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!

why this blog? Hi there! My name is Maddy! I live in the Wisconsin Northwoods and work as an outdoor adventure guide and writer. Whether in person or through detailed online guides, I’m happy to show you around my favorite hiking trails!

Oh hey there! This blog uses affiliate links. That means if you choose to make a purchase based on my recommendation, I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you.

Best Hiking Trails in Wisconsin

When hiking in Wisconsin and anywhere, remember to follow key principles of Leave No Trace, including packing out all trash including items typically considered “biodegradable” such as orange peels and toilet paper, staying on trails for your safety and to prevent erosion, and come prepared to keep yourself save and minimize odds of needing rescue.

In addition, camp only in designated campsites and park only in designated parking spaces! Remember to plan ahead and prepare for wilderness travel, and be sure to carry three ways to signal for help beyond a cell phone (I like a whistle, signaling mirror, and Garmin InReach). 

Wisconsin is on the traditional homelands of the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Anishinaabee, Dakota and Potawatomi Nations. With this in mind, it’s important to treat all outdoor spaces with the respect of potential sites of cultural and archeological significance.

1) Balanced Rock and East Bluff Trail, Devils Lake State Park, .5-2 miles

If you’re looking for a unique hiking trail near Madison, Wisconsin, check out the Balanced Rock and East Bluff Trails in Devils Lake State Park. These hiking trails offer great views of Devil’s Lake below as you climb up the rocky bluff.

Devils Lake State Park has a variety of hiking, biking, paddling and swimming spots, but it can be extremely crowded in the summer and on peak weekends. For reference, I visited on a Tuesday and began my hike early in the morning and still found the park to be extremely busy! If you’re hiking on a weekend, I recommend hitting the trails early in the morning before 9am or waiting until after 4pm for the crowds to thin out. Check out a map here.

READ: Best Hiking in the Driftless Region

2) Sugar Maple Trail, Wyalusing State Park, 1.5 miles

For one of the best hidden gem hiking trails and outdoor places to visit in Wisconsin, Check out Wyalusing State park! There are several great hiking trails here, including the Sentinel Ridge Trail overlooking the Mississippi and Sand Cave Trail, but personally I think the most unique is the Sugar Maple Trail. Sugar Maple Trail leads to the unique sand cave pictured below, right, and small waterfall that trickles over the edge.

While visiting Wyalusing State Park, be sure to book a drive-up campsite on Wisconsin Ridge to have your morning coffee overlooking dramatic scenery and Wisconsin River below. This is easily one of the best campsites in Wisconsin! Check out a map here.

READ: Best Hiking on the Great River Road

3) Sea Caves Trail, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 4+ miles

If you’re looking for Wisconsin hiking trail with coastal-like views, check out the Sea Caves Trail in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. This scenic hiking trail winds up and down for almost two miles over small hills and beautiful forest streams before reaching the dramatic cave known as the Crevasse (below, left).

From here, you can continue along the cliff line for another several miles of dramatic sea cave views. There are also several backpack-in campsites along this trail.

While it’s extremely uncommon that the ice caves here freeze enough to walk out to these days, this hiking trail is still perfectly accessible in the winter and makes for a great snowshoe route. I also recommend hiking the trail when the waves are big for some of the most dramatic scenery. Keep in mind when hiking here that there are no barriers between you and the cliffs edge, and these cliffs are sandstone, which is a relatively fragile rock that may crumble and break. Hike smart and use good judgement!

Check out a map here.

READ: Best Things to do in the Apostle Islands

4) Morgan Falls and St. Peters Dome, 4 miles

Tucked away south of Ashland, Wisconsin, this Northwoods hike has both a dramatic waterfall and sweeping views of the forest below. The Morgan Falls and St. Peters Dome hike is about four miles round trip with a moderate uphill push to reach the viewpoint. Here, the waterfall winds down a cliff before pooling in a basin perfect for wading in.

The view from St. Peters Dome is especially beautiful in the autumn, but can be crowded. Additional, a $5 parking fee is required at this Wisconsin hiking trail. Look at a map here.

5) Little and Big Manitou Falls, Pattison State Park

This set of Northern Wisconsin waterfalls can be a great place to hike for big payout but relatively low effort views. Both Big and Little Manitou Falls are gorgeous waterfalls in Pattison State Park, and the park is home to several miles of beginner-friendly hikint trails to and between the falls.

If you’re not looking to hike, both of these hikes can also be accessed with a quick drive to a parking lot then walk to a viewpoint. Check out a map here.

READ: Ultimate Northern Wisconsin Waterfall Road Trip

6) Doughboy Trail, Copper Falls State Park, 2 miles

One of the best hiking trails in Wisconsin is the two mile Doughboy Trail in Copper Falls State Park where you can hike a wooded forest trail and pass through several viewpoints of Copper Falls, Brownstone Falls and the canyon below.

This is an especially beautiful Wisconsin hiking trail, but note that the trail is not dog-friendly. Copper Falls is also a great place to basecamp to enjoy the Wisconsin Northwoods and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Check out a map here.

7) Perrot Ridge and Brady’s Bluff, Perrot State Park, 2+ miles

Perrot State Park has 12.5 miles hiking trails along the Mississippi River and up on the bluffs above. One of my favorite hikes in the area is the hike up Brady Bluff, which is just over a mile round-trip up a beautiful set of stairs up to the bluff, where you can find an Appalachian-Trail style shelter looking out over the Mississippi River Valley.

For the ultimate hike of Perrot State Park, I recommend beginning at West Brady’s parking lot, then pushing up to the peak at Brady’s Bluff. From here, hike southeast bound to reach the Perrot Ridge peak. Continue along the hiking trail toward Reed’s Peak then follow the trail down to the Mississippi. Hike northwest along the Riverview Trail until you reach the place you parked. Check out a map here.

Alternately, park at East Brady, tackling one bluff on each “end” of the hike and the Riverview section in the middle. Personally, I like to get the big climbs out of the way in the beginning.

8) Willow Falls, Willow River State Park, 2+ miles

Looking for the best waterfall in Wisconsin? Willow Falls in Willow River State Park has a multi-tiered waterfall and several miles of beautiful hiking trails.

This park can be extremely crowded, but poplar things are popular for a reason and Willow Falls is still definietly worth a visit. Check out a map here.

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9) Eagle Trail, Peninsula State Park, 2 miles

Door County has a number of beautiful Wisconsin hiking trails, but one of the best of these trails is the two-mile Eagle Trail in Peninsula State Park. The route is consider challenging and has interesting rock formations along the way. Check out a map here.

READ: Guide to Peninsula State Park by Miles with McConkey

10) Mount Pisgah Hemlock Trail, Wildcat Mountain State Park, 2 miles

This is one of the most surprising trails in Wisconsin with views of the Kickapoo River Valley and the Driftless Region. Expect a big view at the top and beautiful winding trail through the Hemlocks. Look at an overview map here.

READ: More on the Mount Pisgah Hemlock Trail by Wisconsin Explorer

11) Ice Age Trail Western Terminus, Interstate State Park, .5 mile

The terminus of the Ice Age Trail over the St. Croix River is one of the most beautiful short hiking trails in Wisconsin, and it’s also a great rock climbing destination! The hike to the Ice Age Trail terminus is just a half mile to views of the cliffs over the St. Croix River, but there is plenty more great hiking in this park.

Beyond the Ice Age Trail in Interstate State Park, you can find a small waterfall along the Silverbrook Trail, and very scenic views along the River Bluff and Echo Canyon Trail both along the river and above it. Check out a map here.

12) Cave of the Mounds + Blue Mound State Park

If you’re looking for one of the most unique outdoor adventures in Wisconsin, check out Blue Mound State Park and Cave of the Mounds just 40 minutes outside of Madison. Blue Mound State Park has two towers on top of the mound with excellent views of the Driftless Region (pictured below), plus mountain biking and hiking trails.

Check out a trail map here. While in the area, venture underground and check out the Cave of the Mounds, an underground cave system you can take tours of.

13) Amnicon Falls State Park, 2 miles

Wisconsin’s Amnicon Falls State Park looks like something straight out of a fairytale, with tumbling waterfalls and thick moss. The hiking and snowshoe trail options are short, but still well worth a visit.

Here, you can check out four waterfalls and a covered bridge on the Amnicon River. Waterfalls include Upper and Lower Falls, Snake Pit Falls, and Now & Then Falls. Check out a map here.

14) The Ice Age Trail, 1,200 miles

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs 1,200 miles from Eastern to Western Wisconsin following the path of the furthest extent of the last glacier to cover Wisconsin. While not a complete trail, there are many sections that can be day-hiked, section-hiked and thru-hiked.

That Wisconsin Couple thru-hiked a section of the Ice Age Trail this past fall. Check out their Instagram to learn more.

15) The North Country Trail, 140 miles (in Wisconsin)

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) stretches 4,800 miles from Vermont to North Dakota with 140 miles in the Wisconsin Northwoods. Highlights of the NCT in Wisconsin include Porcupine Lakes Wilderness, Copper Falls, and more.

Check out the North Country Trail Association’s guide to the top hikes in Wisconsin here.

What to pack for hiking in Wisconsin:

Headed out on a hiking trip in Wisconsin? Summers can be hot (or much cooler up by Lake Superior) and you can expect to encounter bugs. I recommend long pants, sturdy hiking boots and packing a backpack with snacks, water and a first aid kit at minimum.

• Long pants: try Kuhl Freeflex or REI Trailmade
• Long sleeve wool baselayers : wool tops like this make a great hiking layer both for sun protection and for regulating body temperature 
• Shorts: I like a quick dry pair with a built-in belt  and a elastic waist, swim-friendly pair
• If paddling or swimming: a UPF sun hoodie
• A thin down puffy jacket that packs down small: nights are a lot cooler than you might expect!
• A solid day hiking pack
• On rugged trails, trekking poles
• Hiking boots: I like Oboz Bridger Mids for best grip and ankle support, or alternately hiking/paddling sandals like Bedrocks (designed for paddling guides and paddling guide (me) approved)
• A solid raincoat
• Binoculars for watching wildlife

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