Namekagon River: Wisconsin's Moving National Park

04/06/2026

Start planning now for your adventure down the Namekagon River - the nation's first Wild and Scenic River!

08/19/2024

An important date each year for a very special resource right in our backyard! Join others on September 7!…

Our largest Riverway Volunteers event of the year is around the corner! Its time to roll up those sleeves and give back to the river that has given us so much.

Bring your family and friends and help care for this special place, all while enjoying a fall day outdoors. Volunteers have the option to participate on land or on water and may use their own canoes, drift boats, and or kayaks. To celebrate your hard work, join the afterparty at the Angry Minnow in Downtown Hayward at 3pm! There will be food provided by Mainstreet Tacos, music by Son of Mel, and a prize drawing!

🗓️Saturday, September 7 · 8:30am - 3pm
🗺️Hayward Lake Boat Landing | 10360 Hall of Fame Drive Hayward, WI

🗑️🧤Pre-registration is required: https://ow.ly/3XjM50SYAoM

In celebration of National Public Lands Day, all participants will receive a coupon for one free entry into a national park or other federal public land.

The Riverway Volunteer program is a joint program with our partners Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

Special thanks to support from:
Hayward Fly Fishing Company
Angry Minnow Brewing Co & Restaurant
Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce
Simms Fishing Products
Patagonia
fishpond

06/30/2024

The Namekagon River is nature’s conveyor belt! namekagonriver.org

05/28/2024

Wildlife abounds all along the Namekagon River, which is part of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway! More info on wildlife viewing along the river can be found at nps.gov/sacn/planyourvisit/wildlife-viewing.htm.

04/22/2024

If you’ve ever wondered if the water of the Namekagon is crystal clear, watch through to the end of this video taken yesterday from the bridge on Hospital Road in Hayward. 😯 Visit Namekagon River.org/river-maps to plan your next trip down the Namekagon!

03/07/2024

It wasn't the winter we wanted for us 'snow enthusiasts' in the Northwoods, but for every negative situation- we love finding silver linings. Open-water fishing is sure to be one of them this late winter/early spring. Here's some direct insight from local DNR Senior Fisheries Biologist Max Wolter: "With relatively little ice throughout winter and no snow cover, we are looking at a high likelihood of an early ice out in the Hayward area. Sure, that could mean a little extra time to clean up the yard or till the garden. But you could also spend that “bonus spring” enjoying some of the best kept fishing secrets that exist in the area. Seriously, early spring fishing is the best!
Anglers can start on the rivers and streams. Early catch and release trout fishing on Wisconsin streams starts in January, meaning the fish are ready whenever you are. Stu Neville at Hayward Fly Fishing Company says that anglers should focus on sub-surface presentations like nymphs in the earliest part of the spring. As water warms trout will “start to put their nose in the air” looking for emerging stoneflies, which can be a reliable pattern through much of April."

Photo is of Rick Neville with a Namekagon River brown trout in the early catch and release season. Credit: Stu Neville

09/29/2023

Idyllic settings like this exist all the way up and down the Namekagon River. Learn more about the small towns along the way - namekagonriver.org/2022/09/fall-is-calling-small-towns-to-visit-along-the-namekagon-river/

09/07/2023

Looking for great wildlife viewing opportunities while taking in the changing colors? You are sure to find them along the Namekagon River: Wisconsin's Moving National Park. Don't forget to stop by the Washburn County Visitor's Center to rent a Birding Backpack!

08/31/2023

Be sure to check conditions before heading out on the river:

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, St. Croix River, Namekagon River, alerts, conditions, current conditions

08/09/2023

How does waking up with the Namekagon River: Wisconsin's Moving National Park flowing right outside your tent sound? We've got you covered in WashCo!

https://www.washburncounty.org/outdoor-activities/on-the-water/namekagon-river-wisconsins-moving-national-park/

07/10/2023

Cool down & relax on the Namekagon River: Wisconsin's Moving National Park! Find an outfitter and head to the water: https://www.washburncounty.org/outdoor-activities/on-the-water/namekagon-river-wisconsins-moving-national-park/