"Angling up through Snowmobile Country and the North Woods"

Southern terminus: Lincoln County, at the junction of U.S. 51 and Highway 64 in Merrill

Northern terminus: Vilas County, at the Michigan State Line 8 miles east of Phelps

Mileage: about 86 miles

Counties along the way: Lincoln, Langlade, Oneida, Vilas

Sample towns along the way: Merrill, Rhinelander, Eagle River, Phelps

Bypass alternates at: Rhinelander

Quickie Summary: State “Trunk” Highway 17 is a connector road between up North vacation and recreation hotspots, connecting U.S. 51 travelers to Rhinelander, Eagle River, and many of the myriad lakes in Vilas County. If you've ever camped, fished, snowmobiled or hung out in a lakeside vacation home in the North Woods, there's a pretty good chance you've used Highway 17.

The Drive (South to North): Although it starts on the outskirts of the town today at the interchange with U.S. 51 and Highway 64, prior to the late 1980s Highway 17 used to start in Merrill at the former U.S. 51 before the freeway was built. And since we don't like to bypass towns on the State Trunk Tour unless we're in a hurry, we'll start at the former terminus.

Highway 17's historical beginning is at the junction of County Highways K (the original U.S. 51) and G (the original Highway 17, also known as 14th Street). This is just north of downtown Merrill (pop. 10,146), which you can check out by going south on County K (Center Ave.) to 1st Street (Highway 64). Merrill lies along the Wisconsin River, "the hardest working river in the world." Merrill certainly has had its share of sawmills on the river; in 1892 alone, they produced 150 million board feet of lumber and 86 million shingles.

From Merrill, Highway 17 makes a beeline northeast across the woods and farms of Lincoln County, past small hamlets like Gleason (where the 1983 horror flick The Devonsville Terror was filmed) and Parrish, part of a quick swing inside Langlade County before ducking into Oneida County for - in most cases - less than a minute. Then you're in Lincoln County again, then back into Oneida County. You dizzy yet?

Finally, you reach the next city along Highway 17, which is all about the Hodag...and more.

Of course, we're talking about Rhinelander (pop. 8,135), the Oneida County seat and metropolitan center of everything north of Wausau. The two cities even split the television market up here, with WJFW-TV (Channel 12) serving as the NBC affiliate for northern Wisconsin. Rhinelander is where NFL player Jason Doering, five-time PGA golf champion Dan Forsman, playwright Dan Wasserman, entertainment reporter Steve Kmetko and 2002 Miss Teen USA winner Vanessa Semrow, the only Wisconsinite to win the pageant, all came from. College coaching legend John Heisman, namesake of the Heisman Trophy, is buried in Rhinelander - because that's where his wife was born.

An original Rhinelander beer label. Could it make a comeback soon in downtown Rhinelander?

The Hodag.
Yes, you've probably heard, Rhinelander is Hodag Country. So what is a Hodag? According to folklore, the Hodag was first seen in 1893 and had "the head of a frog, the grinning face of a giant elephant, thick short legs set off by huge claws, the back of a dinosaur, and a long tail with spears at the end." Advanced by Eugene Shepard, who was known for pranks, the beast became something of legend when the "remains" of one was released to area newspapers. Later, he claimed to have overpowered a live Hodag using chloroform and brought it with him to the 1896 Oneida County Fair. Curious onlookers came from all over to examine the animal, which Shepard worked up and attached wires to, for the occasional tugging to make the creature move...sending audiences running. Apparently, it seemed pretty real: scientists from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. announced they would be coming to Rhinelander to examine this Hodag creature...essentially forcing Shepard to admit it was a hoax.

Nevertheless, the Hodag came an indelible part of Rhinelander's local lore. The Hodag is the high school mascot, the city's official symbol, is commemorated with sculptures around town and even lends its name to the local country music festival, which draws some pretty big names (Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, Neal McCoy, Kellie Pickler and, in its inception in 1978, good ol' Freddy Fender. Anybody up for a round of "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"?) You can find the biggest Hodag statue right next to the Rhinelander Visitors' Center, along Kemp Street (the traditional U.S. 8) on the southwest side of town, just off the bypass. Here he is in winter.

Downtown Rhinelander is where the old Highway 17 (Stevens Street), U.S. 8 and Highway 47 all came together. The downtown area is still pretty vibrant, since Rhinelander is a major center for commerce and recreation in the North Woods. For shops, bars and restaurants, Brown Street is the main strip, one block west of Stevens in the downtown area. Along Stevens, you'll find the Best Western Claridge Motor Inn (70 N. Stevens Street, 715-362-7100), which offers convenient access to everything in town and fast access to points beyond. There's also a 24-hour drive-through McDonald's (rare for this part of the state) and plenty of sites to see, including:
The Rhinelander Logging Museum, 334 N. Pelham Street, 715-369-5004
A complex featuring a replica of an 1870s lumber camp, the original Soo Line Depot (built in 1892, in service until 1989), an extensive model railroad display in the basement and an outdoors display of early logging equipment, a narrow-gauge locomotive and steam-powered "snow snakes". What's a snow snake? Well, that's why you have to road trip and discover stuff. For more, visit their website.

MORE COMING SHORTLY!

CONNECTIONS
South Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: U.S. 51, Highway 64
Can connect nearby to: Highway 64, about 12 miles south; Highway 52, also about 12 miles south

North Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Federal Forest Highway 16 in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Can connect nearby to: County roads in Vilas County; also Highway 32& U.S. 45, about 20 miles southwest

Upcoming events in places along Highway 17:
Merrill, Merrill Ice Drags Grudge Match, February 11, 2012
Rhinelander, Lions Club Fisheree & Winter Festival, February 11-12, 2012

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Best Western
Claridge Motor Inn
70 N. Stevens Street
Rhinelander, WI 54501
(715) 362-7100
Link to hotel and reservations

BEST WESTERN PLUS
Derby Inn
US 45 Highway N
Eagle River, WI 54521
(715) 479-1600
Link to hotel and reservations