Rib Mountain State Park: hunting and access
Rib Mountain State Park is 1,557 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Marathon County, next to Rib Mountain. Hunters registered 12,041 deer in Marathon County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landCounty forestOther federal landOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landRib Mountain State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,557 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Marathon County |
| Deer Management Unit | Marathon County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Rib Mountain |
| Nearest towns | Rib Mountain (next to it), Schofield (next to it) and Wausau (2 mi) |
What is Rib Mountain State Park like?
This billion-year-old hill is one of the oldest geological formations on earth. Rib Mountain State Park is a premier day-use property with picnicking, hiking trails and reservable facilities that include a scenic amphitheater, indoor gathering space and picnic shelters. The top of the park offers spectacular views of the Wausau area and Wisconsin River. Granite Peak Ski Area is on the north face of the mountain and offers downhill skiing and snowboarding.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Rib Mountain State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Rib Mountain State Park as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
In Wisconsin state parks and recreation areas, hunting is limited to the seasons and the parts of the property the DNR sets for each one; the DNR's page has the details.
How many deer are taken around Rib Mountain State Park?
Rib Mountain State Park lies in Marathon County. The DNR registered 12,041 deer in Marathon County in 2025, against 11,715 in 2024.
| DMU | Rib Mountain State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon County | 1,557 | 12,041 | 11,715 | 10,082 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Rib Mountain State Park?
Nearest towns: Rib Mountain (next to it), Schofield (next to it), Wausau (2 miles) and Rothschild (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 29, US 51, I-39, WI 51 and WI 52.
What other public land is near Rib Mountain State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Mountain-Bay State Trail: 1,071 acres, 3.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Rib Mountain State Park
Counting Rib Mountain State Park itself, 5,602 of the 36,181 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (15.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| County forest | 2,619 |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 1,908 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 895 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 173 |
| Other federal land | 5 |
| State parks | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Rib Mountain State Park?
In Marathon County, next to Rib Mountain. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Rib Mountain State Park open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Rib Mountain State Park in?
Marathon County.
How much public land is around Rib Mountain State Park?
5,602 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Rib Mountain State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Mountain-Bay State Trail (3.6 miles).
Get a Wisconsin hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Wisconsin are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wisconsin included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Rib Mountain State Park; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.