Paper Mill Trail



Length: 1.9 miles
Surface: Crushed granite and paved roads
Activities: Hiking, jogging, biking, pets
Parking: Whiting Park (east), Stevens Point Care Center on Sherman Ave. (west)

Spans from the edge of Upper Whiting Park (west) at the Plover River bridge to the Stevens Point Care Center parking lot (west) on Sherman Ave.

The trail features excellent bird watching from a bridge over the Plover River, quiet neighborhood roads, up-close views of a working paper mill, and a beautiful span through a forest and over a wetland boardwalk.

Bird Watching
The Paper Mill Trail crosses the Plover River over an arching pedestrian bridge, which is a hotspot for bird watching along the trail. Waterfowl can be seen year-round on the river. Ospreys nest annually on a platform above the bridge. And songbirds flitter through the shrubs on both sides of the trail.

The Legacy of Paper Mills
The trail follows quiet residential roads past the Whiting Paper Mill, originally established by George A. Whiting in 1891 as the Wisconsin River Pulp and Paper Company. Whiting was one of the early pioneers who took a chance that the brownish water of the Wisconsin River could work for papermaking. The gamble paid off! Now owned by NewPage, the mill today produces lightweight coated papers for magazines and catalogs. Trail users can watch as logs are stacked into massive piles, waiting to be turned into paper pulp.

Whiting Park
The trail provides access to Upper Whiting Park (Village of Whiting). Follow the Whiting Park Walking Trail (part of the Green Circle) for stunning views of the Plover River, Indian Mounds (click here for more info), picnic tables, and an educational shelter. Lower Whiting Park features a baseball diamond, boat launch, and playground equipment.

Paper Mill Walking Trail and Whiting Park Walking Trail Alternatives
At its eastern end, the Paper Mill Trail provides access to two alternative walking trails (bicycles are not permitted). The Paper Mill Walking Trail (north of the bridge) follows the shores of the Plover and Wisconsin Rivers west to Whiting Road where it rejoins the Paper Mill Trail. The Whiting Park Walking Trail (south of the bridge) meanders through Upper Whiting Park east.

Photos