Fall Exploring in the Northwoods

This fall I’ve had the pleasure of combining two things I love: adjusting animals and exploring/hiking. By taking a few long weekends and packing up the camper with the dogs, the boys, and Jeanette we’ve had the opportunity to adjust more horses in each area and have more time to actually explore all the beautiful sites we have right in our own backyard. I’ll share a couple of our favorites we found this fall. But please, if you know of some beautiful hidden gems that are doable with a toddler in a hiking backpack and an infant in a baby carrier please send me an email ([email protected]) or stop by and let me know. I’d love to start a list of must see places for next spring and summer! 


This fall we found ourselves in the Hurley area and happened upon the Interstate Falls. This was a nice little loop. The fall colors were just starting and the trail spent a decent amount of time following the Montreal river. Marshall enjoyed pointing out the trail markers to keep us on the correct path. We were able to spot quite a few birds and chipmunks running around. That same weekend someone told us we had to check out Black River Harbor. This was an unseasonably warm fall day and we had such a fun time walking across the suspension bridge. There were several different waterfall trailheads there, but after our busy day, we enjoyed sitting on the Lake Superior shore while Marshall hunted for unique rocks and Campbell played in the soft sand. So many people were out that day soaking up one of the last warm sunny days. It’s amazing how well the boys slept after our adventures those two days. They’re usually good sleepers but all the fresh air truly tired them out. 


A few weekends later we found ourselves in the Glidden Wisconsin area. This was a much rainier weekend but the fall colors were absolutely gorgeous. There was so much yellow and orange and with the rain the leaves were falling. Marshall enjoyed staring out the window watching the leaves fall like snow. We were fortunate that Saturday afternoon, after the boys’ nap, it was barely misting out so we adventured to Doughboy’s loop in Morse Wisconsin. This trail follows the Bad River and Brownstone Falls for a 1.7 mile loop. The overlooks of the falls were gorgeous and luckily the slate steps weren’t overly slippery that day. I will warn you though - there were A LOT of stairs to climb on the trail. So if stairs aren’t your friend, I recommend avoiding this trail. We enjoyed reading all the plaques along the way- everything was marked very well in comparison to some of the more obscure trails. During our hike, we were sheltered by the thick tree coverage and were only walking through a light mist. Almost as soon as we made it back to the car, it started to pour again. We were very grateful to have had the opportunity to see the falls especially during peak fall color times. 


I felt like I stayed so busy this summer that I almost forgot to enjoy the beauty around me. The few fall weekends that we camped and forest bathed felt so refreshing, and I felt so lucky to share these quiet moments with my family. So I’m serious- please share your favorite spots and I’ll be sure to share an update on our spring and summer adventures!