A Local's Guide to Crandon: World-Championship Off-Road Racing and Forest County Lakes

Crandon is the Forest County seat, a small Northwoods town on Lake Metonga that's quiet most of the year and roars to life every Labor Day, when it hosts one of the biggest off-road races in the world. The rest of the time it's lakes, supper clubs, and the easy pace of Forest County -- a real Northwoods town that happens to throw a world-class motorsports party.

What is Crandon known for?

Off-road racing. The Crandon International Off-Road Raceway hosts the World Championship Off-Road Races every Labor Day weekend -- a decades-old event that draws huge crowds and top short-course off-road talent to this little town. Beyond race weekend, Crandon is a lakes town: Lake Metonga and the surrounding Forest County waters anchor the fishing-and-boating life.

Things to do in Crandon

Time a Labor Day visit for the World Championship Off-Road Races -- it's the reason Crandon is on the map for many people. The rest of the year, the draw is the water: Charlie's at Lake Metonga Resort sits right on the lake, and the surrounding Forest County lakes and rivers are made for fishing and paddling. It's a slow, woods-and-water town outside of race weekend.

Where to eat in Crandon

Supper clubs and taverns are the heart of it. Lake Avenue Restaurant & Lounge and the Northwoods Inn are the local favorites, Hotel Crandon Restaurant and Bar anchors downtown, and Red's Country Inn and Boiling Springs Tavern are the classic up-north taverns. Log Cabin Cafe covers breakfast, and the Last Resort on Lily River and Charlie's put you near the water.

When to go

Labor Day is the marquee -- book lodging far ahead if you're coming for the races, because the town fills. Summer is prime lake season, fall brings the color, and winter is snowmobiling country. The supper clubs and the fish fry are good in any season.

Planning your visit

Crandon sits on US-8 in Forest County, about an hour northeast of Rhinelander. Race weekend is a different town entirely -- plan lodging and traffic accordingly -- while the rest of the year it's a quiet lakes stop. The lakes need a boat or a rental to enjoy fully.

The bottom line

Crandon is a quiet lakes town with a world-championship roar once a year -- come for the races or the fishing, stay for a supper club on the lake. We surface what's worth the trip; you choose the season. See what's on this week at the Lineup.