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hello stranger midwest adventure

15 Breathtaking Hiking Trails in Wisconsin (With Maps!)

Looking for the best hiking trails in Wisconsin? From the rolling hills of the Driftless Region to the waterfalls of Wisconsin's Northwoods check out the best hiking trails in Wisconsin!…

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12 Incredible Things to do Frankfort, Michigan

Looking for the best things to do in Frankfort, Michigan? Just south of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Frankfort is an adorable small town on Lake Michigan with great…

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29 Tips to Start a Travel Blog in 2026 (for Content Creators!)

If you're here, you're probably thinking about starting a blog in 2026 . Whether you're thinking of starting a blog to make money, share your travels, or augment your content…

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  • Potato River Falls near Ashland Wisconsin Northwoods Hiking Trails

    15 Breathtaking Hiking Trails in Wisconsin (With Maps!)

    December 6, 2025
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  • 12 Incredible Things to do Frankfort, Michigan

    November 11, 2025
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  • Where to watch the sunset in Grand Marais ? Head out to artist point. Image of a photographer watching a beautiful red sunset over Lake Superior with the sawtooth mountains outlined in the background

    29 Tips to Start a Travel Blog in 2026 (for Content Creators!)

    November 6, 2025
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  • image of hiking at Overlook Nine in the Sleeping Bear Dunes

    15 Best Things to do Traverse City, Michigan

    November 6, 2025
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  • image of a car camping travel set up in the late autumn woods. A mug sits on a womans lap, a sleeping bag curled at her side with a book on top.

    19 Exciting Gift Ideas for Travelers (Budget & Luxury!)

    October 17, 2025
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  • image of a hiker in canyonlands national park near needles

    39 Gift Ideas for Hikers (by an outdoor guide!)

    October 17, 2025
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  • image of devil's island lighthouse on Lake Superior

    The Ultimate Guide to Lake Superior (By an outdoor guide!)

    October 2, 2025
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  • Sun peaks into snow-covered woods

    What To Wear Winter Hiking (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 25, 2025
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  • Best Women’s Baselayers (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 18, 2025
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  • Image of a hiker in a puffer jacket standing in front of light snow in the woods

    Best Puffer Jackets for Hiking (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 18, 2025
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1 2 3 … 14 Older Posts

hello stranger // about me

Hi there, and welcome to Hello Stranger. My name is Maddy, and I'm the voice behind the blog. I'm a writer, paddler, photographer, traveller, and freelance editor. I'm committed to exploring the beautiful American Midwest to prove that you can find real adventure anywhere! Toss your email below to keep up with the adventure!

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maddymarq

guide & writer exploring the midwest🏕
📍Wisconsin Northwoods & Lake Superior
inquiries: hello@madelinemarquardt.com
↓ FREE trail guides ↓

Winter in the Midwest ✨❄️🌈 Growing up I hated the Winter in the Midwest ✨❄️🌈Growing up I hated the winter, but it turns out the cold isn’t so bad and it grows on you :) 📍Lake Superior, traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
Winter up in snow country❄️🌈 From a project with Winter up in snow country❄️🌈From a project with @visit_keweenaw 1- Andy finds a winter cave2- Andy finds a canyon3- driving downtown Houghton (boots @stegermukluks )4- ice on the lakeshore (I’m standing on a shove over rock, not over water promise) 5- @takkasaunas 6- sunrise at the breakwater7- great sand bay in winter colors (handknit vintage sweater) 8- forest river (Andy’s @daleofnorway sweater) 9- forest covered in snow 10- winter carnival 11- Andy in his orange @wintergreenely (also in photo one and like every other photo he’s in)12- skiing :)📍Traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
Midwest winters ❄️🌊🗺️>>> Ps winter kayaking shots Midwest winters ❄️🌊🗺️>>>Ps winter kayaking shots are all done by experienced local paddlers wearing drysuits trained in deep water self rescue with experience with local ice patterns. I do not recommend winter kayaking for beginners!!📍Lake Superior is the traditional home waters of the Anishinaabe Nation
Winter survival guide❄️🗺️ Come say hi at @maddyma Winter survival guide❄️🗺️Come say hi at @maddymarq for Lake Superior winter spam!!📍Traditional and cultural homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
Northwoods camera roll🌲🎞️ the past week has looked Northwoods camera roll🌲🎞️ the past week has looked like…1- lots of knitting and I just finished a new pair of mittens, one of the first things I’ve knit for myself in a while! This is also the first time I’ve finished all my Christmas knitting well in advance of the holiday 🙈2- my new rule is that if it’s sunny and I *can* get outside I *will* get outside 🌞 it’s been sunny enough that this has turned into it’s own project but I do think it improves my mood3- it’s been super super snowy!!4- I’m not sure about you, but lately I’ve been feeling out of steam and at a little bit of a creative standstill (when it comes to writing & content specifically, knitting has been literally flourishing) and I feel like almost everyone I talk to is more or less on the same page— are we all running out of steam?📍Traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
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