Hiking with a View: Six suggestions for new places to wander in Wisconsin
Summertime means outdoor fun and finding road trips to climb mountains, cross babbling creeks and sit beside serene lakes and ponds. I have been looking back at all the places I have experienced and thinking about which ones I would love to see again. While travel posts on the blog have been relatively restricted to Fall suggestions– I recently felt inspired to share some Winter excursions. Since hiking around our local beauty is a four-season activity for us, I really couldn’t dismiss this urge to gather up a few less talked about locations to create your next summer memory. Or perhaps just to wander.
Here are 6 unexpected places to hike this summer!
Especially if you’re looking for a view-
Grafton (South-eastern Wisconsin)
Yes, this “ocean” view is right here in Wisconsin. This, of course, is Lake Michigan, and my favorite spring time hike along the sand bluffs at Lion’s Den Gorge natural area. When it’s windy the white capped waves crash along the shore but when’s calm you can enjoy the pristine azure blue as far as the eye can see.
This nature preserve has it all, really. There is a bridge over a steep valley, staircases that take you through tangled cedars, flat woodland trails, narrow rooted paths along the gorge and boardwalks through wetlands and marshes. I have a known weakness for a good boardwalk. No matter where it is going- I know I’m following.
Roche-A-Cri Mound Nature Preserve (Central Wisconsin)
Visit the uniquely colored Ship Rock on your way to hiking and history. Roche-a-Cri Mound still preserves rock formations and petroglyphs.
You can access the view from an impressive set of stairs that will take you to the top of a tower. Enjoy the surrounding areas with panoramic photos depicting changes to the landscape through the ages.
*Stairs to the tower is currently closed due to 2024 wildfires in the area. Check the Roche-A-Cri Park website for updates. Trails, fishing and hiking all still accessible!*
Green Lake (Central Wisconsin)
Another view from the top of a tower is among the walking trails of Lawsonia in the quaint tourist town of Green Lake. The architectural significance of these towers is probably yet to be fully recognized. They were designed by an architect between 1903-1916 and continue to gather funds for preservation and restoration.
I was especially interested in the old stone bridges on the Lawsonia property so I chose the Winnebago Trail which takes you down steep hillsides along the lake. and over and under the bridges.
Besides the scenic old stone bridges you will hike past private residences that allow you to catch glimpses of the lake through their yards. These properties also have some vintage structures that remind you of the era in which these vacation areas were in their heyday of being established.
Marinette County (Far North-Eastern Wisconsin)
Known for its hiking to the many waterfalls in the area, Marinette county also provides roadside stops of notable interest if you are looking for a vast view.
There is great pull-off area that is clearly marked where you can enjoy the bluff of trees that disappear into the distance on your way to more intimate woodland adventures.
You can pretty much choose the height of falls for your hike, with trails going in every direction from 8 foot falls, 12 foot falls, 18 foot falls…
But I found a trail with a boardwalk through the moss and cedars…
Ice Age Trail outside of Antigo (North-Central Wisconsin)
The Ice Age Trail is a well known trail system spanning much of the state. Trail heads seem to pop up everywhere. The one we stumbled upon outside of Antigo was a small entrance off a side road mixed with residential houses and private property. It was only an insignificant sign in a ditch that we could easily have missed if we weren’t determined to find it.
We were astounded that every once in a while you would come to a clearing in the bramble and brush and discover you were on top of a steep ridge with a pretty extensive view, but you weren’t sure how you had climbed to such a height. These curving trails and little ponds, that take you from high points to dark woodland hollows, side by side with marshes or a cow pasture, makes for an endearing hike.
Fayette Historic Park (Upper Michigan)
Okay, while not technically in Wisconsin we are only slightly over the border- Upper Michigan. When most people talk about hiking in this area they always mention Pictured Rocks. I have hiked there and loved the trails we found, but after visiting Fayette State Park (about an hour closer), I was surprised it isn’t mentioned more.
If you are looking for views of Lake Michigan, plenty of winding trails and (bonus!) a ghost town- you will not get bored at Fayette.
And there you have it- this summer’s picks for the best hiking trails with a view! I thought of a few more even as I was typing this up. And I am sure the obvious one I am missing is- Devil’s Lake! But I try to wander a little from the beaten path…to the trails less appreciated.
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