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Scoping Notice and Formal Comment Period

Rat River Recreational Trail

USDA Forest Service (USFS)

Lakewood-Laona Ranger District

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest

Forest County, Wisconsin

Background

The Town of Blackwell and interested individuals would like a non-motorized trail which 

would link the existing Nicolet State Trail (NST) to Bear Lake Campground. The Town 

of Blackwell has identified non-motorized trails in their Town of Blackwell 

Comprehensive Plan as an opportunity to attract tourism and promote economic 

development to the area. Permanent and seasonal residents of the area have also 

expressed an interest in the trail which would provide a biking and hiking connection to 

the NST.

Proposed Action

The Forest Service proposes to authorize the development of a recreation corridor for all 

season non-motorized uses that would extend from the Nicolet State Trail into Blackwell 

and continuing to Bear Lake. This trail proposal would include the existing abandoned 

railroad grade and forest roads. Other roads-such as town and county roads may be used 

to connect the west and east side of the trail on national forest. These roads are outside of 

the proposal. 

The trail is located parallel to the Rat River and presents a good opportunity for a nonmotorized trail. It also has its challenges with clearing segments of the grade, removing 

railroad ties, culvert requirements, and potentially closing existing open roads to highway 

legal vehicles. Parking areas may also be created/allowed at Bear Lake Campground, 

National Forest System Road (NFSR) 3075 (inside the National Forest boundary-past 

private land), and/or at the end of NFSR 3220 (west side-depending on the legality).

The Forest Service is proposing the following:

1) Clear approximately 1.8 miles of abandoned railroad corridor, beginning at 

Blackwell Junction Road, which is currently overgrown and blocked with 

down trees. 

2) Brush and remove small trees as needed along the edge of the remainder of 

the grade. This work will be fairly minimal since parts of the corridor are 

maintained as roads or snowmobile trail. 

3) Remove railroad ties as needed along the grade where ties protrude above the 

grade. Removing the ties is necessary to develop an adequate sub-surface for 

the trail. 

4) Install culverts as needed to provide cross-drainage. 

5) A gravel surface will provide a uniform tread for biking. 
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6) Install gates as needed to prevent unauthorized access. 

7) Add signs along the corridor.

8) Place several picnic tables and benches at scenic locations along the Rat 

River. 

9) Create parking areas.

10) Change the motor vehicle use designation of NFSR 3075A, NFSR 3220, and 

NFSR 3770B from open to highway legal vehicles to closed to highway legal 

vehicles. 

NFSRs 3075 (open), 3075A (open seasonally), 3220 (open seasonally), and 3770B (open) 

are currently designated open roads for highway legal vehicles in the 2011 

Chequamegon-Nicolet Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). The NFSRs 83035, 830281, 

and 830241 are closed on the MVUM. 

Grant Lane (east segment of NFSR 3075) is a town road and is to be open to ATV’s upon 

implementation of the Blackwell ATV Connector Project. 

A segment of the abandoned railroad grade east of Blackwell is currently state funded 

snowmobile trial. This use would continue. 

Purpose and Need

The current condition is that no trail currently exists in the Blackwell area that is 

designated for non-motorized use and connects to the NST. The NST is open to both 

non-motorized (hiking and biking) and motorized activities (snowmobiling and ATV’s). 

Bikers and hikers in the Blackwell area currently use local town and county roads open to 

highway legal vehicles to access the NST which creates a possible hazardous mixed use 

situation. 

The desired condition is to create a safe recreation trail for non-motorized users from the 

NST to Bear Lake. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Lakewood-Laona 

District Ranger has identified a benefit to creating a trail from the NST to Bear Lake 

Campground. The trail would provide a new recreation activity for users of the Bear 

Lake Campground. 

The gap between the current and desired conditions show a need to develop a trail that 

would connect Bear Lake to the Nicolet State Trail and would be designated for nonmotorized recreation activities such as biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. The trail 

would benefit users of the Bear Lake Campground, residents located on Bear Lake, 

Blackwell Job Corps Center, residents of the Town of Blackwell, as well as the other 

non-motorized use recreationists. It would also provide an alternative riding opportunity 

to non-motorized users of the NST. 

Purpose (objectives) 

The purpose or objective of this project is to move toward the desired conditions in the

Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of 2004 

(forest plan). The forest plan provides the following management direction for recreation 

desired conditions:
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Goal 2.1 “Maintain or enhance the diversity and quality of recreation experiences within 

acceptable limits of change to ecosystem stability and condition.” p. 1-4.

Guideline “Maximize the placement of horse and mountain bike trails in upland (dry) 

areas, and minimize the number of water crossings by these trails (streams, wetlands, and 

riparian areas)”, p.2-27.

Affected Environment

This trail would run from the NST east to the Town of Blackwell and continue east to 

Bear Lake Campground (see attached map). It would start at the NST, parallel the Rat 

River following the abandon railroad grade. Then the trail would travel along NFSR 

83035, 3075A, and 3075 into the Town of Blackwell. On the east side of town the trail 

follows NFSR 3220, 830281, 830241, and 3770B to Bear Lake Campground. This trail 

would be located at T35N, R15E, Sections 8, 9, 13-16; T35N, R16E, Sections 18 and 19.

Preliminary Issues

Some preliminary issues have surfaced in the internal review and communication with 

the adjacent landowners.

Riparian

The whole trail runs along the river with some stream crossings. The project analysis 

needs to consider the drainage of the wetlands and disturbance to wildlife that nest or 

inhabit the river area.

Private land Right-of-way

The adjacent landowners are concerned with the creation of a trail through their private 

land holdings. The landowner was concerned that their land would be worthless. The 

owners use their land for hunting; some wanted it closed and some open for hunting 

season.

Management Description

The management area (MA) prescriptions for this project include 1C, 2A, and 2C. MA

1C Early Successional: Aspen and Hardwood does not address recreation. MA2A 

Uneven Aged Northern Hardwoods, and MA 2C Uneven Aged Northern Hardwoods, 

state (forest plan p. 3-7) that “a variety of motorized and non-motorized trail uses are the 

primary recreation”.

Decisions to be Made

Through the environmental analysis process, the District Ranger will determine whether 

or not this project will proceed, and if so, where and under what conditions it will 

proceed.

Relevant Laws and Documents

Function specific laws

The proposed trail project shall meet the requirements of the forest plan. The project 

shall comply fully with forest wide standards and guidelines, and the MA Direction, 

including that contained under MA 1C, 2A, and 2C.
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As a part of the effort to develop and describe the proposed action, the responsible 

official and the ID team reviewed and discussed all available information and data about 

the possible effects and or impacts that this action. This included the physical and 

biological environments in the analysis area, and the relationship between the proposal 

and laws, regulations, and required agency policy, if the project would be implemented.

Comments Requested

At this time, the Forest Service is requesting information, comments, and other assistance 

from Federal, State, and local agencies, and other individuals or organizations that have 

an interest in or could be affected by the proposed action. Specific comments are the 

most useful for the identification of issues and development and analysis of alternatives 

to the proposal. 

No public participation other than this request for comments is planned. All persons who 

provide comment in response to this request will continue to receive information about 

this project and will be included in any additional public participation effort that may 

occur. Those who do not respond will not receive additional information. The comment 

period will last 30 days from the date of the letter.

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of 

those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposed action. 

Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, 

anonymous comments will not provide the Agency with the ability to provide the 

respondent with subsequent environmental documents. 

Send written comments to the Responsible Official: District Ranger, ChequamegonNicolet National Forest, Lakewood-Laona Ranger District, 15085 State Road 32, 

Lakewood, WI 54138, Attention: Marilee Houtler. Faxed comments will also be 

accepted at: 715-276-3594. 

E-mail comments may be sent to: comments-eastern-chequamegon-nicoletlakewood@fs.fed.us. Our system will accept email, rtf and word formats. If comments 

are electronically mailed, the sender should receive an automated electronic 

acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of receipt. If the sender does not 

receive such confirmation, it is the sender’s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by 

other means. Comments may be hand delivered to the Lakewood Ranger District office 

between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27 (d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission 

from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits

such confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under 

the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such as to 

protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency’s 

decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the request is denied; the 

agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be 

resubmitted with name and address within 10 days.

Contact Person Information
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Darrell Richards, Assistant Ranger, Lakewood-Laona Ranger District, 4978 Hwy 8 W, 

Laona, WI 54541. Telephone 715-674-4481. 

This Public Scoping Notice and the project map are available on the Worldwide Web at: 

http://fs.usda.gov/goto/cnnf/nepa

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