There are at least three Gilmans you could end up at by mistake, and the one with the swinging bridge is easy to miss on a map. So, where is Gilman, Wisconsin? It is a village of 378 people in southwest Taylor County, in the north-central part of the state, sitting on the Yellow River where State Highways 64 and 73 meet.
The quick version: Gilman is about 14 miles north of Thorp and Highway 29, about 42 miles northeast of Eau Claire, and about 59 miles west of Wausau, all in a straight line. The rest of this covers which Gilman is which, distances from the towns and cities around it, the roads in, the nearest airports and what to do first when you arrive.
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Where Gilman is
Gilman is in Taylor County, Wisconsin, at the western end of the county, where Highways 64 and 73 cross the Yellow River.
The village covers about 2.3 square miles at an elevation of 1,224 feet. The village started in 1902 as a section house and water tower where a logging railroad from Stanley crossed the river, and a Canadian National line still runs through town today. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest begins about three miles to the east, and Miller Dam Flowage, the reservoir most visitors are headed for, is about five miles northeast.
The practical details: the ZIP code is 54433, the area codes are 715 and 534, and Gilman is on Central Time, the same as Chicago and Minneapolis. Taylor County's seat is Medford, about 23 miles east.
Which Gilman? Two others share the name
If your map puts Gilman near Spring Valley, west of Eau Claire, you are looking at the Town of Gilman in Pierce County, about 73 miles west-southwest of the village. If it puts Gilman south of Chicago, that is Gilman, Illinois.
The Pierce County Gilman is a town in the Wisconsin sense, a rural township rather than a village, and it has its own government page that turns up in the same searches. Gilmanton, in Buffalo County, also appears in Wisconsin search results and is a different place again.
The giveaway for the right one is Taylor County and the 54433 ZIP code. Weather sites mix these up too: at least one climate site's "Gilman" page is the Illinois village. If a forecast or a set of averages looks oddly warm for northern Wisconsin, it is probably describing the Illinois one.
How far is Gilman from nearby towns and cities
Gilman is about 42 miles northeast of Eau Claire and about 59 miles west of Wausau in a straight line. Roads add miles, and the table below is straight-line distance and direction from the village.
| From Gilman to | Straight-line miles | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Jump River | 13 | north |
| Thorp | 14 | south |
| Holcombe | 15 | west-northwest |
| Stanley | 16 | south-southwest |
| Cornell | 17 | west |
| Medford | 23 | east |
| Ladysmith | 25 | northwest |
| Chippewa Falls | 33 | west-southwest |
| Eau Claire | 42 | southwest |
| Wausau | 59 | east-southeast |
| Minneapolis | 121 | west |
| Madison | 161 | south-southeast |
| Milwaukee | 206 | southeast |
The closest towns with a full main street are Thorp and Stanley, both down on Highway 29. Stanley is the old lumber-mill town that the logging railroad through Gilman was built to serve, and Thorp is where most people leave the highway.
The nearest cities are Eau Claire and Wausau, and most bigger shopping trips go to one or the other. Eau Claire is the closer of the two, and it has the nearest commercial airport.
In a straight line, Gilman is just over 200 miles north and west of Milwaukee, across the middle of the state.
The roads in
Most people reach Gilman from Highway 29. Take the Thorp exit and drive north on Highway 73. The village describes itself as about 15 miles north of Thorp and Stanley, and that is the road distance on 73.
Highway 29 is the four-lane that crosses central Wisconsin from Green Bay to Chippewa Falls, which is why the village describes itself as off 29 even though the highway runs about 15 miles to the south. Highway 73 runs north and south through Gilman, and Highway 64 runs east and west, toward Medford in one direction and Cornell in the other.
From the village, County Road G runs northeast to the dam and County Road M runs up the west side of the flowage. To reach Miller Dam from Highway 29, the lake association's route is north on 73 for about 16 miles from the Thorp exit, then east on County Road G to the landing.
We know of no passenger rail or regular bus service into Gilman, so plan on driving yourself.
Nearest airports
The closest commercial airport is Chippewa Valley Regional in Eau Claire, about 39 miles southwest of Gilman in a straight line.
Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee, which serves Wausau and Stevens Point, is about 62 miles east-southeast. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International, with by far the most flights, is about 120 miles west. From any of them, rent a car: the last leg into Gilman is on state and county highways.
Fuel and supplies when you arrive
Fill up in the village before you head out to the flowage or the forest. The Gilman Corner Store's pumps run around the clock, and Cenex is open from early morning to evening.
Hardware and quick repairs are the job of Romig's Hardware & Plumbing on Main Street, open six days a week and closed on Sundays.
What's in the village
Once you are here, the village is small enough to cover on foot. The swinging bridge over the Yellow River dates from 1915 and still sways as you cross it. Main Street has a boutique with a coffee counter, a cheese plant and a cafe that closes at one. June Dairy Days fills Father's Day weekend.
Everything worth your time, from the bridge to the fish fries and the festivals, is in these things to do in Gilman.
Frequently asked questions
Published September 21, 2026
