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    Big Bay State Park

    4.3 (17 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 11:00 pm

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    Jean R.

    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!

    Soooo pretty!
    Nik N.

    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!

    Kim C.

    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.

    Kim R.

    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.

    Deer along the boardwalk

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    4 years ago

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

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    Ask the Community - Big Bay State Park

    Review Highlights - Big Bay State Park

    This beautiful park is located on Madeline Island (the biggest island of the Apostle Islands).

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    Copper Falls State Park

    Copper Falls State Park

    4.4(33 reviews)
    29.2 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Copper Falls State Park
    Copper Falls State Park - Rustic (but clean) restrooms

    Rustic (but clean) restrooms

    Copper Falls State Park

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    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Sand Island - North Beach

    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

    4.5(35 reviews)
    10.0 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Sand Caves

    Sand Caves

    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Sand Island - North Beach

    Sand Island - North Beach

    Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Bayfield Marina

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    Bayfield Marina

    Tettegouche State Park

    Tettegouche State Park

    4.9(34 reviews)
    45.3 mi

    Cart-in campsites are normally great and well taken care of, especially campsite H…read more We scooped up a campsite(H) and reserved it early on. We get to the site after pushing a full cart(with a messed up wheel) to find a dozen fallen trees that haven't been clean up, and a bunch of dry old rotting brush on the site, and the fire pit is needing to be cleaned out(its full) Site needs maintenance, bad, was really looking forward to our stay, and now just kinda disappointed.

    Tettegouche State Park yes what a worthwhile place to come for a visit! Tettegouche is located…read morealong North Shore Scenic Drive running up and down the Minnesota coast. For me...the star attraction is the hike to HIGH FALLS!!! You can never have enough waterfalls and these High Falls were fantastic! I highly recommend everyone make the trek to High Falls and take some time to appreciate the beautiful backdrop. First off, Tettegouche SP is sort of a hidden little park. When I arrived here, the parking lot was small and it appeared that I fortunately got the last available spot. I visited back in June around 9am and the park and trailhead had filled up. I read at the entrance sign that the trail to High Falls was 1.5 miles each way taking roughly 2 hours. I was able to arrive at High Falls in a little over 1 hour each way with a quick pace. I found the hike to be relatively difficult especially starting out and towards the end. Leaving the trailhead I did have to climb up and over some rocks and cliff areas that I wasn't expecting to be so rugged. I'd say the elevation along the way was pretty elevated at times. When you do arrive near High Falls, there's a sign that states you have to step down 83 stairs to the base. But not to fret...it's all worth it. Upon making it to High Falls, I found the setting to be spectacular! It was a sunny, brisk and pleasant morning for the start of summer. Also, there was zero wind. I was able to climb on the rocks for some great looking photos of this 63 foot tall waterfall along the banks of the Baptism River. High Falls splashed down the cliffside and is sort of divided, making the appearance you're gazing out upon two unique looking waterfalls. Really, in total, it was a beautiful scene. If you don't mind taking your shoes off you can certainly step onto the waters for closer views up to High Falls. You can cross the river for different perspectives. I was really impressed with the surroundings at High Falls. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and as I always point out...I got fortunate with the sun being at my back and allowing for picturesque photo opportunities. On the side next to the trail you can climb safely up to the falls. For me, I was content getting a panoramic view from the riverside area. I simply took a seat on the rocks and had High Falls in plain clear sight for one grand magical moment. I hung out for 45 minutes. Eventually it filled up with hikers. For the time I was there though, I was appreciative for looking at such a pretty waterfall. Also at these High Falls, there was a sign for the Two Step Falls Access. I tried to decipher where this access lead towards but unfortunately I never discovered anything worthwhile. For those wanting more out of their time here you can connect to the Superior Hiking Trail. There were signs for it. Another worthwhile spot was Shovel Point. According to the entrance sign, if you follow the cliff line trail to Shovel Point, you're afforded views of the world's largest freshwater lake. Finally, you can also hike to Tettegouche Camp where you can reserve a cabin in advance and stay overnight in nature. Or it's mentioned that you can simply picnic in the lodge or canoe Mic Mac Lake. My experience here at Tettegouche State Park was fulfilling. Getting the chance to hike to High Falls for fantastic photo chances was memorable. I left feeling satisfied and grateful for taking a few hours out of my summer morning to visit. I highly recommend stopping here during your travels along North Shore Scenic Drive. I've become a waterfall enthusiast and believe if you make the 1.5 mile trek each way, you will not be disappointed with the sights and surroundings of this 5 star attraction.

    Photos
    Tettegouche State Park
    Tettegouche State Park
    Tettegouche State Park

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    Big Bay State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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