Top fall trails of northwest Wisconsin, Part I

Copper Falls State Park

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors around Northwest Wisconsin than a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet

and russets of oaks

...the crisp, fresh

autumn air and the last warm rays of sunlight before winter arrives...

the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Northwest Wisconsin to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Ashland County
A river rapids over billion-year-old red-tinged rock, surrounded by a variety of autumn colors, awaits day hikers on the Red Granite Falls Trail in Copper Falls State Park. The set of two loops, loosely shaped in a figure 8, runs 2.5-miles round trip in the park’s southern corner. During autumn, you’ll find the brilliant yellows of ironwood, paper birch and aspen, the blazing orange of sugar maple, and the scarlet of red oak mixed with the evergreen of hemlock and white pine. From Mellen, take Wis. Hwy. 169 north. Enter the park by turning left onto Copper Falls Road, and park in the Loon Lake Beach lot. Head south to the beach and pick up the trailhead heading west.

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Amber-leaved trees and evergreen conifers await hikers at Prentice Park in Ashland. A 1.25-mile round trip paved trail wends through a boreal forest and wetlands as well as crosses, via a bridge, Fish Creek Slough before ending at the Lake Superior beach in Maslowski Park. In all, Prentice Park is nearly 100 acres in size. From downtown Ashland, head west on U.S. Hwy. 2. Turn left/south onto Turner Road then right/southwest onto Park Road, which ends at a parking lot. The trail leaves from the lot’s west side.

Bayfield County
Massive trees from an old growth forest and vibrant autumn colors await day hikers on the Drummond Woods Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest. The 0.75-mile trail runs through the Drummond Woods, where a number of trees survived the 1800s lumberjacking of the Wisconsin Northwoods. Heading through a northern hardwood forest, the trail marks an excellent spot to enjoy fall colors: the yellows of basswood and birch; the oranges of sugar maples; and the scarlet of black ash and red maple. Evergreens dominate the canopy with towering white and red pines and hemlocks. From Drummond, take U.S. Hwy. 63 north. In one mile, turn left/west onto Old 63 N (aka Forest Road 235). About 150 feet from that intersection on the right is a small pull-off for parking.

Burnett County
Day hikers can walk across an old railroad bridge over the St. Croix River at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and St. Croix State Forest on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. The Gandy Dancer Trail, which starts dozens of miles south of the state forest in Polk County, at Danbury crosses the border into Minnesota. The trestle bridge segment is about two miles round trip. You’ll head through a forested area. The mix of trees near the riverfront yields a fantastic multi-colored leaf display in autumn. An added bonus for autumn hikers: You’ll probably spot a number of migrating waterfowl, including sandhill cranes. Also watch for bald eagles, osprey, northern harriers and hawks, all of which reside year-round in the area. In Danbury, parking for trail access is next to the walking route north of Hwy. 77 between and Hwy. 35 and North Glass Street. From the lot, take the trail north.

Douglas County
A walk along a pristine sand beach awaits day hikers of the Lake Superior shoreline in the Bear Beach State Natural Area. The unmarked trail runs for up to 3.4-miles round trip along narrow Bear Beach. Hiking the beach, you’ll get a good sense of what this area of the world looked like before Euro-Americans settled it. A thick woods hugs the sand’s southern side while the lake stretches wide beyond to the north. Though the forest this far north is heavy on the evergreens – especially balsam fir, white pine and white spruce – in autumn the yellowed-colored leaves of paper birch and trembling aspen and the spring green of speckled alder are well-represented. From Brule take U.S. Hwy. 2 west. In Maple, turn north onto County Road F. Next, go left/west onto Wis. Hwy. 13 then right/north onto Beck’s Road. Park in the dirt lot at the end of Beck’s Road near the Lake Superior shore.

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A boreal forest may not seem like the best place to enjoy autumn leaves. The Superior Municipal Forest, however, delivers, with its extensive growth of gold-leafed white birch and aspen amid evergreen white and red pine, balsam, cedar, and black spruce. A 1.6-mile segment of the Millennium Trail winds through the woods. In Superior, at the 28th Street and Wyoming Avenue intersection, turn south to the municipal parking lot. The trail goes both east and west; skip the eastern side, which leads to multiple railroad tracks in Superior’s industrial section.

Polk County
Day hikers can experience an autumn forest that looks almost like the one Native Americans and pioneers saw during the 1800s. The 2.9-mile Ridge View Trails near Osceola heads beneath a lush forest canopy in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Osceola State Fish Hatchery on a bluff overlooking a St. Croix River back channel. Sugar maple is the dominant tree. Each autumn, its leaves vary from yellow to orange or red. Basswood, whose leaves turn olive in fall, and white ash, which changes to a deep maroon, usually are mixed in the canopy. From Osceola, take Wis. Hwy. 35 north and turn north onto County Road S. The two trailheads are on the road’s left/west. Both trailheads have their own parking areas off of the road. Just beyond 93rd Avenue is the southernmost parking area, which is an excellent trailhead for either loop.

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The splendor of fall colors combines with a vista of the St. Croix River and fasinating rock formations on the Summit Rock Trail at Interstate State Park. The 1-mile round trip trail heads to a bluff’s highest point. Moss and autumn leaves cover the surrounding rock and ground while maples, basswood and eastern white pines line the trail. At the top, prickly pear cactus can be spotted amid the outcroppings. The highlight of the hike without question is the incredible view of the riverway from the summit. Looking north, the Old Man of the Dalles rock formation is visible. From St. Croix Falls, take Wis. Hwy. 35 south. Turn right/west into the park and follow the entry road to the parking lot across from the Lake O’ the Dalles.

Day trail explores kettle bog wildflowers

Marsh cinquefoil blooms June to August in Wisconsin's kettle bogs.

Barksdale Ponds Trail topo map
Click map for larger version.

Day hikers can explore rare kettle bogs and their wildflowers on a northern Wisconsin trail.

The 1.25-miles round trip Barksdale Ponds Trail heads through the southern unit of the Barksdale Ponds State Natural Area in the Chequamegon National Forest.

To reach the trailhead, from Iron River, Wis., take U.S. Hwy. 2 east. Turn left/north onto Topside Road. When the road splits, go left/northwest onto Loon Lake Road/Forest Road 242. Next, turn left-straight/northeast onto Forest Road 847 (some maps list it as Forest Road 647). In about 0.375 miles, look for a jeep trail on the road’s right/east. Pull off the road there and park. This is the trailhead.

The road to the kettle bogs crosses a dry, glacial outwash plain featuring a mature red and white pine forest. Most of the tree trunks measure 16-18 inches in diameter. Beneath the canopy is a sparse shrub layer of hazelnut and pine saplings. Ground flora includes bearberry, big-leaf aster, blueberries, bracken fern, and wintergreen.

Kettle ponds
The difference between the pine forest and the state natural area is stark and begins right away. The route is a jeep trail that winds between two kettle ponds.

Look for spirea, a three- to six-foot tall shrub that likes moist to wet soil, especially meadows and streambanks. Its white, five-parted flower is a mere quarter-inch wide and slightly fuzzy. It blooms June to August. It’s found in all but four of Wisconsin’s counties.

Another flowering plant here is the marsh cinquefoil, which loves mucky, peaty soil. The purple to red, five-parted flower measures about three-quarters of an inch wide and also blooms June to August. Cinquefoil grows across northern Wisconsin and near Lake Michigan.

Water smartweed blooms in autumn. It's fully aquatic with the leaves floating on the water. The bright pink flowers grow in short clusters on smooth stems rising from the water. Individual flowers in the cluster are a mere quarter inch in length. Smartweed is found in all but six Wisconsin counties.

At 0.375 miles from trailhead, you'll come to another jeep trail. Go right/east on to it.

Sphagnum moss
During the hike, you'll encounter several kettle bogs where light-green sphagnum moss covers the wetlands. Sphagnum moss, which tolerates acidic water, forms floating mats over ponds. It can thicken up to six feet deep.

Thanks to compounds in the sphagnum’s cell walls, the moss does not decay so easily traps water. Be careful to not step on the solid-looking moss – in addition to potentially harming other rare plants that grow atop it, the mats can’t fully support your weight, and you’re sure to get wet.

The sphagnum mat itself hosts several wildflowers.

Late April to May, look for leatherleaf. The nodding, tubular white flowers are about a quarter-inch long and hang in a row beneath their stem. The mound-shaped shrub can grow up to three feet high and sometimes forms dense thickets. It grows in most of Wisconsin but is largely absent in the Driftless Area.

Bog laurel, also known as swamp laurel, also blooms in spring. Its cup-shaped, rosy red flower measures from a quarter inch to a full inch wide. The plant's leaves and twigs are poisonous. It thrives in wet areas that receive sun across the state's northern half.

Carnivorous plant
Wild cranberry also grows here. Blooming in mid to late June, the flowers are dark pink. Bees pollinate them, and shortly afterward berries form, usually in late June or early July. Three different species of wild cranberry can be found in the state, mostly in the northern half and in the central sandy plains.

The highlight of any hike past a sphagnum bog is the carnivorous pitcher plant. Downward-pointing hairs guide insects into a pool of rainwater kept in its cupped stalk, where the trapped insect drowns. The plant releases enzymes into the rainwater to digest the bug. It's maroon, bell-shaped flowers, which bloom in summer, are large at 2-3-inches wide and droop from a tall stalk. The pitcher plant usually grows only in northeast Wisconsin.

At 0.625 miles, you'll come to another jeep trail. Go right/southeast onto it. The trail passes the eastern shoreline of another kettle pond before arriving at Mirror Lake. After taking in the sites, retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Bug spray is recommended for the hike in spring and summer.

Maps of 5 great Bayfield County day hikes

Visitors to Wisconsin’s Bayfield County can enjoy a number of major recreational areas, many of which contain great day hiking trails.

Five great county day hikes and maps for them include:

Bay View Trail, Boardwalk, nature trail
Incredible views of Lake Superior await hikers traveling to Big Bay State Park. Taking the Bay View Trail along with a boardwalk and a self-guided interpretive trail affords hikers a 5-mile round trip, though this can be cut in half if turning around at the boardwalk.

Birkie Trail
Though known primarily for the annual ski race held on it, Wisconsin’s massive Birkebeiner Trail system also makes a great hiking route in summer. With more than 66 miles of trails, all maintained by the nonprofit American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, “The Birkie Trail,” as its fans affectionately call it, offers multiple trailheads, loops and variations between Cable and Hayward. One segment that’s easy to locate and hike is the Birkie’s opening section, a 2.6-mile round trip when treated as an out-and-back trail.

Forest Lodge Nature Trail
Among the best hikes to learn about the Wisconsin Northwoods is the Forest Lodge Nature Trail, east of Cable. Located in the Chequamegon National Forest, the 1.5-mile loop is maintained in cooperation with the Cable Natural History Museum. Any dry summer day is excellent for hiking the trail, and fall colors are spectacular with trees usually remaining golden until the third week in October.

North Country National Scenic Trail, Erick Lake segment
The Erick Lake segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail heads along a ridgeline through a new growth forest. About 61 miles of the North Country Trail crosses Bayfield County. The Erick Lake segment of it runs four miles one-way.

Drummond Woods Interpretive Trail
Massive trees from an old growth forest and vibrant autumn colors await day hikers on the Drummond Woods Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest. The 0.75-mile trail runs through the Drummond Woods, where a number of trees survived the 1800s logging of the Wisconsin Northwoods. The route sometimes is referred to on maps and in literature as the “Drummond Woods Trail.”

Read more about these and nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County.

Meet the Canada warbler

Canada warbler. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Canada warbler
Cardellina canadensis

Appearance: Yellow throat, chest and belly; dark gray back; white undertail; dark streaks form a “necklace” on chest; white eyering with yellow line in front of eyes

Song: Single chirp then series of sputtering warbles.

Habitat: Forest

Nest: Dry grass and leaves on near ground

Trails: Houghton Falls Trail (Wisconsin)

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

See carnivorous plants, old forest on trail

Thick evergreen groves line a segment of the Forest Lodge Nature Trail.

Route heads through several ecosystems

Among the best hikes to learn about the Wisconsin Northwoods is the Forest Lodge Nature Trail, east of Cable in southern Bayfield County. Located in the Chequamegon National Forest, the 1.5-mile loop is maintained in cooperation with the Cable Natural History Museum.

Any dry summer day is excellent for hiking the trail, and fall colors are spectacular with trees usually remaining golden until the third week in October.

To reach the trail, take County Road M for about 8.6 miles east of Cable. Turn left/north on Garmish Road. The trailhead is a mile later on the road’s right/south side.

From the parking lot, head straight south into an old field. If you turn left, you’ll end up on the neighboring Conservancy Trail.

Spruce, bog, white pine
While fairly flat, the trail does narrow from four- to two-feet wide upon reaching the woods. The forested section of the trail sports some rough tread as well.

The trail rambles through a number of ecosystems, offering a mini-walk through the region’s natural history.

Among the ecosystems is a lowland bog, surrounded by spruce and slender-stemmed cotton grass. Here you’ll also find the carnivorous bog-dwelling pitcher plant.

Another ecosystem – now rare for northern Wisconsin – is of old-growth white pines. During the 1880s when pioneers settled the area, the white pine dominated; after being logged off, hardwoods replaced them.

A good portion of the trail is a newer upland hardwood forest. Chipmunks are abundant there.

Giant boulders
One element of the landscape hasn’t changed, though: glacial erratics. These are boulders and rocks brought here during the last ice age that are different in color and composition than those “native” to the area.

Hikers also will walk through a grove of hemlocks, which looks like a scene out of a fairy tale, and an experimental prairie.

An excellent way to identify and learn more about these sights is the interpretive booklet available at the Cable Natural History Museum, located in Cable at 13470 County Road M (check ahead for hours).

If time and energy permits, consider adding the two-mile Conservancy Trail to your hike. That trail is more varied in terrain with some hill climbing.

Read more about nearby hikes in my Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County guidebook.

Wisconsin hike passes four peaceful lakes

Anderson Grade topo map

Anderson Grade
follows logging
era railroad bed

Day hikers can enjoy four lakes on an old railroad grade in Wisconsin’s Chequamegon National Forest.

The 5.8-miles round trip Anderson Grade is a fairly level trail. It sits in the Rainbow Lake Wilderness, a federal unit within the Chequamegon National Forest. The wilderness area is home to a pack of timber wolves, but the reclusive creatures are rarely seen.

To reach the trailhead, from Drummond, travel north on Forest Road 35. In 5.5 miles, turn left/west into the parking area. The trail heads west from the lot.

The Anderson Grade, a logging-era rail bed, also is referred to as Forest Service Trail 502 on some maps. There are no rails or ties today, but the area cut for the train remains and is maintained as a walking path.

North Country Trail intersection
You won’t have to walk far to see the first lake. Within a hundred yards of the lot, Clay Lake appears on the trail’s south side. At 28 acres in size, the lake reaches a maximum depth of 45 feet. Panfish are common in the lake, but largemouth bass also can found in it.

A mere 0.26 miles from the trailhead, Flakefjord Lake is on the trail’s north side. Though containing the same fish as Clay Lake, Flakefjord is much smaller at 10 acres with a maximum depth of 17 feet.

The terrain begins to roll a little from there, but it’s nothing significant that children can’t handle.

About 1.25 miles from Flakefjord Lake, an unmarked spur heads to Bufo Lake’s north shore. The spur dead ends on a pine-covered peninsula jutting into the lake and is well worth the few extra steps. At 20 acres in size, from the peninsula the lake stretches into the distance.

At 1.7 miles from the trailhead, the North Country National Scenic Trail intersects from the south. It briefly joins the Anderson Grade then in 100 yards splits right/north. Continue west on the Anderson Grade, however.

Largest of four lakes
The trail next passes around a long wetlands. Then, at 2.8 miles from the trailhead, take the spur trail that heads east for Anderson Lake.

In another 0.1 miles, you’ll reach Anderson Lake’s the northwest shore. A footpath heads to the lake’s north side, which marks a good spot for a picnic. The lake covers 31 acres with a maximum depth of 46 feet. Largemouth bass are common in it.

After taking on the lake views, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

You can extend the hike and see a fifth lake by adding 2.4-miles round trip to the walk. Between Bufo and Anderson lakes, take the North Country Trail intersection north to Rainbow Lake. The lake covers 14 acres with a maximum depth of 21 feet. You’ll likely hear loons there.

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County, Wisconsin, in my Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County guidebook.

Trail heads to peaceful waterfall, glade

Lost Creek Falls. Photo courtesy of cornucopiawisconsin.org.

Lost Creek Falls Trail sits on peninsula

Day hikers can enjoy a little-known, secluded waterfall on a Bayfield Peninsula trail in northern Wisconsin.

The Lost Creek Falls Trail runs 3-miles round trip. As part of the route is a snowmobile trail that’s not maintained during summer, the best time to hike this route is a pleasant spring day before the weeds sprout and take over the walking path in June. Spring actually is the best time to see the falls, as that the marks the heaviest water flows.

Creek crossings
To reach the trailhead, from Cornucopia, drive south on Wis. Hwy. 13. Go left/south onto the unpaved Klemik Road. In 1.2 miles is an ATV/snowmobile crossing with a yellow gate on the left/east side of road. This is the trailhead. Park on the road shoulder and head east onto the trail, walking around the gate.

For the first quarter mile, aspens – some reaching heights of 30 feet – line the trail. At 0.3 miles is a steel-framed bridge over Lost Creek #2. Ignore the spur road and cross the bridge. On the other side is another spur road; ignore it as well.

The trail becomes more worn from here on, and the trees grow taller with a greater mix of aspen, hardwoods and pines. Another surprise are the raspberry, thimbleberry and blackberry bushes lining the trail; because of this, black bears frequent the area, so know how to defend yourself against one in the extremely rare chance that an encounter occurs.

The trail next descends steeply to a creek. At about 1.2 miles, you’ll reach the wood-railing bridge over Lost Creek #1.

Fifteen-foot falls
From there, the trail rises and turns southeast. In about 600 yards, you should hear the waterfalls. Be sure to follow the narrow footpath that parallels the stream and heads south.

The last 200 yards of the trail is a twisting rocky trail through the woods that covers a mere hundred yards as the crow flies. Finally, at 1.5 miles, you’ll reach Lost Creek Falls.

One of Bayfield County’s few waterfalls, Lost Creek No. 1 tumbles 15 feet over a sandstone ledge into an open, mossy glen. The falls consists of an eight-foot drop with smaller, staircase cascades below, and is a great spot to picnic.

Once you’ve taken in the falls and rested, return the way you came.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Great trails surround Wisc.'s Drummond

Trailhead for Drummond Woods Trail

Bayfield County ranks among Wisconsin’s most popular tourism destinations, attracting skiers, boaters, campers and sightseers. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Consisting mainly of forestland and lakeshore, each Bayfield County village feels like a quaint throwback to years past. Only one of them boasts a population close to 3000 people.

Ten villages can be found there, with the majority of them hugging the lakeshore or a county line. Among them is Drummond.

In the southcentral part of county is this town of little more than 500 people. Entirely surrounded by the Chequamegon National Forest, it’s a natural center for outdoors activities.

Popular day hiking trails in the Drummond area include:
g Drummond Woods Trail (Chequamegon National Forest)
g Lake Owen Loop (North Country National Scenic Trail)
g Roundup of Drummond area trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Cornucopia-Red Cliff WI day hiking trails include famous Lake Superior sea caves

Mawikwe Bay Sea Caves. Photo courtesy of Apostle Islands National
Lakeshore NPS.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Though the county villages of Cornucopia and Red Cliff are at the far northern end of Bayfield Peninsula, there are a few good day hiking trails. The major trail is in the mainland unit of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, where the Mawikwe Bay Sea Caves can be accessed.

Popular day hiking trails in the Cornucopia-Red Cliff area include:
g Mawikwe Bay sea caves
g Roundup of trails near Red Cliff

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

7 great day hikes in Cable, Wis., region

View from atop St. Peter's Dome.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

A gateway to Bayfield County, many traveling to points north pass through this village. A number of travelers make the village their destination as well, and for good reason. The Chequamegon National Forest stretches to the north and east while the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway heads to the southwest into Saywer and Washburn counties.

Among the village’s highlights is the Birkebeiner Trail, which though mainly used for skiing, also can be hiked during other seasons.

Popular day hiking trails in the Cable area include:
g Birkebeiner Trail
g Forest Lodge Nature Trail
g Morgan Falls St. Peter’s Dome Trail
g Namekagon Dam Landing Trail
g Roundup of Cable area trails
g Site of Wisconsin’s first Thanksgiving
g West Torch Trail

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County, Wisconsin, in my Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County guidebook.

Array of day hiking trails crisscross Wisconsin’s Iron River area

Bois Brule River in Brule River State Forest. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

The western gateway to Bayfield County, Iron River is a popular destination for many who love the outdoors. It is located about halfway between the Brule River State Forest to the west and the Chequamegon National Forest to the east. The Tri-County Cooridor Trail runs through town between Superior and Ashland while the North County National Scenic Trail passes nearby.

North of Iron River on the Bayfield Peninsula along the Lake Superior shoreline is Port Wing and to the northeast Herbster. Both villages are unincorporated. Each relies on tourism and to a lesser extent fishing, lumbering and agriculture as their mainstays.

Popular day hiking trails in the Iron River-Port Wing-Herbster area include:
g Iron River National Fish Hatchery
g Roundup of Iron River area trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Array of trails crisscross Drummond WI area

Drummond Woods Trail

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Entirely surrounded by the Chequamegon National Forest, the Bayfield County village of Drummond is a steady destination for campers, hikers, skiers, and fishermen. Well over two dozen lakes, most notably Lake Owen, can be found within 10 miles of town. Among the premier hiking routes near the village is the North Country National Scenic Trail, which stretches from New York state to North Dakota.

Popular day hiking trails in the Drummond area include:
g Drummond Woods Trail (Chequamegon National Forest)
g Lake Owen Loop (North Country National Scenic Trail)
g Roundup of Drummond area trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Array of trails crisscross Ashland WI region

Sunset from observation tower at Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center near
Ashland, Wis. Photo courtesy of Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Part of the city of Ashland spills into Bayfield County, and often travelers on their way to Bayfield or Madeline Island pass through the town.

It offers excellent access to Chequamegon Bay via an urban hiking trail and is a short distance from the Chequamegon National Forest. In addition, one end of the Tri-County Trail, a former railroad bed converted to hiking trail that runs through Bayfield County to Superior, starts in Ashland.

The city’s highlight in Bayfield County is the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, which offers exhibits, demonstrations, and a trail, all dedicated to fostering an understanding of Lake Superior’s natural history and man’s interaction with the largest of the Great Lakes.

Popular day hiking trails in the Ashland area include:
g Doughboys’ Trail (Copper Falls State Park)
g Interpretive Boardwalk Trail (Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center)
g Morgan Falls St. Peters Dome Trail (Chequamegon National Forest)
g North Country National Scenic Trail (Copper Falls State Park)
g Roundup of Ashland County trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Array of day hiking trails crisscross Washburn, Wis., region

Washburn Marina. Photo courtesy City of Washburn.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Bayfield County’s largest city, Washburn, offers hikers access to Chequamegon Bay and is a short distance from a number of other public lands. Among them is the Chequamegon National Forest and its Mt. Valhalla trails, the recently created Houghton Falls Nature Preserve, and Bog Rock County Park. Trails can be found in each of these areas.

Popular day hiking trails in the Washburn area include:
g Houghton Falls
g Mt. Valhalla trails
g Roundup of Washburn area trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Array of trails crisscross Apostle Islands

Raspberry Island can be reached via boat or seaplane from Bayfield, Wis. 
Photo courtesy of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore NPS.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

The picturesque Apostle Island National Lakeshore includes 20 of the 21 Apostle Islands and a stretch of shore on the Bayfield Peninsula. Other than the peninsula section, you won’t be able to reach any of the islands in the national lakeshore by vehicle – but you can sail there yourself or take any one of a number of charters from the nearby towns of Bayfield and Ashland.

Isolation from vehicular traffic makes each island a quiet and secluded paradise of Northwoods wilderness. Almost all of the islands contain hiking trails to enjoy. Among the most popular are trails are found on Michigan and Stockton islands, as well as the Bayfield Peninsula.

Popular day hiking trails in the national lakeshore include:
g Basswood Island
g Mawikwe Sea Caves
g Michigan Island
g Raspberry Island
g Stockton Island trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Array of trails crisscross Madeline Island

Tombolo Trail on Stockton Island, which can be accessed via boat or sea
plane from Madeline Island. Photo courtesy of Apostle Islands National
Lakeshore NPS.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Ironically, the main reason some people visit Bayfield County is to leave it – that’s because the village of Bayfield is the community offering ferry service to Madeline Island, by far the most popular attraction among those traveling to the county…yet Madeline Island actually is part of Ashland County.

But that’s a trivial matter to most travelers, as Bayfield and Madeline Island are intimately connected in most people’s minds – the way most of Madeline’s visitors reach the island is via ferry from downtown Bayfield.

Though Madeline Island is the largest of the famous 22 Apostle Islands it is not part of the national lakeshore. Madeline’s crowning jewel is Bay View State Park.

Popular day hiking trails on or near Madeline Island include:
g Basswood Island (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore)
g Bay View Trail (Big Bay State Park)
g Big Bay State Park’s top trails
g Michigan Island trails (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore)
g Roundup of Madeline Island trails
g Stockton Island trails (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore)

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Array of day hiking trails crisscross Bayfield area in Wisconsin

Lake Superior from Dalrymple Park in Bayfield.
Photo courtesy City of Bayfield.

Imagine a place where you can hike sandy beaches and enjoy fantastic vistas of the world’s largest freshwater lake, a place of towering pines that bald eagles fly over and black bears scamper beneath, a place where you can explore sea caves or hike across billion-year-old red rock. The place is real – it’s called Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

If Wisconsin were a mitten, Bayfield County would be the peak of the four fingers. With much of it a peninsula, it boasts more shoreline on Lake Superior than any other Wisconsin county. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

When most people visit Bayfield County, the picturesque village of Bayfield is their destination.

Given the number of attractions surrounding the village, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Located on scenic Lake Superior, it’s the main port for reaching Madeline Island and the Apostle Islands National Seashore. The Chequamegon National Forest, Bayfield County Forest, and Nourse Sugarbush State Natural Area all are only a few miles away.

Because of this, more than a dozen day hiking trails can be found in or near the village.

Popular day hiking trails in the Bayfield area include:
g Brownstone Trail
g Jerry Jolly Hiking Trail
g Madeline Island – Big Bay State Park
g Mawikwe Bay Sea Caves
g Roundup of area trails, Part I
g Roundup of area trails, Part II

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Bayfield County boasts number of great attractions for day hiking

Chequamegon National Forest

National forest,
national parks unit
both within county

Visitors to Wisconsin’s Bayfield County can enjoy a number of major recreational areas, many of which contain great day hiking trails.

Several public lands can be found in the county. The Chequamegon National Forest’s western reach stretches across the county’s southern and center section. A small portion of the Apostle Island National Lakeshore sits on the Bayield Peninsula with access to the rest of the National Park unit’s scenic and often unspoiled islands primarily from Bayfield and La Pointe. Bay View State Park – in Ashland County on Madeline Island – offers an intimate encounter with Lake Superior; most visiting the state park do so by first passing through Bayfield. Brule River State Forest, also just across the county line, lets visitors explore a waterway that at one time flowed out of Lake Superior rather than into it.

Two major trails cut through the county. The North Country National Scenic Trail, which rambles 4600 miles across seven states from New York to North Dakota, runs in Bayfield County between the southeast corner in the Chequamegon National Forest and south of Iron River on its way through the Brule River State Forest. The Tri-County Corridor Trail heads between Ashland and Superior in neighboring Douglas County, paralelling U.S. Hwy. 2 in Bayfield County.

How to get there
From western Wisconsin and southern Minnesota, U.S. Hwy. 63 offers the best access to Bayfield County. The highway runs from Interstate 94 north, entering the county near Cable on its way to that village and Drummond before terminating west of Ashland.

From northern Minnesota, U.S. Hwy. 2 enters Wisconsin in Superior then enters Bayfield County at Iron River. Wis. Hwy. 13 also runs from south of Superior to and then along the Bayfield Peninsula shoreline.

From northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula, U.S. Hwy 2 runs through Ashland and east-west across Bayfield County to Iron River.

Southeastern Wisconsin and Illinois residents can reach Bayfield County via Hwy. 13, which heads north from U.S. Hwy. 10 in Marshfield through Park Falls into Ashland. In Bayfield County, Hwy. 13 loops off Hwy. 2 around the Bayfield Peninsula, running through Washburn, Bayfield, Red Cliff, Cornucopia, Herbster and Port Wing before heading into Douglas County and ending just south of Superior.

When to visit
Outdoors activities abound year around in Bayfield County. The best months to day hike Bayfield County are May through September. Depending on the year, April and October also can be pleasant.

As with the rest of Wisconsin, summers can be humid, especially July and August, though this typically is only the case for Bayfield County’s inland areas. Rain also can occur during the afternoon even when the morning is sunny, so always check the weather forecast before heading out.

November through March usually is too cold for day hiking. Once snow falls, trails typically are used for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling or snowshoeing. Early spring often means muddy trails thanks to snowmelt and rainfall.

Read more about these and nearby trails in Day Hiking Trails of Bayfield County.

Great day hiking trails surround Wisconsin’s Cornucopia-Red Cliff area

View of the Mawikwe Sea Caves from the Mainland Trail.
Photo courtesy of Apostle Islands NPS.

Famed sea caves visible from
Apostle Islands mainland unit

Bayfield County ranks among Wisconsin’s most popular tourism destinations, attracting skiers, boaters, campers and sightseers. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Consisting mainly of forestland and lakeshore, each Bayfield County village feels like a quaint throwback to years past. Only one of them boasts a population close to 3000 people.

Ten villages can be found there, with the majority of them hugging the lakeshore or a county line. Among them is Cornucopia and Red Cliff.

On Bayfield Peninsula’s western shoreline is the unincorporated community of Cornucopia. It is near a mainland portion of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which features the Mawikwe Bay Sea Caves.

Circling around the top of the Bayfield Peninsula is the mainland portion of the national lakeshore. On the peninsula’s western shore is the village of Red Cliff, which serves as the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s administrative center. Fewer than a thousand people live on the Red Cliff reservation.

Popular day hiking trails in the Cornucopia-Red Cliff area include:
>>Mawikwe Bay sea caves
>>Roundup of trails near Red Cliff

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.

Great day hiking trails surround northern Wisconsin’s Iron River area

A common site in Brule River State Forest near Iron River, Wis.
Photo courtesy of Wisconsin DNR.

Bayfield County ranks among Wisconsin’s most popular tourism destinations, attracting skiers, boaters, campers and sightseers. It also offers dozens of miles of trails for those who love hiking.

Consisting mainly of forestland and lakeshore, each Bayfield County village feels like a quaint throwback to years past. Only one of them boasts a population close to 3000 people.

Ten villages can be found there, with the majority of them hugging the lakeshore or a county line. Among them is Iron River and the nearby unincoporated communities of Port Wing and Herbster.

In the county’s southwestern corner is tucked Iron River, The county’s second largest city with more than a thousand residents, its main attractions are the Brule River State Forest in neighboring Douglas County and the Chequamegon National Forest to the east. The annual Blueberry Festival and Bayfield County Fair are held here each summer.

North of Iron River on the Bayfield Peninsula along the Lake Superior shoreline is Port Wing and to the northeast Herbster. Both villages are unincorporated. Each relies on tourism and to a lesser extent fishing, lumbering and agriculture as their mainstays.

Popular day hiking trails in the Iron River-Port Wing-Herbster area include:
g Iron River National Fish Hatchery
g Roundup of Iron River area trails

Read more about day hiking Bayfield County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Bayfield County, Wisconsin guidebook.