Shiocton, Wisconsin
1 mile
Navarino Grace Trail®
Where land, cultures, and reflection meet.
Navarino Grace Trail®
A storied mile of bridges, streams, and steady boulders that leads the community back to its roots through shared discovery and the wisdom of the woods.
About This Trail
Every Grace Trail shares the same five questions, yet no two are exactly alike. Discover the landscape, stories, and community that shape this one.
The trails in Shawano County represent the gold standard of community integration. Here, the Grace Trail® isn't just a destination; it is a shared social fabric. It bridges the gap between generations—bringing local school children into the woods for a "developmental reset" while providing a space for elders and neighbors to reconnect with the world and each other.
By honoring the region's indigenous history through the Menominee language and mobilizing a "village" of volunteers, these trails prove that we are at our best when we are outside, moving together. Whether it’s through the grassroots leadership of a "Trailblazer" like Matty Mathison or the simple camaraderie of a group walk, the Wisconsin trails show that connecting with ourselves and our neighbors is the most vital human work we can do.proving that growth unfolds in every season.
Trail Features
Every community is different. Grace Trail is designed to adapt to the people, places, and purpose of each one.
Powered By Community
Every Grace Trail is rooted in its community. From the people who champion it to the stories it reflects, each trail becomes a one-of-a-kind expression of place.
In Wisconsin, service is a way of life. The Navarino Grace Trail® was built through grassroots leadership, thousands of volunteer hours, and a $20,000 community-led fundraising effort. High school students groom the paths, church groups lend their hands, and local schools utilize the trail as a premier outdoor classroom.
Here, grace isn't just installed—it is lived. By featuring trilingual signage in Menominee, English, and Spanish, the trail celebrates the diverse cultures that share this land, ensuring that every walker feels a sense of belonging.
A Legacy of Pioneering Leadership
The Navarino Nature Center Grace Trail® is a prime example of what happens when vision meets action. This project was spearheaded by Janis "Matty" Mathison, a legendary educator and the 2026 AARP Wisconsin Volunteer of the Year. Matty’s leadership—from developing erosion-control systems for trail bridges to organizing the "Trail Tenders" volunteer group—proves that a Grace Trail® is a catalyst for community excellence.
This trail serves as a blueprint for how civic organizations can leverage "Small Dollar, Big Impact" grants to create lasting emotional infrastructure and foster a true sense of camaraderie.
Life Along The Trail
Along the way, simple moments begin to stand out— what you notice, what you feel, and what stays with you.
Footsteps
& Life
Winding through the groomed trails of the Navarino Nature Center, this Grace Trail crosses bridges, follows streams, and moves through varied woodland terrain. Walked by families, students, elders, and visitors alike, it invites reflection at every pace — from quiet solitude to shared discovery.
Water, wildlife, and changing seasons shape the rhythm of this place. Boulders, benches, and kiosks create natural pauses along the path. The landscape grounds each question in something steady and enduring — a reminder that growth unfolds in every season.
Nature's
Rhythm
In Wisconsin, service is not an idea — it is a way of life. Built through grassroots leadership, strong civic support, and thousands of volunteer hours, this trail reflects a culture that shows up. High school students groom the paths. Church groups lend their hands. Schools bring classes to walk and learn.
Held by
Community
Stories Along the Way
Books and reflection share the same path here. The Little Free Library and Storybook Trail invite families to pause, read, exchange a story, and continue around the loop—adding moments of curiosity and connection to a park already filled with movement, play, and everyday community life.
Held by Community
The community is visible in the details. Hand-forged animals, locally crafted elements, and signage in three languages give this compact neighborhood Trail a character all its own. What surrounds the five questions reflects the many hands, ideas, and contributions that helped shape the place.
Footsteps & Life
A parent walks while waiting for a game to begin. Friends take a loop and talk. Families move between the fields, books, and five questions. Here, Grace Trail becomes part of what people are already doing—a place for reflection woven naturally into the rhythm of the park.
Footsteps & Life
This small loop welcomes many ways of moving through it—neighbors out for a walk, families searching for hidden animals, children exploring, and visitors spending time with the five questions. Its scale makes Grace feel approachable: something to encounter together or quietly on your own.
The Sound of the Park
Bouncing balls, whistles, pickleball paddles, children laughing, and neighbors greeting one another create the soundtrack here. Reflection happens alongside it all, showing that a meaningful pause doesn't require silence—or stepping away from the activity of everyday life.
Nature's Rythym
The pond, mature trees, wildlife, and changing seasons give the Trail a different character throughout the year. Ducks appear near the water, deer move through the woods, and shifting light invites walkers to notice a landscape that never feels quite the same twice.
Tales From The Trail
Beyond the Solitary Walk
While many come to the trail for quiet reflection, in Wisconsin, the trail has become a site of communal discovery. You see it in the high school students who maintain the paths as an act of service, and in the "Trail Tenders" who treat every bridge and boulder as a gift to the next walker.
It’s about the "Aha!" moment when a student spots a hidden metal animal, or the shared silence of two friends sitting on a Leopold bench. In Navarino and Alpine Shores, the trail reminds us that as humans, we are wired for connection—to the land, to the ancient languages of the past, and to the person walking beside us. These trails don’t just lead into the woods; they lead us back to each other.
Shared Beyond the Trail
Local news features, video documentaries, and statewide awards have carried the story of Navarino far beyond Shawano County—inspiring a new generation of volunteers and trail licensees.
FOUNDING PARTNERS
The Navarino Nature Center Grace Trail was made possible through the support of local partners and community members who contributed funding, resources, expertise, craftsmanship, and ongoing stewardship. Their collaboration brought the trail to life and continues to strengthen its impact for all who visit and care for this space.
