Top fall trails in east-central Wisconsin, Pt. I

Potawatomi State Park, Wisconsin

There’s no better way to experience autumn colors around east-central 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 east-central Wisconsin to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Brown County
A grove of cottonwoods awaits hikers on the Woodcock (Blue) Trail at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve in Suamico. The 0.75-mile trail heads north from the interpretive center and curves around a small pond in the preserve’s northwest corner. During autumn, it’s a gloriously beautiful walk, as the tall eastern cottonwoods – which are largely absent in this part of Wisconsin – turn a bright yellow. From U.S. Hwy. 141 in Suamico, take Lineville Road east. Turn left/north onto County Road J/Lakeview Drive and then right/east into the preserve. Park at the center.

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Hikers can head through a remnant of the great oak forests that once covered all of Brown County. The 1.15-mile round trip McMahon Woods Trail sits in the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum, which surrounds the UW-Green Bay campus. The trail runs alongside McMahon Creek, which flows into nearby Green Bay. Russet-colored oaks dominate the McMahon Woods' uplands while colorful sugar maples can be found in the understory. Fifty-nine different trees and shrubs can be seen along the trail. From Wis. Hwy. 57, take Nicolet Drive north. Turn right/southeast onto South Circle Drive. Roadside parking is available along the road’s first curve.

Calumet County
Day hikers can enjoy great views of Lake Winnebago atop a ridge on the Red Bird Trail at High Cliff State Park. The mostly level 3.4-mile trail runs along the ancient Niagara Escarpment’s western edge. Autumn offers the opportunity to see the lake through a northern wet-mesic forest, which offers the evergreen of northern white-cedar, Balsam fir and spruce, the yellows of black ash, the light orange of speckled alder, and the reds of mountain maple. A bonus is an observation tower you can climb to see the canopy and lake from above. From the park’s entrance road (State Park Road) turn left/southeast onto Lower Cliff Road. Next, go left/northeast on High Cliff Road. Park in the observation tower lot.

Door County
Day hikers can enjoy great autumn colors on the Tower Trail at Potawatomi State Park in scenic Door County. The 3.5-miles loop traverses the state park’s northern end. Part of the trail is the eastern terminus of the nearly 1200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail that crosses Wisconsin. The trail is among the best in Wisconsin to see fall leaves. The reds, oranges and yellows of maple, the amber and oranges of beech, and the olive of American basswood all light the trail with the brilliant blue waters of Sturgeon Bay in the background at vistas. From Wis. Hwys. 42/57 on Sturgeon Bay’s west side, head north on Park Road. The park is in a little over a mile; turn right/east into it on Entrance Road. At North Norway Road, turn left/north. After passing the North Camp Area, the park road intersects with Shoreline Road. A parking lot is at the intersection. From the lot, hike north alongside Shoreline Road. The Tower Trail crosses the road in about 330 feet.

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Hikers can enjoy majestic views of blue Green Bay and the yellow and orange leaves of a blufftop forest at Ellison Bay Bluff County Park. An unnamed 1-mile trail loops through a woods of sugar maple, white ash, red oak, birch and beech. A spur trail leads to an observation deck at the edge of the 100-foot high limestone bluff. An enclosed catwalk extends outward from the bluff; walking on it will make you feel like you’re flying. From Ellison Bay, take Wis. Hwy. 42 south. Turn right/west onto Porcupine Bay Road then right/north onto Ellison Bluff Road. The road loops through the park; leave your vehicle in the lot on the loops’ southwest side.

Fond Du Lac County
Golden tamaracks circle the shores of Mauthe Lake in the Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit every October and November. The 2-mile Tamarack Nature Trail hugs the lake’s northweastern shore and then rambles over the nearby ice age-shaped terrain. Though tamaracks look like pine trees, their needles turn color and fall off like leaves on deciduous trees. From Campbellsport, take Wis. Hwy. 67 east. Turn right south on County Road SS then right/south on County Road GGG. Take the first right/west into the Mauthe Lake Recreation Area. The trail begins near the Mauthe Lake Beach and loops around the waterbody via the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and the Lake to Lake Bike Trail.

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Hikers can explore the autumn beauty of a creek along the bottom of a deep ravine at Hobbs Woods Nature Area. The Main Trail Loop plus the access trail to it runs 1.31 miles on both sides of Parsons Creek, crossing it twice and a tributary once along the way. The autumn canopy casts a yellow and orange glow over the trail and creek in the 60-acre, thickly wooded county park. From Fond du Lac, take Interstate 41 south. Exit onto County Road B (exit 92), going right/west. Turn right/north onto Wis. Hwy. 175 then left/west onto Hamilton Road and finally left/south onto Hickory Road. The entry to Hobbs Woods is on the left/east.

Kewaunee County
A pretty fall hike along a river awaits on a segment of the Ahnapee State Trail. The 2.25-mile round trip rail-trail between County Road M and Washington Road sits in the Ahnapee River’s wetlands cooridor where migrating birds gather each autumn amid the bronze grasses. On higher ground, look for the willows’ shimmering gold leaves in the breeze, dogwoods’ deep scarlet leaves and berries, and bog birch’s amber. From Algoma, take County Road M north. The parking lot is on the northeast corner of where the the road and trail meet.

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A perfect spot for taking young children to see autumn leaves is a segment of Ice Age National Scenic Trail at the Bruemmer County Park and Zoo near Kewaunee. The trail skirts the park’s northern side, from where it crosses County Road F in the west to the zoo in the east. The trail – including the small zoo’s exhibits – runs about a mile total. Leaves along the trail and at the zoo turn orange, crimson and various yellows. From Kewaunee, head west on Wis. Hwy. 29. Turn right/northwest onto County Road C/Ellis Street. Enter the park by going left/southwest onto County Road F and park at the zoo.

Wis. autumn hikes abound on Lake Michigan

Seven Bridges Trail in Milwaukee.

If living in or traveling 

to a Wisconsin county

along Lake Michigan, plenty of great autumn trails await.

Eleven Wisconsin counties border Lake Michigan – including Green Bay. Maple and beech dominate most forests near the lake,

but several other trees can be found as well. Here are some solid autumn leaf hikes in those counties from south to north:

Kenosha County
Among the best places to see fall colors are streams, where the leaves reflect beautifully against the blue water or brighten a gray sky. Such is the case at Petrifying Springs Park, where an unnamed trail traverses 2 miles (round trip) through a woods and alongside Pike River in the park’s southwest corner. Be sure to take the side trails with footbridges crossing the river, where you can enjoy orange and yellow leaves on trees and shrubs, some of them falling into the water and slowly gliding downstream. In Kenosha, from Wis. Hwy. 31 exit east onto Berryville Road/7th Street. Take the second right/south. Drive 0.17 miles to the second parking lot. Pick up the hiking trail from the paved sidewalk on the lot’s west side, going southwest into the woods.

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Hikers can experience the richly colored orange-red leaves of the hawthorn tree that grows along Pike Creek near Kenosha. The 0.4-mile looping Hawthorn Trail runs in the Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum. Hawthorns grow from 16 to 49 feet tall, and when more shrub than tree-like, their leaves branch out all around the trunk from the ground to its top. A bonus in autumn: The woods is a major stopover for migrating songbirds. From Kenosha, head north on Wis. Hwy. 31. After crossing Somers Road, turn left/west into the nature sanctuary. Park at the nature center; the trail begins west of it.

Racine County
Day hikers can walk across what used to be a terrace of ancient Lake Michigan and now is a wonderland of harvest colors in autumn. A 1-mile nature trail loops through Sanders Park Hardwoods State Natural Area, which is located within Sanders County Park. Among the highlights are gold-leaved basswood, wine-red white oak, bright-yellow black walnut, russet-colored red oak, lemony white ash, and a brilliant yellow elm-ash stand. From Racine, take Taylor Avenue south. Turn left/southwest onto Wood Avenue then right/east onto Exculpating Road where there’s a parking lot.

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Hikers can enjoy a bird sanctuary undergoing a major transformation at Colonial Park in Racine. The 1-mile round trip Root River Pathway makes two crossings over the waterway on its way to Lincoln Park. Many rare warblers stop in the park during the fall migration. An extensive effort is underway in the park to eliminate invasive species, such as buckthorn, reed canary grass, and garlic mustard, and to restore wetlands as well as replace ash trees ravaged by emerald ash borer. In 2019, a total of 175 small trees – birch and oak – and shrubs – elderberry, hazelnut, chokeberry and nannyberry – were planted in the park’s southern section, making for a great walk in which fall colors are at eye level. From downtown, take State Street west. Turn left/west onto West High Street. The road ends in the park.

Milwaukee County
Day hikers can traverse a wooded ravine with great views of Lake Michigan at Seven Bridges in Grant Park on Milwaukee's South Shore. The 0.4-mile round trip Seven Bridges Trail, with its stone steps and footbridges, makes for a great autumn hike. Along the way are yellow-leafed American beech and birch, amber-, orange- and red-colored maples, and gold to maroon white ash. From the junction of Interstates 94/41 and College Avenue, take the latter east. Go right/south onto South Lake Drive then left/east onto Grant Park Drive. Park in the spaces off the road at the Seven Bridges Trailhead.

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An observation tower offers great views of Lake Michigan and 185 acres of forest right in the Milwaukee metro area. The 0.26-mile Green Tree Accessible Loop at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center heads through a woods of beech, sugar maple, basswood and red and white oak. On the loop’s northeast side is a 60-foot high tower that you can go to the top of. From Interstate 43, head east on E. Brown Deer Road. Turn right/south onto E. Bay Road and into the center. Park in the lot at the road’s end. Walk east from the road to the trailhead.

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Autumn colors with a view of Lake Michigan awaits at Big Bay Park in Whitefish Bay. A short 0.44-mile round trip path heads along the tree line, atop the bluff, while another heads to the Lake Michigan shore, where there's a concrete pier. In fall, yellow-, olive- and russet-colored leaves brighten the walk. From the intersection of Interstate 43 and West Hampton Road, take the latter east. Turn left/north onto North Lake Drive then right/north onto North Palisades Road. Park on the street.

Ozaukee County
Migrating raptors and fall colors set against the backdrop of beautiful Lake Michigan await at Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve. After passing a wetlands popular with waterfowl, the 2-mile round trip Lion’s Den Trail enters a deep, verdant gorge. Aspen stands and mature white birch with their fluttering yellow leaves abound. The trail then delivers you to a long, secluded beach. From Port Washington, drive south on County Road C/Lake Shore Road. Turn left/east onto High Bluff Drive, which enters the park. When the road becomes a roundabout, park in the first/southern lot.

Sheboygan County
The brilliant colors of sugar maples await hikers at the Maywood-Ellwood H. May Environmental Park in Sheboygan. The 0.25-mile Maple Forest Loop runs through the 135-acre city-owned park. each autumn, the maples' leaves turn amber, orange and crimson. Watch for whitetail deer and the many songbirds that call the park home. From Interstate 43, take exit 128 onto Wis. Hwy 42 and go southeast. Turn right/west onto Mueller Road. Park entrance is on the left/south. The trail leaves from the sugar house next to the Ecology Center.

Manitowoc County
Yellow and orange leaves along a pretty river await hikers on the Henry Schuette Park segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Manitowoc. Half of a 1.2-mile loop runs along the wooded Manitowoc River before the waterway spills into Lake Michigan. From U.S. Hwy. 151 in Manitowoc, go north on South 35th Street. Turn left/west onto Meadow Lane, which becomes Broadway Street when it curves north. Park at the playground then take the sidewalk along Broadway north. The trailhead is on the street’s right/east side. Check ahead to ensure the trail is not closed due to high water levels.

Kewaunee County
A pretty fall hike along a river awaits on a segment of the Ahnapee State Trail. The 2.25-mile round trip rail-trail between County Road M and Washington Road sits in the Ahnapee River’s wetlands cooridor where migrating birds gather each autumn amid the bronze grasses. On higher ground, look for the willows’ shimmering gold leaves in the breeze, dogwoods’ deep scarlet leaves and berries, and bog birch’s amber. From Algoma, take County Road M north. The parking lot is on the northeast corner of where the the road and trail meet.

Door County
Hikers can enjoy majestic views of blue Green Bay and the yellow and orange leaves of a blufftop forest at Ellison Bay Bluff County Park. An unnamed 1-mile trail loops through a woods of sugar maple, white ash, red oak, birch and beech. A spur trail leads to an observation deck at the edge of the 100-foot high limestone bluff. An enclosed catwalk extends outward from the bluff; walking on it will make you feel like you’re flying. From Ellison Bay, take Wis. Hwy. 42 south. Turn right/west onto Porcupine Bay Road then right/north onto Ellison Bluff Road. The road loops through the park; leave your vehicle in the lot on the loops’ southwest side.

Brown County
Hikers can head through a remnant of the great oak forests that once covered all of Brown County. The 1.15-mile round trip McMahon Woods Trail sits in the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum, which surrounds the UW-Green Bay campus. The trail runs alongside McMahon Creek, which flows into nearby Green Bay. Russet-colored oaks dominate the McMahon Woods' uplands while colorful sugar maples can be found in the understory. Fifty-nine different trees and shrubs can be seen along the trail. From Wis. Hwy. 57, take Nicolet Drive north. Turn right/southeast onto South Circle Drive. Roadside parking is available along the road’s first curve.

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A grove of cottonwoods awaits hikers on the Woodcock (Blue) Trail at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve in Suamico. The 0.75-mile trail heads north from the interpretive center and curves around a small pond in the preserve’s northwest corner. During autumn, it’s a gloriously beautiful walk, as the tall eastern cottonwoods – which are largely absent in this part of Wisconsin – turn a bright yellow. From U.S. Hwy. 141 in Suamico, take Lineville Road east. Turn left/north onto County Road J/Lakeview Drive and then right/east into the preserve. Park at the center.

Oconto County
Hikers can head to the county’s highest point for great views of the surrounding forest. The 1.3-mile Butler Rock Trail climbs 160 feet to 1093 feet above sea level. It includes a 0.7-mile spur trail that stays at ground level as circling to the face of Butler Rock in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The newly developed trail crosses a forest whose canopy in autumn turns orange, red and yellow-green. From Wis. Hwy. 64 south of Mountain, take Old Hwy. 64/Forest Road 2308 east. Turn left/north onto Butler Rock Road then left/northwest onto Butler Lookout Lane. The trail starts where the road ends.

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Day hikers not bothered by heights can enjoy a spectacular vista of autumn leaves from Mountain Lookout Tower. The 0.26-miles round trip hike sits in the vast Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The tower is at an elevation of 1,254 feet. The road heads through a classic Northwoods setting that is beautiful any time of the year but particularly so in autumn. A September walk takes you past sugar, red and mountain maples, white, red and black oaks, paper, yellow and river birch, aspen, beech, basswood, and sumac. Various green conifers – including pine, spruce, fir, and juniper – dot the hardwood forest. From the village of Mountain on County Road W just east of Wis. Hwy. 32, take National Forest Road 2106 (Old 32) north. In about 2.25 miles, turn right/southeast onto Mountain Tower Road. Pull off to the side of the road so you’re not blocking traffic. Hike the road up to the tower.

Marinette County
A walk through a forest in the state’s rare Northeast Sands eco landscape awaits hikers at Governor Thompson State Park. The 3.5-mile Forest View Trail loops through a forest of yellow-leafed aspen, orange and red maples, and marigold scrub oak dotted with evergreen jack pine and hemlock. Less than 3 percent of Wisconsin falls into the sands eco landscape. From Crivitz, take County Road W west. Turn right/north onto Parkway Road then left/west onto Ranch Road. Enter the parking by going right/north on Paust Lane. Park in the lot for Woods Lake and walk north alongside Paust Road to the trailhead.