The historic Burnt Rollways boat hoist which provides access between the Eagle River and Three Lakes Chain of Lakes will open for the 2026 season this Saturday, May 23, in time for the busy Memorial Day weekend kickoff to summer.

Hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the weekend and the Monday holiday. Following the hours set last year, the lift will be closed Mondays (except Memorial Day), Tuesdays and Wednesdays through June, Beginning in July and through August, Burnt Rollways will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but reservations will be required for passages between 6 and 8 p.m.
Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) which operates the lift notes that if a reservation or notification to the hoist operator is not made during those final two hours of daily operation, the hoist may be closed when the boaters arrive.

In September, the hoist will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but will close on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The exception will be Labor Day, Sept. 7, when it will remain open for the holiday. The final day of the hoist will be Sunday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m.

Rates for the 2026 summer season will be $15 for one-way hoists, $20 for two-way, or those who travel between chains often can purchase a six-punch card pass for $50 which must be used during the 2026 operation year.

Boat hoist operators will be able to close for the day at their discretion as weather conditions dictate. To check for operating hours or make a reservation, call 715-218-6514 or visit wvic.com to verify the hoist is open during inclement weather.

For more information, email staff@wvic.com, or call the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company main office at 715-848-2976.

Burnt Rollways history

According to information on the WVIC website, Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company built the first boat hoist in 1911. At that time, it was an inclined railway that used mechanical power furnished by the stream. The current turned a water wheel in the dam that pulled boats, resting on a wheeled cradle, over the dam on the tracks.

Since 1952, an electric gantry hoist running on a 165-feet-long trestleway more quickly hoists boats of all sizes as they travel this popular thoroughfare.

As part of the Wisconsin River Reservoir System, WVIC refers to the Three Lakes Chain as the Burnt Rollways reservoir. The reservoir consists of 20 lakes which have a combined surface area of 7,600 acres and 106 miles of shoreline. The Chain is regulated by WVIC’s Burnt Rollways dam at the end of Long Lake.

Meanwhile, the Eagle River Chain consists of nine lakes which cover 3,900 acres and have 68 miles of shoreline. The Eagle River Chain is regulated by the Otter Rapids hydroelectric dam operated by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.