Wisconsin is considered by many to be a great example of the Great Outdoors, a concept defined by the urge to experience the wild virgin nature of the United States. As such, Wisconsin has much to offer in terms of national and state parks, along with many other gorgeous places in nature that are worth a visit.
In this article, we will give you recommendations as to the best, according to us, places in nature in Wisconsin that you can visit. Let us know what you think of them.
The Great Lakes
Naturally, we had to start the list by mentioning the Great Lakes, after all Wisconsin is one of the Great Lakes states. Here are the lakes what you can visit in Wisconsin:
- Lake Superior – The biggest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior is stunningly beautiful and should be on everyone’s bucket list. While there, you should also pay a visit to the Apostle Islands (featured on the quarter dollar coins from Wisconsin), a collection of 21 small islands which have to be seen in order to be believed.
- Lake Michigan – The biggest lake contained entirely in the United States, Lake Michigan is not less impressive than its Superior counterpart. Lake Michigan features a long sandy shore which is perfect for a relaxing day of swimming and sunbathing.
- Lake Huron – Lake Huron is the second biggest of the Great Lakes and its crystal-clear waters will captivate you, along with its gorges, and the pine trees encircling it. You can also spot a famous shipwreck there.
- Lake Erie – Lake Erie might not have the clear waters of Huron, but it’s no less beautiful. It’s also a popular spot for surfers and divers.
- Lake Ontario – Lake Ontario is a massive body of freshwater which has every type of wildlife you can imagine. It’s the perfect place for bird watching, with swans, geese, ducks, loons and grebes swimming peacefully there. You can also sport birds of prey like hawks and eagles (yes, bald eagles included!).
Copper Falls State Park
Wisconsin is known for its lakes, but there many other wonderous bodies of water worth your attention. The state has stunning waterfalls and there’s no better place to see them than Copper Falls State Park.
The park is home to three superb waterfalls – Copper Falls, Brownstone Falls and Red Granite Falls. Don’t worry about the low number, because the waterfalls make up for it in size and beauty. We are not joking when we say that they look like early Windows screensavers, they really do!
Land O’ Lakes
Land O’ Lakes is not only a delicious butter brand, but also a real place that will leave you speechless. Situated between Eagle River, Boulder Junction and Rhinelander in Wilas County, Wisconsin, Land O’ Lakes is very popular with fans of water sports like kayaking and canoeing. It’s also a great place to go fishing.
Additionally, visitors are treated to spectacular trees and flowers, along with wildlife such as white-tailed eagles which are exceptionally rare to spot in the wild.
The Dells of the Wisconsin River
You might have heard about Wisconsin Dells, now get ready for the Dells of the Wisconsin River. Not to be confused with the tourist town we told you about in another article, the Dells are a natural phenomenon representing a gorge situated in the state’s largest river.
The rock formations are breathtaking and we recommend getting a river tour, so you can explore them all. You can also spot wildlife, including six different species of dragonflies. You can also see the elusive cliff cudweed flower which can only be spotted in one other location in Wisconsin.
Devil’s Lake State Park
Devil’s Lake State Park is the most visited Wisconsin state park with over 2.5 million visitors every year. Devil’s Lake is fed by a spring and the water is nothing short of refreshing. It’s the perfect place for swimming and it also features a nice sandy shore. The lake is home to massive bluffs, some over 500 feet long, that would make you wonder how nature just does that.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is the perfect place for your Odyssey, spawning over 1,000 miles across Wisconsin and going through some of the most scenic places in the state. The Ice Age Trail is one of only eleven national trails in the country and it gets its name from the ancient glaciers that formed it to reveal magnificent planes and forests.
The Ice Age Trail is, hands down, the best place to hike in Wisconsin, and with a length like that, it provides many opportunities for hiking no matter where you are located in the state. Over 2.3 million people visit the trail every year, as per the information center, and still, we wonder why there aren’t more visitors.
Cave of the Mounds
Cave of the Mounds, lovingly referred to as the Jewell box of America’s caves, was discovered in 1939 and it continues to dazzle visitors with its formations. The 50-minute-long guided tour will take you through astonishing halls and pathways.
For the more adventurous of our readers, we recommend the Lantern Tour whereas you will be guided by the lantern light and explore the cave in a way similar to the explorers who discovered it more than 70 years ago.
