We hiked the Lakeshore Trail from the Meyers Beach parking lot. (National Park Service. $5 parking…read morefee; $2.50 if you have a Senior Pass or Access Pass. May, 2023). As noted by others, this is a launch point for kayaks to launch for views of the sea caves and cliffs. We were at this location twice in late May, 2023, and national park Rangers were there on both days (Wednesday, Friday) ensuring that kayakers were prepared for the rough and cold waters, and to provide guidance to hikers. There are clean vault toilets at the location. Regarding the Lakeshore Hike, we did about 2.2 miles of the hike, returning on the same trail to make it about 4.4 miles roundtrip. The trail continues to a campground site (I believe NPS reservations are required) but we didn't go that far. The first 1.8 miles are largely inland, without views of Lake Superior. Of this segment, the first 0.7 miles are almost completely on a double plank boardwalk that goes over swampy land in parts. It requires some stepping up and down on planks, following terrain changes. After you cross a service road at 0.7 miles, the trail alternates between plank boards and regular trails. As you approach the crevasse at 1.8 miles, there are quite a few ascents and descents wherein you go down to a stream-bed and then back up. Some of these are steep but have logs to help with footing. The stream crossings all had sturdy boards or bridges to cross. At 1.8 miles, you reach the crevasse area with views of Lake Superior. Take a look on both sides to see sea caves and the deep crevasse. There are benches here too so it made a great lunch spot. Be careful not to get too close to the edges. It's a long way down! Beyond the crevasse, walk another 0.4 miles to the "basin". This stretch is relatively easy (flat) walking with spectacular views. My husband, who has been hiking in the Himalayas recently, found the entire trail to be easy. For me, I'd characterize it as moderately challenging. On the positive side, there is very little elevation change, so I wasn't huffing and puffing. However, I have balance issues, so I didn't particularly like the footing for the ascents/descents to the stream beds nor all of the roots on the trail. Some of the steps up and down, even on the boardwalk, were also a bit too high for my short legs! Having walked with hiking poles and an occasional hand from my husband helped. Finally, remember bug spray. The mosquitoes are active. 4-star rating overall instead of 5 due to distance required to walk to get views of the sea caves and mosquitoes. 5 stars for the Park Service.

You have to come check out the sea caves on the shoreline of Lake Superior. Meyers beach is the…read morelaunching point for kayaks. It's also the location for the hiking trail. The views from the water are beautiful! I highly recommend the water instead of the walking trail. There are multiple vendors you can rent kayaks and wet suits from. You can even take a guided tour. We personally, have our own kayaks and decided to do our own trip. The DNR do sit at the beach and give you the whole spiel on safety and risks. It is recommended to use sea kayaks due to the rough waters of Lake Superior. We have used normal lake kayaks and used good judgement on the water/ weather conditions. Both times were just fine on the normal kayaks. Just be careful. The waters are freezing all year-round and if you do go overboard near the caves there's no good spot to pull off. Check out my pics of the stunning caves!

Copper Falls State Park is often ranked among Wisconsin's top state parks, and it's easy to see…read morewhy. Located in the Northwoods of northern Wisconsin, the park's highlight is the Doughboy Trail, a well-developed two-mile loop that offers excellent views of both Copper Falls and Brownstone Falls. The trail is easy to follow, well-maintained, and includes several scenic overlooks. Because of its distance--several hours from cities like Madison--I recommend combining a visit with other Northwoods attractions. A great option is to stop here while exploring the Apostle Islands or the Bayfield area. Once inside the park, follow the main road past the ranger station until it ends at the parking lot, where you'll find restrooms and the Doughboy Trailhead. This is a beautiful park and well worth the stop, especially if you plan it alongside other northern Wisconsin adventures.

As we traveled north, we stopped at several state parks, and Copper Falls stood out as one of the…read moreprettiest--often noted in reviews for having the highest waterfall in the area. We were able to park easily and walk a short, fairly easy loop to reach the falls. The view of the waterfall was beautiful, though the trail itself isn't very shaded. Thankfully, the weather was mild during our visit, which made for a pleasant stop. Parking was plentiful, and the park overall felt accessible and well maintained. A worthwhile stop for an hour or so if you're exploring northern Wisconsin.

Visit for the Sea Caves! We spent 4 days in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - 3 days of…read morecamping on Sand Island and a full day touring the surrounding area. Skip Madeline Island if your schedule is tight. Highlights: Sea Caves - my favorites were the northeastern edge of Sand Island (next to Justice Bay). They are so breathtakingly beautiful, especially in sunrise or sunset lighting. Since we took our boat, we were able to get up close to see all the spectacular details. If you don't have a boat, rent kayaks and a tour guide to get up close views. Grand Tour - we drove to Bayfield to ride a large catamaran boat for a 3 hour tour of the Apostle Islands. Visitor Centers - they were full of interesting info and has some fun merch for souvenirs. Many people rave about their experience visiting Madeline Island (the largest island) which isn't actually a part of the National Lakeshore, but we found it rather outdated and boring and left on the very next ferry.

Great area with some beautiful scenery. We stopped at 2 mainland visitor centers for about 30…read moreminutes each and learned a bit about the islands. The Little Sand Lake visitor center we could have actually spent more time if we'd had the luxury but we had an appointment to keep. I could see spending about an hour there. I recommend visiting both centers and taking a ferry/tour of the islands. If you want to do it all give yourself 3+ days. Otherwise you could probably hit the highlights in 1.5 days.

Pebble Beach is in the heart of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. It's gorgeous! Walking down the…read morebeach, you will scramble up some rocks right into the iconic Lighthouse view. The beach itself is gorgeous. It does it crowded in the Summer but going in the Spring or Fall works too. I enjoy stopping by for pictures. It's really pretty!

Because this state park has a rest area, the admission is free. You only need to pay entry if…read moreyou're going to the campground or driving down to the Lakeshore. You can see the Falls and hike the upper areas for free. Friendly staff, small nature, center, restrooms, vending. Ample free parking. The fall cells are pretty cool. It was fairly busy so there were a lot of people around. If you walk to the other side of the highway and hike up there, there are far fewer people.

Overall my trip to the falls was nice. Parking was easy, it was peaceful and clean out there.read more

We came here on the ferry from Bayfield (super easy, but recommend having your car on the ferry if…read moreyou plan to head out here) and had a great time hiking. I was a little confused on where I was supposed to park for the trails, but there's essentially one road so you just kinda figure it out as you go (I went the wrong way the first time, maybe a 2 minute detour). We parked near the beach access area, and started off on the trails. We took the Woods Trail to the Point Trail to the Bayview Trail -- and it brings you right back to the same place. I recommend doing it in this order (which I think is counter-clockwise?) versus the reverse. While the Woods Trail is in a lovely, lush green woods, after seeing the rocks and lake sites along the other trails, the Woods Trail would be a very boring way to end. Starting with the Woods Trail, it's only better as you go along. I hiked with my senior large dog, and he did just fine on the paths. Pretty clear markings and nothing super treacherous if you don't venture out on to the rock formations. Dogs are not allowed on the beach or boardwalk (big sad face), so we went back to town after the hike. Along our way, we saw a small black bear crossing the road! Quite an adventure. Depending on date and time, might be limited food options on the island, so have a plan and check out your options ahead of time.

Wonderful Wisconsin State Park with unbelievable views of Lake Superior! Lots of hiking (just…read moreremember to wear insect repellent), swimming or just walking along the shoreline. We biked to the park after taking the ferry-bicyclists are free at the state park! Primitive pit toilets was the ONLY drawback at this magnificent state park!

Spending time along the north shore is always a joy. It's a hike to get to from the cities, but the…read moredrive is worth it. I appreciate the camping location off the highway but a quick walk to the lake from the campgrounds. Listening to the waves crash from the campsite is such a calm and relaxing experience. It is a little strange to have parking outside of the actual park for people to visit the two sections on either side of the river. A little inconvenient if you're in the park and want to walk over that way, in my opinion. This is one difficult locations to book for camping if you're looking for a weekend. There is no dump station at this park, so we usually have to drive about 40 min to another park with one.

I almost don't want to disclose how much I adore this state park and it's campgrounds because the…read moremore people talk, the greater attraction it becomes. For a newbie camper, I couldn't have asked for a better entry point to experiencing the great outdoors. The bathroom facilities are modern and very clean/well maintained. If you score a campsite right along Lake Superior, consider yourself super lucky because there is no better spot to camp at Temperance. Even with needing to cart in, the brief walk is worth the proximity to water and waking up to the sound of waves.

Hidden gem on the South Shore of Superior! Located just out of Port Wing on Big Pete Road, you can…read morehave the best of both worlds: clean unpopulated beach on Lake Superior AND a beautiful boreal forest! Park along Big Pete Road or walk in...you won't regret it!

Hidden away in Gurney, Wisconsin-it was only a 23 minute (15miles) drive from Copper Falls State…read morePark. Well, you're obviously into waterfalls-why not go to an less travelled waterfalls? Maybe this is a rhetorical question, but we didn't know that this little gem was so close by. Yes, there are steps to view the best vista of the falls. Believe me-it's worth it. Bring your sneakers or hiking boots because you are gonna wanna check out this area and it's not set up for lots of tourists (i.e. dirt trails not asphalt trails). Bathrooms are kinda rustic too. There's a shelter by the parking area. I only wish I could have gotten here by bicycle *sigh*

Very nice experience. Beautiful falls and just a short walk from lot. There are a few stairs.read more