The Underdown Recreation Area is seeing completion of a long awaited shelter building. The shelter is located in the main parking/camping area of the multi-use outdoor recreation area near Irma.
The Lincoln County Forestry Department manages and oversees the 8,260-acre wilderness/recreation area that can be enjoyed by hikers, bikers, fishermen, campers, cross country skiers, snowshoers and horseback riders.
The Underdown Horse Club (UHC) has for more than 30 years worked with the Forestry Department in maintaining and improving the 18-plus miles of horse trails. The UHC members have spent an incredible amount of volunteer hours clearing and marking trails, making trails and campsite improvements.
Each campsite is set up to accommodate horse trailers, rigs and a stall area for horses. There are also group camping areas in the parking lot that can be used. They have also seen that campsites have fire rings, picnic tables, a working well for water and also recently installed a fillable water tank that people can access and fill buckets of water without the need for pumping. This water is located in the storage/utility shed recently built by UHC. There is no electricity in the Underdown, so the club members donate their time and make sure water is always available, along with maps and a clean area in which to camp and enjoy the Underdown.
The shelter improvement was made possible with the assistance of the county Forestry Department, many UHC volunteer hours and a much appreciated grant that was requested from the Wisconsin Horse Council and approved for this project. The local mountain bike club, which maintains a system of challenging trails in the Underdown, also made a donation of lumber for the shelter.
It is the hope that all users are able the enjoy the shelter, be it just to gather with friends, or to be used as shelter from the elements.
Underdown Horse Club
The Underdown Horse Club is a non-profit club made up of members with the primary goal to maintain and improve the numerous trails and campsites for all. The group was established over 30 years ago and have worked with Lincoln County. The UHC members also enjoy club rides in the U Area, fun rides, wagon rides, fall rides, camping and a fish boil and band, just to name a few of the events.
The club welcomes any new members. It is not necessary to have a horse to be a member. For more information, contact Tad at 715-571-4924 or Chris at 715-219-3464.