72 Hours in Wisconsin: A Guide to the Northwoods and Lake Superior

Who's ready for a little road trip up North? Our summer has been spent primarily on the east coast, exploring our own backyard and the surrounding landmarks. But when Travel Wisconsin reached out with a proposition to take the road trip to northern Wisconsin, we were eager to get back in the van and hit the road!

We’ve driven through the midwest and the beautiful state of Wisconsin many times on our long cross-country road trips. But we’ve never spent more than an overnight in the area to truly get a feel for how special this part of the country really is. Luckily this trip really changed that for us. Here is how we spent 72-hours in the Northwoods and a list of our favorite ways to explore Lake Superior from Wisconsin.

After two days of driving, we spent our first evening camping among the red pines in one of the most beautiful state forests called the Brule River State Forest. There are two campgrounds throughout the state forest; Bois Brule Campground and Copper Range Campground. We had the luxury of staying at Bois Brule Campground, with a remote and spacious site perfect for spreading out and spending an evening by the fire. And with the windows open, we could hear the sounds of the Brule River less than a quarter-mile down the trail. Night one was already off to a great start when we met a fellow camper just a few sites away. One of the joys of traveling full-time is the people we meet when we least expect it. He joined us for the evening and as a native to the area, he educated us on all that the great state of Wisconsin has to offer. We spent a few hours getting to know each other and laughing around the campfire and got some inside tips on the best places to fish for native Brook trout, Rainbows, and Brown Trout along the river. Our excitement level was high as we went to bed and geared up for Day 2!

The Brule River

If there are two things that the Brule River is known for, it’s fishing for trout and whitewater canoeing. And we had the pleasure of taking part in both. Before we hit the river with our canoes from Brule River Canoe Rental, we needed some fuel for the day. The town of Brule is centered around the forest and the river, so there weren’t too many restaurant options. But we were pleasantly surprised to find a local little breakfast and lunch place less than a few miles down the road from our campground. We ate at Twin Cables, a local establishment with great customer service, killer food, (on the cheap), and a good atmosphere for a quick breakfast or sit-down lunch. It was exactly what we needed before a day full of activities.

Renting a canoe in Brule is the best way to experience the river. Sure you can hike it along the banks of the state forest, but there’s nothing quite like the serenity of being out on the water. There are plenty of trip options if you are looking to spend all day on the river and see as much of the Brule as possible. Brule River Canoe Rental recommended a 4 hour, 9-mile trip from Stones Bridge to Winneboujou which would have taken us through some of the most scenic and historic parts of the river. We even found out that President Eisenhower used to canoe along this very stretch of the river back in the day and the estate sits along the banks for canoers to enjoy as they paddle past. However, we were on a tighter schedule so we opted for a much shorter 1.5 hour trip through manageable rapids and serene pools. The company makes it easy for you to leave your vehicle at the drop-off point, so when you end your trip, you can grab your things, hop in your car and head out for your next adventure.

Since we finished our canoeing trip early, we decided to make lunch from the van and have a little picnic at our next spot which was Amnicon Falls, a beautiful state park with tons of waterfalls and rock formations about 30 minutes from our campground. Our recommendation for visiting Amnicon would be to avoid the weekends if possible. With the summer already underway and the crowds continuing to grow, plan ahead for more touristy attractions like the falls and visit them mid-week, it’s much more enjoyable and easier to hike the park without tons of tourists. We spent a few hours exploring the falls on some casual hiking trails. The hiking is not strenuous at all, so if you are not into long, grueling hikes, this is the perfect place to spend an afternoon and sit by the falls. Unfortunately, we ran out of time in the afternoon to check out some of the other waterfalls but we were told that Big Manitou Falls and Snake Pit Falls are great falls to explore as well. The North Country Scenic Trail was also high on our list as it encompasses 4,600 miles of scenic backpacking trails and spans eight northern states. From what locals told us and what we’d read about prior to visiting Wisconsin, The North Country Trail is a gem to Wisconsin and shouldn’t be missed!

We opted to spend the evening back at the campground and fly-fished along the river instead. Fishing the river is such a local attraction and one we couldn’t miss out on! After only a few minutes of casting, we caught about 10 Brook trout and a few Rainbow Trout. None were big enough to keep so all were put back, but the sport of catching these local fish on dry flies is rewarding enough. It was a beautiful way to wrap up the day and experience such a local tradition in Wisconsin.

At this point, we chose to stay at the campground and make a home-cooked meal around the fire. It was the Summer solstice and the longest day of the year, so we really wanted to maximize our time spent outside in the woods. But if you are visiting and are not camping, or choose to go out to eat, here are a few of the recommendations that we were provided by locals. The town of Iron River is only about an 8-mile drive east on Route 2 and has the Iron River Pizza Parlor and The Deep Lake Lodge. If you want to stay local, Round-Up North or Riverside Bar and Grill are good options.

Hiking and playing in the water at Amnicon Falls

‘Moon’ in her happy place and us in ours.

Our perfect evening spot - complete with a campfire, beers, and the sounds of Tom’s fiddle!

BAYFIELD

Just an hour northeast, about 50 miles on Route 2 is the quaint, little lake town of Bayfield, Wisconsin. Our next destination felt completely different from the remote, wooded camping experience of Brule, but was equally as beautiful for different reasons.

With only 72-hours in Wisconsin, we had to use every bit of our time to see and experience as much as we could of the area. Our first stop was lunch of course at the Mannypenny Bistro. This felt like a true local spot with breakfast being served until almost noon and plenty of lunch options for everyone. Although the food and atmosphere were good, we were itching to be back outside and on the water. Once we wrapped up lunch we headed into town to check out some of the local shops before an afternoon sailing excursion out on Lake Superior. The town itself is beyond cute. As east coasters, we felt like we were visiting a smaller lake-side Bar Harbor, Maine. And although the population of Bayfield is under 500 residents, the town felt vibrant and charming. Apostle Islands Booksellers was the first store we went in and the collection of locally curated fiction and non-fiction was unbelievable. As avid readers, we loved exploring the store and getting to know the area through the titles on the shelves. Local shops like this are a great way to get intel on the surrounding area and learn about the history of a place. There is also no shortage of coffee shops in Bayfield. GaleForce Coffee and Wonderstate Coffee were both excellent options and had a very local and unique aesthetic. We spent the early part of the afternoon walking up and down the main street of Bayfield before meeting Captain Dusty for a unique Lake Superior experience out on the water. We sailed for a few hours on a picture-perfect clear day, with the slightest bit of wind to keep us going. Sailing in Lake Superior is a magical experience. First of all, Lake Superior is actually the largest freshwater lake in the world with a surface area of over 31,000 miles! We were blown away by the fact that there is enough water in Lake Superior to cover the entire landmass of both North and South America. Fun facts aside, we had an amazing day out on the water and even learned how to sail. We would highly recommend True North Sailing Charters to anyone visiting Bayfield.

Later that evening we hit the town for some local food and ended up at the Copper Trout. This place is definitely a fan favorite and it was packed by 5:00pm on a weeknight. With Lake Trout and Whitefish being the local catch of the area, it was a no-brainer on what to order. The food and the service were excellent and we accompanied the meal with a craft pale ale from Wisconsin. We are big on supporting local businesses and as avid foodies, a place like this is a real gem. Some other restaurant recommendations we received from the locals were The Pickled Herring, Portside Restaurant, and The Bayfield Inn. If you are just looking for drinks the Copper Cow Distillery seems like the place to be.

With the days being so long and the sun staying high well into 9:00 pm, we decided to hit the trail after dinner and head to the west side of the peninsula to hike off of Meyers Beach. We took the Myers Beach Sea Cave Trail about 2 miles before we had the view we came for. As the sun was setting we were able to look out on Lake Superior down onto the sea caves and red sandstone along the rocky shore. It was not a real strenuous hike but had plenty of features and some smaller elevation climbs throughout. We’ve always relied on All Trails for advice on hikes when we are traveling and the map was accurate and told us we would only have about 300 feet of elevation gain on this hike. If you choose to continue along the trail, past the 4-miles, you’d end up reaching a campground that is perfect for backpackers looking for a unique view overnight. If we weren’t already camping, this would have been a really cool option and one we hope to get back and experience sometime in the future. As we got back to the van after our 4-mile hike, the serenity and calmness of Lake Superior was calling our name. Between that and how sweaty we were from the trail, we just couldn’t resist a refreshing lake bath.

Our last morning in Bayfield was capped off by yet another amazing experience on Lake Superior. Only this time we traveled by sea kayak instead of sailboat through a local company called Whitecap Kayak. Our tour guide Erin was one of the best tour guides we’ve had on any outing. Not only was she thorough in getting us into our kayaks and prepping us for the journey, but once we were on the water she provided us with facts of the Apostle Islands and fun little anecdotes that made the trip that much more enjoyable. The water was like glass and because of the calmer conditions we were able to kayak through the caves without any problem. The trip was about two hours, but we easily could have gone longer. Whitecap Kayak does offer a variety of trip options so whether you want to do a long 6-day excursion or just an afternoon out on the lake, there are options for every explorer.

Our 72-hours in Wisconsin really flew by! Having only three days to explore this beautiful part of the state is definitely not enough time, but we enjoyed every bit of it while we were there. From the midwest charm and hospitality to the rugged and more remote beauty of western Wisconsin, this trip was a memorable one and we’d highly encourage anyone looking for an adventure this summer to head to the Northwoods and check it out for yourself.