Wisconsin River Islands

The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway spans 92 miles. It includes over 95,000 acres of public land between the Prairie du Sac dam and the Mississippi River confluence. These islands work best as day-use stops. You can swim, picnic, fish, or hunt from the banks.

The Wisconsin River holds walleye, bass, muskellunge, pike, catfish, and panfish. Paddlers and floaters treat the Lower Wisconsin as a major recreation corridor. The river earns an Important Bird Area designation. You'll see bald eagles, sandhill cranes, gulls, and migratory waterfowl. Clusters of public islands sit near Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, and Portage.

Not all islands are public. The BLM website map shows which ones are highlighted yellow for public use. Check before landing. Per BLM rules, Wisconsin River islands are open to recreational use unless posted otherwise. You camp here dry. There is no developed infrastructure on the islands themselves. The Lower Wisconsin Riverway Floodplain Wetlands hold protected status as a Wetland of International Importance. Respect posted closures during nesting and migration seasons. Follow Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources guidelines for hunting and fishing licenses and seasons.

The main gotcha is island ownership. Many islands were omitted from 1830s and 1840s surveys and fell into public trust by accident. Ownership records remain unclear for some parcels. Always confirm your chosen island is highlighted yellow on the BLM map before landing. Island makeup shifts seasonally. What looks solid in summer may vanish or change shape after spring floods.