- Bookwood Historical Collection, Star Lake
Razorback Ridges cross-country ski, mountain bike, hiking and snowshoe trails have been a community project of the Sayner-Star Lake Lions Club since 1984.
The club now grooms and tracks about 16 miles of trail for skiing, maintains nearly 30 miles of mountain bike trails, both on the ski trails and off trail for single-track riders and marks about three miles of snowshoe trail for winter trampers.
The Lions have made many improvements over the years, with the largest being a heated trailhead chalet with inside bathrooms for all trail users.
The club also maintains a small ice skating rink adjacent to the warming building named the Bernie Van Acker Skating rink in honor of the late Lions member who was instrumental in adding skating as another recreational opportunity at Razorback Ridges.
The Lions have upgraded grooming equipment and now maintains the trails in winter with a Yellowstone Ginzu drag and track setter.
The trailhead area, including the ice rink and warming building have been named the Mel and Emma Long Memorial Park in honor of the early Sayner settlers whose family donated the land for the building and park.
The trails are primarily on state forest land and the trail system is made possible by a land use agreement between the Lions and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The Lions charge no fee for use of any of the facilities, including parties such as graduations and birthday celebrations, but sincerely appreciate all donations to make continued operation of the facilities possible.
Razorback Ridges is located two miles west of Sayner at the intersection of Razorback Road and Highway N.
Among other annual functions, the Lions host the Northern Highland Bike Tour the last Saturday of every July at Razorback Ridges with road rides ranging from 15 miles to a metric century (100 kilometers), in addition to a dirt roads ride of 22 miles.
For further information on the ride or Razorback Ridges, call (715) 542-3501.