Visiting “The Mondo”
The beautiful Mondeaux Flowage lies in the Medford-Park Falls Ranger District of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, 20 miles north of Medford. From its south end at the FR 102 bridge (Cottage Road), the 411-acre flowage runs north for roughly 3.4 miles to the historic Mondeaux Dam where the Mondeaux Recreation Area is located. The width of the flowage ranges from 120 feet to 1,500 feet and features wooded islands, small peninsulas, and tiny bays that are fun to explore by canoe, kayak, or boat.
Aside from a few homes and cottages at the south end, most of the flowage is surrounded by an undeveloped wilderness of hardwoods, pines, hemlocks, and several areas of spruce bog. The setting provides an incredibly scenic experience for paddling, fishing, and hiking.
The National Forest Recreation Area at the north end of the flowage features an historic lodge, caretakers’ cabin, several shady picnic areas, swimming beach, fishing piers, a public boat landing and the Mondeaux Dam. The lodge, with its signature CCC era design, was once named the ‘Bath and Club House’ and has undergone several stages of renovations. Today this building serves concessions and features a beautiful, rustic interior with benches, tables, and a huge stone fireplace.
Rentals are available and include canoes, paddleboats, boats, and pontoons.
Four National Forest Campgrounds are located along the shores of the Flowage: Eastwood, Spearhead Point, West Point, and Picnic Point. Three of the four campgrounds offer lakeside camping, and Eastwood Campground, which does not, is within walking distance of the lodge and day-use area.
Ice Age Trail
A segment of the Ice Age Trail meanders around the north half of the Mondeaux Flowage, passing through the recreation area and all four National Forest campgrounds. Along the east shore, the trail runs through several lowland areas and hikers will find shoreline openings with scenic views of the flowage. On the west shore, the trail traverses more hilly terrain, including several sections of log steps to the top of the Mondeaux Esker. Although the trail on the west side of the flowage has limited views of the lake, the trail is better developed, and the forest is especially scenic.
Whether you’re visiting for the day or staying in one of the campgrounds, it’s easy to take short walks or hours-long hikes on any part of the Ice Age Trail in the Flowage Area, and leashed pets are allowed.
A Very Brief History
During the last glacial period, a giant glacier - the Chippewa Lobe - covered this area. A tunnel stream beneath the glacier created a narrow basin with an esker (ridge) along its west side. After the glacier receded, the Mondeaux River formed, flowing north through the basin along the base of the esker. Today, what remains of the esker is the wooded ridge that runs along the west shore of the flowage and is named the Mondeaux Esker.
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest was established in 1933. The heavily logged area surrounding the Mondeaux River was one of the first land purchases made by the Forest Service. From 1933 until 1938, a collaboration between the Forest Service, CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and WPA (Works Progress Administration) built the spillway dam, stone and log buildings, and landscaped the grounds that form the heart of the recreation area you see today. Flooding of the Mondeaux Flowage began in 1938.
Recreation & Attractions
Mondeaux Flowage, Mondeaux Dam Recreation Area, Mondeaux Dam Lodge, Historic Point of Interest, camping, picnicking, swimming, paddlesports, boating (slow no-wake), pontoon boating, fishing, hiking (Ice Age Trail)
Amenities
Mondeaux Dam Recreation Area
Parking, Mondeaux Lodge (running water, drinking water, heated showers, accessible restrooms w/ flush toilets, concessions/restaurant, rentals), picnic area (shade , tables, grills), children’s playground, swimming beach, boat slips, canoe launch area, accessible fishing pier, accessible vault toilets
Lakeview Picnic Area
Parking, picnic area (shade, tables, grills), accessible vault toilet, boat landing (ramp, turnaround, trailer parking), accessible fishing pier
- National Forest Campgrounds
- Eastwood
- Spearhead Point
- West Point
- Picnic Point
Managing Agency & Fees
- US Forest Service
- Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
Medford-Park Falls Ranger District
850 North 8th
State Highway 13
Medford, WI 54451 - Phone: 715.748.4875
- Official Website: Medford-Park Falls District
- Permit / Access Fee: Yes
- Daily Pass: Just visiting for the day? The Forest provides payment envelopes on site where day-use fees are required. Simply write your information on an envelope, enclose your payment, and drop the envelope in the payment box. Make sure to reserve the perforated tag for display in your vehicle.
- Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Annual Sticker: An annual sticker provides year-round access to day-use sites on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. A sticker is valid from April 1 to March 31 of the following year.
- Interagency Pass: Honored nationwide at all Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard amenity fees
Nearby Trails & Places
- Ice Age Trail Segment | Hiking