Autumn hikes abound on Wis.-Mich. border

Black River Harbor, Michigan

If living in a border

county or traveling near the Wisconsin-Michigan state line, plenty of great autumn trails await.

National and state

forests cover the region of second-growth forest, which is rich in colorful maples, basswood, oaks, aspen, birch and more.

Michigan

Gogebic County
Day hikers can enjoy splendid autumn colors on a Lake Superior beach at Black River Harbor in the Ottawa National Forest. The 0.75-mile round trip hike to and along the beach includes crossing a suspended footbridge over the Black River. The beach stretches between the blue great lake and a forest of basswoods, ash, birch, aspen, sumac, elder, oaks and maple mixed amid stately white pines. Colors range from yellows and golds to scarlet and burgundy, from tans and browns to crimson and orange. From U.S. Hwy. 2 west of Bessemer, take County Road 511/Powderhorn Road north. Turn left/northwest onto Black River Road, which naturally becomes the Black River National Forest Scenic Byway. Park in the lot at the end of the byway. The trail heads northeast from the lot’s center to the bridge.

Iron County
A beautiful fall scene at a rapids awaits in Copper Country State Forest. The 1.2-mile round trip Horse Race Rapids Trail heads to a Paint River canyon boasting 80-foot high rock walls. As gliding through the canyon, the river drops more than 20 feet over several yards. The forest surrounding the river in autumn is a colorful mix of oak, birch, basswood, ash, aspen, sumac, elder, and maple with many evergreens. From Crystal Falls, Michigan, take U.S. Hwy. 2, south. Turn left/east onto Horserace Rapids Road. A parking lot and the trailhead is at the road’s end.

Dickinson County
A pretty autumn setting awaits at Fumee Falls near the Wisconsin-Michigan border. The 0.13-mile round trip Fumee Falls Trail includes a bridge over a creek below the falls and a brief walk to an overlook above it. The falls drops 25 feet over three ledges, with the highest one at 10 feet. Ash, aspen, basswood, birch, elder, oak, sumac and a number of evergreens line the trail and falls. From Quinnesec, take U.S. Hwy. 2 east. Look for the pullout on the road’s left/north side at the edge of town.

Menominee County
Day hikers can head to a stunning rapids over ancient volcanic rock in the Menominee River State Recreation Area. The 0.2-mile round trip Pemene Falls Trail heads to a Menomonee River rapids. The rapids drops 10 feet over a 30 yards and offers plenty of rocky shoreline to walk up and down. It’s particularly pretty in autumn when basswood, ash, birch, aspen, oak and sumac along with evergreens cast the shoreline and river in harvest hues. From Carney, Michigan, take Hwy. G-18 west toward Wisconsin. Before reaching the border, turn right/north onto State Road. In a little more than a mile, a turnoff to the falls is on the left/west; park at the end of the road.

Wisconsin

Florence County
Yellow-leaved birch and evergreen cedar and pine line a waterfall at the end of the LaSalle Falls Trail. The 1.9-miles round trip partially heads along the Pine River to the 20-foot high waterfalls, which slides down a long rock ledge. LaSalle Falls is the highest waterfall in this part of the state. From Florence, take County Road N south. Turn right/west on County Road C then right/north onto LaSalle Falls Road. After crossing Halls Creek, park in the lot on the right/north side of the road. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.

Forest County
The 1-mile Franklin Nature Trail loops through varied sights that are particularly splendid in autumn. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest trail begins in mixed hardwoods full of yellow and orange leaves then passes stands of towering white pines and huge hemlocks. A boardwalk winds 400 feet over a bog where tamaracks turn the color of brass. From Eagle River, take Wis. Hwy. 70 east. Turn right/south onto Military Road/FR 2178 then left/east onto Butternut Lake Road/FR 2181. Stay on Butternut Lake Road/FR 2181. The parking lot is in 4.4 miles on the right/south.

Iron County
An impressive waterfalls surrounded by a gorge of fall colors awaits on the Potato River Falls Trails. Three paths for a combined 0.5-mile round trip heads to a series of cascades and falls that drop about 90 feet over the Potato River. One trail heads to the 40-foot drop over the Upper Falls, a second trail to the-50 foot Lower Falls, and another to a lookout. Red, yellow and orange leaves line the gorge below the falls, and fallen leaves float and swirl upon the flowing river. From Hurley, take U.S. Hwy. 2 west. Turn left/south on Wis. Hwy. 169. Go right/west on Falls Road. The trail leaves from the Potato River Falls Campground.

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.

Vilas County
Among the best spots to enjoy fall colors is a lakeshore, especially deep in a wooded area. The 0.55-mile ADA accessible Tom Roberts Nature Trail in Northern Highland American Legion State Forest fits the bill, heading through a mixed forest of sugar maple, white birch, and large-toothed and trembling aspen, balsam, and red and white pine with great views of Muskellunge Lake. Whitetail deer, ruffed grouse, coyote and fisher tracks often are spotted on the trail. From Woodruff, take U.S. Hwy. 51 north. Turn right/northeast onto County Road M and then right/east on County Road N. Go left/northeast on the road to Crystal Lake Campground then left/north on Crystal Lake Road. Park at the Nature Center.

Fall colors abound at Wisconsin waterfalls

Willow Falls, near Hudson, Wis.

Among the most

beautiful scenes in autumn is a waterfall wreathed in autumn colors. Fortunately for those living in or visiting Wisconsin, there are plenty of great waterfalls that fit he bill and can be easily reached via a day hike.

Ashland County
Hikers can tour Wisconsin’s geological history in some of the most breathtaking scenery this side of the Mississippi on Doughboys’ Nature Trail at Copper Falls State Park. The trail follows the Bad River and Tyler Forks past Copper and Brownstone waterfalls and a series of cascades. From Mellen, take State Hwy. 169 north. Upon passing Loon Lake, enter the park by turning left onto Copper Falls Road. The road leads to a parking lot near the pet area. From there, head northwest to the picnic area. Doughboys’ Nature Trail starts near the concession building.

Douglas County
Just a few miles south of Superior flows the highest waterfall in the Upper Midwest. Short overlook trails in Pattison State Park provide a variety of scenic views of Big Manitou Falls. Summer marks the most comfortable time to visit the falls, but each season delivers a unique experience. Winter offers mist rising off the falls, spring brings thundering water flows, and autumn unveils the fantastic ancient rocks forming the gorge below. To reach the trailhead, take Wis. Hwy. 35 south about 13 miles from Superior. The entrance and parking lot is on the left. Walk to the southwest corner of the parking lot and take the pathway through the park’s grassy picnic area past the nature center toward Interfalls Lake.

Florence County
Yellow-leaved birch and evergreen cedar and pine line a waterfall at the end of the LaSalle Falls Trail. The 1.9-miles round trip partially heads along the Pine River to the 20-foot high waterfalls, which slides down a long rock ledge. LaSalle Falls is the highest waterfall in this part of the state. From Florence, take County Road N south. Turn right/west on County Road C then right/north onto LaSalle Falls Road. After crossing Halls Creek, park in the lot on the right/north side of the road. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.

Iron County
An impressive waterfalls surrounded by a gorge of fall colors awaits on the Potato River Falls Trails. Three paths for a combined 0.5-mile round trip heads to a series of cascades and falls that drop about 90 feet over the Potato River. One trail heads to the 40-foot drop over the Upper Falls, a second trail to the-50 foot Lower Falls, and another to a lookout. Red, yellow and orange leaves line the gorge below the falls, and fallen leaves float and swirl upon the flowing river. From Hurley, take U.S. Hwy. 2 west. Turn left/south on Wis. Hwy. 169. Go right/west on Falls Road. The trail leaves from the Potato River Falls Campground.

Iowa County
Fall colors light up the trail to picturesque Stephens Falls in Governor Dodge State Park. The 0.5-mile round trip Stephens Falls Trail passes beneath a canopy of hardwoods before arriving at the waterfalls, which spills 20 feet over a moss-covered sandstone into a splash pool below. The hike can be extended by continuing past the falls on the Lost Canyon Trail. From Dodgeville, take U.S. Hwy. 23 north. The park entry road is on the right/east. Follow the entry road north to the Stephens Falls parking area on the right/east. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.

St. Croix County
A waterfall that many say is among Wisconsin’s best awaits day hikers on the Willow Falls Hill (Gray) Trail. The trail runs about 0.85-miles round trip on Willow Falls State Park’s eastern side. Trees line the top of 200-foot walls and the base of the 45-foot high falls. Take Exit 4 from Interstate 94, heading north on U.S. Hwy. 12 for about 1.6 miles. Follow County Road U for 0.3 miles to County Road A. Drive north, continuing past the main park entrance for about 0.4 miles. Park in the Willow Falls Parking Lot on the road’s left/west side. The trailhead leaves from the lot’s northwest corner

North Country Trail heads to Wren Falls

Surrounded by fragrant cedars, Wren Falls tumbles 15 feet into a pool.

North Country National Scenic Trail, Wren Falls segment
topo map. Click for larger version.

Hikers can enjoy scenic Wren Falls atop an old iron range in the Wisconsin Northwoods.

A 6.58-miles round trip hike on the North Country National Scenic Trail heads to the falls. Though Wren Falls drops just 12-15 feet, it does so with a dramatic flourish as a river flows through a deep gorge then spills into a wide, peaceful pool.

To reach the trailhead, from Mellen take Wis. Hwy. 77 east. Go left/north on the gravel Casey Sag Road. Look for the trail access, which is on both sides of the road at the Gold Mine Creek Bridge. Park along the road and head west on the trail.

About 100 feet in, the trail crosses a 34-foot bridge over an unnamed tributary of Gold Mine Creek then crosses yet another bridge.

Gold mine con
The route is a fairly new segment of the North Country Trail. Construction began in 2007 with many of the volunteers driving from the Milwaukee area some 5-6 hours away. The Student Conservation Association, made up of high school students, also spent a month working on 1.2 miles of the trail.

In little more than half-mile from the trailhead is a spur on the left/south side that heads to a campground.

At 0.6 miles, the trail reaches the “gold mine,” the site of a great con job. During the late 1800s, a con man made up a story of a mother lode being found there and then sold shares to investors. So that the investors and anyone else coming by would believe the story, he even had equipment set up there. Today, an old steam boiler and two mine shafts – now filled with water – can be seen on the hike.

After the trail crosses another bridge, it enters a rolling woodlands with glacial erratic boulders all about. These boulders actually are rock from northern Canada that glaciers sheared off and carried to Wisconsin as advancing during the last ice age. When the glaciers melted and retreated, the boulders dropped to the ground and remained behind.

Gogebic Range
There was money to be found in the ground there, through it came in the form of iron rather than gold. The trail heads through the famous Gogebic Range, which also is known as the Penokee Range.

About 2 billion years ago, iron-rich sediments eroded off the land and settled into a shallow seas that covered this region. At 1.7 billion years, a mountains rose in the area, raising the sediment out of the deep earth. Then about 1.1 billion year ago, volcanism morphed the rock to create iron ore. Between 1977 and 1967, miners removed an incredible 325 million tons of iron ore from about 40 individual mines in the range.

The trail next veers north toward a knoll. As reaching its base, the route curves west and approaches another knoll, which you’ll go over at about 2 miles in.

Then the trail briefly heads southwest to a third knoll. After going over it at about 2.75 miles, the trail heads northwest.

Wren Falls
The trail soon approaches Taylor Fork River, a tributary of the Bad River, which in turn flows into Lake Superior to the north. You’ll parallel the small river for about 300 feet.

Take a spur to a campground on a bluff overlooking Wren Falls. Below, the river narrows in a rocky gorge before spilling to a pool. Cedar trees grow in the rock while lichens cling to granite.

The water falling over the falls often is the color of root beer. Decaying leaves and roots spilling into the waterway caused the coloration.

After taking in the sight, head back to main trail and then retrace your steps back to the parking lot. Alternately, you can continue on left/north on the North Country Trail to the intersection of Casey Sag and Vogues roads and Sullivan Fire Lane for pickup; this shaves about a mile off the hike.