We had a lot of fun at the park. The facilities were very clean and nice. We stayed in campsite 32 and really enjoyed it. The campsites have a good amount of foliage and feel private. The park feels remote considering you have to take a car ferry and drive to the other side of the island to get there. Firewood was available for $9 a bundle up by the office. We hiked a few of the trials--lagoon ridge train was not kept up, there are signs alerting of this. The walk by the beach and the water was very nice. The flies were bad when we went, and so were mosquitoes, but it probably had to do with the time of year! We went into town several times, they have one small grocery store and a few bars and restaurants. Overall a great experience and would go back! read more

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We came here on the ferry from Bayfield (super easy, but recommend having your car on the ferry if you 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. read more

Big Bay State Park - Parks Near Me - La Pointe, Wisconsin

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Wonderful Wisconsin State Park with unbelievable views of Lake Superior! Lots of hiking (just remember 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! read more

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This was one of our destinations on our trip to Bayfield. So after riding the ferry across to the island and renting bikes in-town we peddled the 6-7 miles to the park. No fee for this state park if you enter on foot or bike. We hiked the trail along the shoreline - despite the cloudy and cool weather the views and the hike were great! We had brought our lunch and were able to snag the one picnic table on the point overlooking the bay. We took the short cut trail through the woods back to where we left our bikes and at that point we finally encountered mosquitoes which had been absent. It made for a brisk hike. We did explore part of the boardwalk that goes north - very nice and impressively long. We did not swim or hang out at the large sandy beach but I can see why this place is so popular! read more

This is a great place to be! Walks along the beach or cliffs, fires all night under the stars, swimming in the warm bay of the lake, everything your heart needs to be happy. Camping in rustic and inexpensive. You will see wildlife everywhere from bears to deer to turtles and more. Take a walk on the beach and build something fun with all of the driftwood! read more

Stunning clear water (temp was 63 in Aug), family friendly, uncrowded beach. Lots of steps to reach beach access but they are not steep. However bad sand fly's & restrooms are "GROSS". I expected more for our $4O yearly pass! read more

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I pretty much love this park. $11 entrance fee but plenty of parking and plenty of room at the beach for fun or relaxing. Tons of nearby hiking trails too! read more

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Oh yeah! Another state park excursion! This beautiful park is located on Madeline Island (the biggest island of the Apostle Islands). We took the ferry from Bayfield over to the island and then rode our bikes 6 miles to the park entrance. It was a lovely ride getting there (be warned it's a bit of an uphill grade getting there but the ride back was much faster!) The park has quite a bit of trail. The first trail we hiked was a 4 mile loop that followed the bank of the island along the lake then looped around and went through the dense woods. The trail in the woods was very wet and muddy and had we known it would be that bad, we would have gone back the way we came. It's probably not as bad later in the summer but not a great idea after the rains. The mosquitos were heavy too! The views were spectacular. You could see many of the other islands in the distance. You can kayak and boat into the caves that line one side of the park. It was a windy day and the waves were high. I would love to go kayaking there on a calmer day. After our exhausting loop, we decided to walk the boardwalk to the lagoon. This was an easy flat walk and very enjoyable. I was thankful since my feet were kind of sore at that point. The lagoon is beautiful. You can't explore a whole lot around there because you are expected to stay on the boardwalk so you don't disturb the plants. People were inexplicably swimming in the water which was ice cold! Take a day and visit the island and the park. I'm not sure if I would want to stay there a whole weekend though. They have vault/pit toilets (which is common with WI parks) and it can get pretty cold there if the winds are high. read more

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Big Bay State Park was a fun RV camping adventure. First taking a ferry to get to Madeline Island was exciting but the gorgeous views of Lake Superior were what made this camping adventure so special. The campsites are nicely spaced with foliage between most. I had a deer visit my campsite one night will grilling dinner. I did not visit the Big Bay State Park beach because pets were not allowed but did find a fabulous pet-friendly beach about a 10-minute drive away at Big Bay Town Park. I also signed up for a guided kayaking adventure which I highly recommend for anyone visiting Madeline Island. Hiking the Big View trail is another must-do. This trail is along the Lake Superior shoreline and there swimming and also cliff jumping spots. Full Big Bay State Park experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHGZdC6y-A0 read more

My husband and I visited Madeline Island for our anniversary the first weekend in October. We had unseasonably warm weather, and not a cloud in the sky! We decided to take in Madeline Island's beauty with a few hikes through the different parks on the island. Our first stop was Town Park, which is actually connected to Big Bay, but is not owned by the state so it is free to enter. The second stop was Big Bay. You pay $5 to park for 1 hour and $10 for the whole day. They give you a nice map of the trails and we were told the highlights were the point and the lagoon. Our first hike was to the point. I'm not sure if we actually found it, but it was a nice hike (even though we came across a snake on the path). I preferred the hike to the lagoon, which was on a boardwalk. The lagoon is beautiful. I'm not sure about the camping at this park, but we heard it can be a little buggy because it is on low ground and a better option is Town Park. read more

Big Bay State Park - Parks Near Me - La Pointe, Wisconsin

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One of the most beautiful spots in Wisconsin. The beach and nearby cliffs are not to be missed!

We just arrived home from a week's vacation, split between the Apostle Island National Lakeshore and Madeline Island. We stayed at Big Bay during our time on the island, and it's a quality state park. The Good: It's clean, well-kept, and there's plenty of brush and trees in between each site to give it that secluded feel I want when I'm camping. Plenty of good hiking with some phenomenal views. Check out the Point trail if you're looking for a lakeside hike, or the Lagoon trail if you're looking to explore the depths of the park. The Bad: There aren't any sites on or near the water, but the bay makes up for it. Also, there really wasn't a great place on our site to pitch the tent. Much of the site was packed with gravel and we ended up putting our tent on the very edge, close to the driveway. Also, the wood sold at the park isn't quite dry enough. We thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were on an island where the wood probably never gets very dry, or doesn't have enough time to cure in order to keep up with demand. The Best: Big Bay itself. The beach is huge and the water is picturesque, and it seems there's always a nice breeze. Go there at the right time of year (mid-July to the end of summer) and you can swim. I won't lie, it's cold...we are talking about an island on Lake Superior (the boss). We threw our frisbee and read books for hours. You can rent kayaks or paddleboards and take them around the bay, too. We had just gotten off of a 4 day kayak excursion around the islands, so we just watched. It really is a beautiful place. I know nothing about the Town Park, which is another place to camp on Madeline. Therefore I have nothing to compare Big Bay State Park to. I had a pleasant (but not mind-blowing) experience and would absolutely camp here again. read more

Well, we lucked out- free admission:) Also, we got 2 free passenger tickets for ferry return trip. The beach was probably the biggest highlight as well as the lookout point. We had a great photo of the rocky coast at the lookout. Anyways, this is not to be missed when you are visiting Madeline Island:) Also, the shore view trail connects to Big Bay Town Park so you can just drive down to the town park to see the other side. read more

We only got to spend a few hours here, which was definitely not enough! We visited the 3rd weekend of September, so it was a bit chilly and there were hardly any other people around. We started by checking out the overlook picnic area. It was pretty, but close to the campgrounds so we decided to move on to the point picnic area, which was just amazing. I would love to go back and spend more time here, picnicing and enjoying the views. It was pretty windy so the water was crashing up against the rocks which was really enjoyable to watch. We spent most of our time starting at the day-use picnic area and then walking the boardwalk between the lagoon and the bay. There were a couple of families enjoying time on the beach, but the boardwalk was quiet. It was just us, a bunch of squirrels, and a deer! If you're looking for a nice, easy stroll through the woods with access to a bog overlook and the beach, this place is for you! read more

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One of my favorite state parks in Wisconsin! The staff is very helpful and friendly. If you get out of your car and hike some of the trails you'll be rewarded with some of the most spectacular views in the world! read more

I'd put this park below average in terms of WI's state parks. Sites are kind of close together and the entire thing was surfaced with packed gravel making it really hard to drive in tent stakes. Otherwise it was OK, although it would have been nicer to have the sites closer to the beach. read more

We did not camp here but visited for the day in early July. The campground looks pretty nice but it's so disappointing that it's not overlooking the water. We did let the kids swim at the beach which is absolutely beautiful. Wonderful clean sand beach that stretches for about 1.5 miles. The water is cold but the kids lasted about 1/2 hour. read more

We have been visiting Madeline Island for 35 years, camping at Big Bay State Park. Just returned last Thursday from our first fall visit. A great place to camp. Out of 60 sites, the most that were occupied while we were there was six. No bugs in the fall and the facilities are great. Our weather was warm so the beach was a great walk every day. Hikes in the park are well marked and beautiful. We saw an adult bear with two yourng ones. Planning on making our annual visit in the fall next year. read more