.
The trail surface is crushed limestone, in fair condition. In sections near Black Creek and Shiocton the surface is evenly graded. In more remote spots the path is simply two tracks of limestone or compacted earth, separated by a median of grass and weeds. The gradient is fairly level, dropping about 20 feet in elevation over the entire distance.
Veterans Park in Black Creek serves as a trailhead with parking areas, picnic tables, park benches, and garbage cans. It also has a water refill station and a bicycle self-repair station, the only ones on the trail. One parking area is on Maple Street, the other off Main Street.
By car, the Maple Street parking lot is accessed from Wisconsin State Highway 47 (Main Street) in Black Creek. Turn right (east) onto Railroad Street. Drive one block and turn left (north) on Maple Street. The parking lot is immediately on the left. The second parking lot is off the state highway (Main Street) to the east, next to the trail intersection.
In Black Creek, Main Street has several businesses near the trail. This includes a grocery store, convenience store, a supper club, and café. Less than 175 yard north of the trail on Main Street is Mile 22 Roastery and Café. This quaint coffee shop serves hot and cold coffee drinks, breakfast and lunch items. Their breakfast burrito is tasty and popular. Directly next to the trail, the Black Creek Café is a sit-down diner offering breakfast and lunch.
This area was previously home to members of the Menominee Nation. In their language, Black Creek was called Enāēnohnyah or “Little Walks Plainly.” Thomas and Abraham Burdick, father and son, settled here in 1862. The growing community was called Middleburg because of its central position between Green Bay, Shawano, and Appleton. When the village incorporated in 1904, the name was changed to “Black Creek” after the small stream on the northern side of the village.
The Newton Blackmour State Trail departs Black Creek after crossing Wisconsin State Highway 47 (Main Street). 350 yards west of the highway, the path crosses railroad tracks. This is an active rail line of the Fox Valley and Lake Superior Railroad, and the junction has a stop sign and railroad crossing sign. The tracks run perpendicular to the path, and cyclists should proceed slowly and use caution when crossing.
After the railroad crossing, the next road intersection is 0.4 mile down the path. West of Forest Road, the landscape opens up to an expanse of farm fields. The terrain remains the same over the next 1.7 miles, crossing State Road and Wick Road.
Less than a mile southwest of Wick Road, the terrain abruptly changes from farms to wetlands. Here the trail enters the Mack State Wildlife Area. The path traverses this preserved area for 2 miles, crossing Herman Road within it.
Mack State Wildlife Area is 1,350 acres. Once an ancient glacial lakebed, today there are marshes and lowland brush. Aspen grow there, as do silver maple and swamp white oak. The wildlife area is frequently visited by birding enthusiasts who look for Black Terns, Tundra Swans, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Sora Rails, and Great Egrets.
After leaving the wildlife area and crossing Puls Road, the Newton Blackmour State Trail passes more farm fields to the right (north). Small canals bring water to these fields. To the left (south), the terrain is wetlands and marshes. About one mile past Puls Road, trail signs offer a warning of the nearby Shiocton Shooting Range. The range runs adjacent to the trail for a half mile, and gunshots are frequently heard.
The range is located in the village of Shiocton’s Lake Park. The park also has athletic fields, a picnic pavilion, playground, and pond with a swimming beach. Although the trail runs along the park, there is no access to it from the path. In fact, due to dense vegetation and tree cover, trail-goers often cannot see the park.
A rest area is found on the trail at Wisconsin State Highway 76 (River Street). A covered picnic table with garbage cans sits by the path. After crossing the highway, the trail continues west past a construction company before bridging the Wolf River. In the days of the “Green Bay Route” Railroad, this was one of the railway’s larger river crossings.
Today trail-goers may pause on the 230-foot bridge to enjoy the view of the Wolf River. One of two National Scenic Rivers in the state, this 225-mile river is a tributary of the Fox River and renowned for its annual sturgeon migration, who spawn every spring upstream.
After crossing the river, trail-goers may turn right (north) on Old 54 Road and go 0.3 mile to the trailhead at Bamboo Bend. This park sits next to a large bend in the Wolf River, and is a popular spot to watch sturgeon in the spring. It has a large parking area, covered picnic pavilion, and portable toilet. There’s also a statue of “Stanley the Sturgeon.” Bamboo Bend is located on Wisconsin State Highway 54 on the west side of Shiocton.
Map of trailheads and addresses along this section of the trail.
The Menominee Nation, who first lived here, called this place Māēnomehsāyak, or “wild rice along the banks.” The word Shioc refers to a band of the Menominee Tribe who once lived nearby. The Shioc River flows through the village and into the Wolf River. At one time the village was called Jordan’s Landing or Jordanville after Woodford D. Jordan, an early white American settler. Today the community carries the name Shiocton, and has several taverns, restaurants, and convenience stores.
Trail last ridden and documented in August, 2024.