Erich's Local Picks

Where to send guests when they ask what to do.

A short, practical guide for New Auburn, the Chetek Chain, Rice Lake, the Blue Hills, and nearby cabin stays.

Request A Drop Read Gear Guide

Planning a lake day?

Build the cabin day around one clean route.

Planning a lake day near New Auburn, Chetek, Rice Lake, or the Blue Hills? Blue Hills Outpost can quote kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, ice, firewood, and cabin add-ons when the route fits.

Listings are included as local planning references. They are not paid placements unless clearly noted.

Offline guest map

Save the lake map before you head out

Cell service can get spotty around the lakes, cabins, and forest roads. Save this Blue Hills Outpost map before you leave so you still have the area layout, lake names, and route cues handy offline.

Tip: on your phone, open the map and save it to Photos or Files before you lose service.

Download Lake Map Open Map

Trail orientation

Save the trail map before you head out

The Blue Hills, Chippewa Moraine, Ice Age Trail segments, Rice Lake trails, and county routes can be confusing when cell service drops. Save this Blue Hills Outpost trail map as an area overview, then use the official trail maps for exact routes and current conditions.

Tip: save the map to Photos or Files before you leave the cabin.

Download Trail Map Open Trail Map

Outdoor Adventure Eat & Drink Seasonal Wedding & Event Venues

Outdoor Adventure

Outdoor Adventure

Flat wooded trail through dense northern forest

Outdoor AdventureNew Auburn

Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area

A reliable first stop for glacial lakes, kettle terrain, quiet hikes, and Ice Age Trail access close to the New Auburn hub.

Distance note: Close to New Auburn and useful for guests who want a real hike without turning the day into a long drive.
Erich's pro tip: Send guests here when the lake is windy. It gives them a strong outdoor day even when paddling is not the right call.

Quiet dirt trail through green woods

Outdoor AdventureBlue Hills / Rusk County

Blue Hills Trail System

A practical trail anchor for hiking, biking, skiing, and snowshoeing in the Blue Hills corridor.

Distance note: Best treated as a planned half-day route from New Auburn, Chetek, Rice Lake, Bruce, or Weyerhaeuser stays.
Erich's pro tip: Pair this with a cabin gear drop when the group wants one lake day and one trail day.

Green forest floor and quiet wooded path

Outdoor AdventureNew Auburn

New Auburn Wildlife Area

A low-key wildlife and public land option for guests who want a quieter outdoor stop near the operating hub.

Distance note: A close New Auburn-area option for birding, walking, and slower mornings.
Erich's pro tip: Good recommendation for guests who ask for something local and simple before check-in or after checkout.

Wooden dock extending into a calm forest lake

Outdoor AdventureChetek

Chetek Chain of Lakes

The main lake corridor for classic cabin stays, boating, fishing, swimming, and multi-day dock-side gear requests.

Distance note: High-value route corridor from New Auburn with strong demand from resort and cabin guests.
Erich's pro tip: This is where guests usually value convenience most. They want gear at the dock, not another errand in town.

Rocky stream and small waterfall in a wooded park

Outdoor AdventureEau Claire County

Big Falls County Park

A scenic park option for guests willing to drive for rocks, water, and a different kind of outdoor stop.

Distance note: This is an out-of-area day trip, not a quick cabin errand from New Auburn.
Erich's pro tip: Recommend only when guests ask for a destination drive or a backup plan away from the lake.

Seasonal

Seasonal

Calm inland lake water with trees along the shore

SeasonalChetek

Chetek Hydroflites Water Ski Show

A visitor-friendly summer evening option and an easy recommendation when guests ask what to do after a lake day.

Distance note: Works best for Chetek Chain stays or guests already routing into town for dinner.
Erich's pro tip: Mention this when families ask for something easy with kids that does not require more planning.

Pumpkins arranged for a fall family outing

SeasonalRice Lake

Rice Lake Pumpkin Patch

A seasonal family and event destination that can help guests round out a fall or shoulder-season trip.

Distance note: Most useful for Rice Lake area stays or guests already traveling through that corridor.
Erich's pro tip: Keep this in the guide for families and wedding groups, especially outside peak swimming weather.

Eat & Drink

Eat & Drink

Cheese board with simple cabin snacks

Eat & DrinkNew Auburn

New Auburn Cheese Company

A local stop for cheese, snacks, sandwiches, and quick cabin provisions close to the Blue Hills Outpost home base.

Distance note: Best for guests staying near New Auburn, Clear Lake, Island Lake, or driving through town.
Erich's pro tip: Good first grocery-gap stop when guests arrive before they have done a full cabin supply run.

Casual restaurant table ready for dinner

Eat & DrinkLong Lake

Max's on the Lake

A classic lakeside bar and grill option for groups who want dinner tied to the water instead of a formal night out.

Distance note: Useful for Long Lake and nearby cabin stays, or as a destination dinner route from the broader area.
Erich's pro tip: Send guests here when they want a straightforward lake meal and a relaxed night.

Casual lake-town food and drinks on a table

Eat & DrinkChetek

Gilligans

A Chetek-area visitor stop with a casual lake-town feel and enough name recognition for guests to remember.

Distance note: Best for Chetek Chain stays and guests already spending the afternoon in town.
Erich's pro tip: A good easy answer when guests ask where to go after pickup, fuel, or a downtown Chetek stop.

Wedding & Event Venues

Wedding & Event Venues

Outdoor wedding setup in a rural setting

Wedding & Event VenuesNew Auburn

Paraiso Acres

A New Auburn event property with weekend guest potential and a strong fit for simple outdoor and cabin convenience referrals.

Distance note: Very close to the New Auburn hub, which makes quote windows and support easier to confirm.
Erich's pro tip: Best fit for wedding groups staying nearby who need easy lake gear, ice, firewood, or a post-event cabin reset.

Simple rural building and open property setting

Wedding & Event VenuesNew Auburn

Alluring Acres

A local rustic venue where guests may be staying in nearby cabins, VRBOs, or family lake properties for the weekend.

Distance note: Close enough to support with road-side delivery when the route is already planned.
Erich's pro tip: The right pitch here is guest convenience, not gear rental. Keep the ask simple and hands-off.

Rustic barn exterior in open countryside

Wedding & Event VenuesRusk County / New Auburn Area

Adventure Awaits Wedding & Event Barn

A regional barn venue that fits the wedding-weekend use case for guests looking for local outdoor options.

Distance note: Useful for Rusk County and Blue Hills route planning when guests are staying near lakes or cabins.
Erich's pro tip: Offer this as a resource for couples, not a venue add-on the staff has to manage.

Indoor event space with tables set for guests

Wedding & Event VenuesChetek

The Mill Events

A Chetek event venue that can generate weekend guest clusters around cabins, hotels, and lake properties.

Distance note: Fits the Chetek Chain route corridor and local weekend event traffic.
Erich's pro tip: A strong candidate for a simple guest resource note: lake gear and cabin essentials available by request.

Green golf fairway with trees and no mountains

Wedding & Event VenuesRice Lake

Turtleback Golf Course

A Rice Lake golf and event property with wedding, event, and visitor traffic that may overlap with nearby cabin stays.

Distance note: Best for consolidated Rice Lake routes rather than one-off long trips.
Erich's pro tip: Good fit for event groups that want one easy local activity option before or after the main event.

Useful Blue Hills Outpost resources

Useful Blue Hills Outpost resources

Gear & Safety GuideGuest briefing for flotation device fit, wind, shoreline, and gear care.Request a Cabin DropAsk for kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, ice, firewood, and cabin add-ons.

Outpost note

Build the day around the route.

If guests are already planning a lake day, Blue Hills Outpost can quote kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, ice, firewood, and cabin add-ons when the route fits.

Send A Quick Request