Now that the weather is warming up, it’s time to get outside and hit some of the state’s most scenic trails for a spring hike.
Along with dairy farms and breweries, if there is one thing that Wisconsin isn’t short on, it’s scenic views. From the shores of Lake Michigan that run along the east side of the state to those of Lake Superior, which touch Wisconsin’s northernmost points, there are plenty of places to get a beautiful waterfront view. But that isn’t all that the state has to offer: There are bluffs, and cliffs, and fields filled with wildflowers—all of which make fantastic places to go for a hike.
Sure, Wisconsinites live in partial hibernation throughout the state’s cold winter months, but as soon as springtime hits in the state, residents and visitors alike are out and about, taking advantage of Wisconsin’s natural beauty. Wisconsin isn’t known extraordinarily well for its hiking opportunities, which is a shame, because it has plenty of them. The Wisconsin State Park system has 50 parks and 44 state trails, as well as numerous county and city parks, all of which offer stunning views of the Badger State, but some stand out more than others.
From intense, climbing hikes that reach some of Wisconsin’s highest points, to peaceful lakefront jaunts, here are some of the best hikes to take in Wisconsin that offer unbeatable views of the state’s natural beauty.
1. Grandad Bluff
3020 Grandad Bluff Road, La Crosse
Best trail: Grandad Bluff Loop
Good for views of: Three different states, Mississippi River, wildlife, wildflowers
Standing nearly 600 feet above La Crosse, it’s hard to miss Grandad Bluff. The massive bluff, which is 1,183 feet above sea level and 590 feet above the surrounding land, this tall bluff is one of the city’s most notable landmarks. The top of the bluff offers unbeatable views of not only the Mississippi River, which lies just below it, as well as the city of La Crosse, but also of three different states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, which is just across the river, and Iowa, which is a bit further away.
While it’s possible to drive to the top of Grandad Bluff and check out the view that way, one of the most fun ways to access the looming bluff is by hiking up it. Grandad Bluff Park, which opened in 1912, offers several hiking trails, but one of the best is the Grandad Bluff Loop, a 1.8-mile loop trail that offers stunning views from the very top of the bluff.
2. Devil’s Lake State Park
S5975 Park Road, Baraboo
Best trail: West Bluff Trail
Good for views of: Devil’s Lake, bluffs
There is a reason Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo is the most popular state park in Wisconsin; in fact, there are several. Between its gorgeous views of the park’s picturesque lake, its abundance of hiking trails, and its setting, filled with cliffs and bluffs, there are many things to love about the park, and many visitors have found that out. The park, which includes parts of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, received nearly 2.3 million visitors in 2025, indicating many people traversed its numerous scenic hiking trails.
West Bluff Trail, which runs for 1.4 miles through the park, is one of Devil’s Lake State Park’s most scenic options, with great views of the park’s namesake lake, but also one of its most difficult, as there are several steep stone steps at one end, and a steep ascent at the other. An easier option is the Tumbled Rocks Trail, which also offers great lake views but is not at a high elevation and lacks the steep climbs. The Tumbled Rocks Trail is one mile long and is the park’s most popular hiking trail.
3. Big Bay State Park
2404 Hagen Road, La Pointe
Best trail: Bay View Trail
Good for views of: Bluffs, Lake Superior, beaches, wildlife
A hike at Big Bay State Park, in La Pointe, Wisc., isn’t just a walk in the park. Except for residents of Madeline Island, it’s typically a ferry ride, and then a drive to the park, and then a walk in the park, but all of that effort is worth it, because Big Bay State Park offers up some of the most scenic trails in the state.
Located on Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, the park has more than seven miles of hiking trails. One of its best is the Bay View Trail, a 1.3-mile trail that follows along the shoreline of Big Bay Point and offers stunning views of wildlife and the island’s coast. If hikers feel up for continuing their walk, the Bay View Trail connects to the park’s Point Trail, a 1.7-mile loop trail that runs along the island’s shoreline and cuts inland as well.
4. Cave Point County Park
5360 Schauer Road, Sturgeon Bay
Best trail: Cave Point Lakeside Trail
Good for views of: Lake Michigan, cliffs, wildflowers
In 1943 and 1945, three families came together and gifted Door County the land that would ultimately become Cave Point County Park. Now, eight decades later, walking through the park is one of the county’s many highlights and one of the best places for a scenic spring hike. A great trail to walk along in the park is the Cave Point Lakeside Trail, a 1.6-mile-long trail that traverses the coastline, offering up great views of the dolomite bluffs.
One of the perks of hiking in Cave Point County Park, besides how great the views are, is that it’s directly next to Whitefish Dunes State Park, another scenic lakeshore park. In 2024, the park was awarded $20,000 to go toward a new trail that would connect the two parks.
5. The Ridges Sanctuary
8166 WI-57, Baileys Harbor
Best trail: Ridges Loop
Good for views of: Wildflowers, Baileys Harbor Range Lights
Most visitors to Door County want to spend as much time as possible on the water, which makes sense as the county rests on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Michigan on one side and Green Bay on the other. But if visitors are only spending their time at the county’s beaches, or in a boat, they’re missing out on some of the inland highlights, like The Ridges Sanctuary, a 1,600-acre nature preserve in Bailey’s Harbor with a scenic and historic hiking trail.
The 1.6-mile Ridges Loop is a top hike at the Sanctuary. It passes by the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, a scenic pair of lighthouses that have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1989. If visitors don’t feel like hiking on their own, The Ridges Sanctuary offers two-hour-long guided hikes led by naturalists, where they can learn about the sanctuary’s history and the native flora.
6. Grant Park
100 Hawthorne Ave., South Milwaukee
Best trail: The Seven Bridges Trail
Good for views of: Lake Michigan, wildflowers, a brook, stone pathways
One of South Milwaukee’s most hidden gems is a two-mile looped trail in Grant Park, the Seven Bridges Trail. The trail is a boon for bridge-lovers—although it’s named for seven bridges, there are actually 10 along the trail, including a partly-covered bridge that serves as the trail’s entrance.
The trail was originally built in the early 20th century and expanded as part of the Works Progress Administration relief program during the Great Depression, and it’s not just beautiful bridges that serve as its most scenic views. The Seven Bridges Trail offers up views of Lake Michigan and beach access, as well as views of a ravine, bluffs, and plenty of wildflowers during the spring.
7. Amnicon Falls State Park
4279 County Road U, South Range
Best trail: Amnicon Falls and Campground Loop
Good for views of: Waterfalls, wildflowers
Amnicon Falls State Park isn’t one of Wisconsin’s largest state parks. At just over 825 acres, the park is on the smaller end when compared to some of the state’s much larger parks—but that doesn’t mean that there still isn’t a lot to see. The highlight of the scenic park is its series of waterfalls along the Amnicon River.
It also offers a few hiking options to check out the falls, including the Amnicon Falls and Campground Loop, a 2.7-mile-long hike that takes visitors past the park’s scenic waterfalls and rapids, and continues looping through the rest of the park’s property. If the hike is a bit too much, it can be cut short by taking the Snake Pit Falls loop, which is just over half a mile long.
