Hi from way up North! Last weekend, my friend Rachel and I headed up to Bayfield, Wisconsin for a girls weekend and I feel like a new person.
Up until this winter I’ve worked a mix of odd jobs— sauna guide, barista— and freelance writing and photography projects. The “con” of vagabond life was the lack of stability— the pro, was I got outside all the time. This winter I have a full-time remote job, and while I’m lucky to live in the Wisconsin Northwoods and still have great access to the outdoors, I definitely haven’t gotten outside nearly as much as previous years. I’m busier, with work and keeping up my blog, with keeping the house clean, with just… winter.
So lately I’d been feeling really cooped up. Taking a weekend away helped so much.
[trip hosted by Seagull Bay Motel, a lakeview old school motel with modern design]
left: hiking on frozen Lake Superior. middle: coffee at Seagull Bay Motel. right: frozen waterfalls!!!
Hiking on Lake Superior:
The La Pointe-Bayfield Ice Road is open1, which means that the ice on the Chequamegon Bay is pretty locked in! For a while now, there have been folks driving around on the ice closer to Washburn and Ashland, and the Book Across the Bay ski event mid-February involves racing a 10-k course across the bay.
That said, there is no such thing as safe ice2, and I’m always hesitant to share winter hiking ideas that involve frozen surfaces because conditions can truly change so quickly. Always check with locals on ice conditions before heading out, and don’t assume that footprints mean the ice is solid. By river and stream mouths expect soft spots in the ice. Thick snowdrifts also sometimes hide thinner ice as the snow insulates the ice. You’re most likely to find good ice conditions mid-late February (ice is never a guarantee); this is when I’ve done almost all of my ice hikes throughout the region. Me sharing this hike is not recommendation that you should go do it yourself; it is up to you to make risk assessments for yourself on winter hiking safety.
The Apostle Islands Meyers Beach Ice Caves3 are closed and not accessible; there is a fine for attempting to access them. This hike is on the Chequamegon Bay.
oh hey there! this post uses affiliate links (don’t worry! there haven’t been any yet.) that means if you choose to make a purchase I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you.
One thing most people don’t realize about the Apostle Islands is that the unique geology here is not limited to Meyers Beach. Many of the islands have sea caves and you can even find caves and sea stacks (above, right) south of Washburn. To access the Washburn sea stack, start your hike (or launch your kayak in the summer) at Bono Creek Public Access and hike north.
I’m a certified snowshoe hater, but I actually really did wish I’d brought snowshoes or skis, because it was very flat and some of the snow drifts were thick. It’s only about two miles round trip to hike the entirety of these cliffs and small brownstone caves. They aren’t nearly as large, intricate, or impressive as the Meyers Beach Sea Caves, but they’re a really great more accessible option as the West Side of the Peninsula is more exposed to the open lake.
Bono Creek and Washburn are a really great spot to kayak in the summer if it’s looking bumpy over at Meyers Beach as it’s more protected and often calmer. I would still avoid paddling here in an NE or S wind or even a strong E. In generally, the bay is just a lot friendlier than open Lake Superior and behaves more like a large lake, where Superior proper behaves like the ocean.
READ: A Beginner’s Guide to Winter Hiking
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Coastal Winter
There is something so magical about the coastal Great lakes winter. Snow on the beach, boats in the ice, a pastel sunset. Even if you can’t get out on the ice I really do recommend checking out the shoreline.
These shots are from Cornucopia, but you can find Great Lakes Coastal winter vibes in just about any small town on the Great Lakes.
Why I could never be a food blogger
It’s very, very rare that food sits on my plate long enough to take a photo of it. But for me, one of my favorite things in the world is a long hard hike with friends then grabbing a bite to eat some where good.
Left: Manypenny Bistro, Bayfield, Wisconsin
My favorite place to eat in Bayfield is Manypenny. My fiancé and I had our first date here, and our second, and it has great a big menu, great breakfast, and great pizza. There is something on this menu for everyone.
Middle: Lyla’s Pizza, Washburn, Wisconsin
Woodfired pizza great to-go or for a cozy sit down after skiing at Mount Ashwabay. The Arugala pizza is my favorite. We took our pizza back to Seagull Bay Motel for a cozy night in after a long day hiking.
Right: The Cranberry over Superior, Herbster, Wisconsin
Cute Lake Superior date night vibes meets small town Wisconsin Bar in this restaurant right on the Cranberry River. For me, the whitefish sandwich is the perfect local food favorite.
Seagull Bay Motel [hosted]
Our stay in Bayfield was hosted by Seagull Bay Motel! This family-owned motel sports a lakeview and a classic, old-school vibe with clean modern furnishings.
It’s the perfect adventure crash-pad, with an absolutely gorgeous deck and view.
You won’t believe this frozen waterfall👀
I’ve had Twin Falls Park on my to-do list for a while now, but honestly I’m not a huge waterfall person (I far prefer a sea cliff or big view from a hill) and this one in the summer is often just a trickle. My expectations for the winter were super low, and I told Rachel as much, but that it’s a short hike so maybe worth checking out anyhow.
I stood so very corrected! This was easily one of my favorite, if not the single best, winter waterfall I’ve had the joy of hiking to. Larson Creek is shallow, so in the winter you can hike/snowshoe right up in the creek bed.
My favorite part though was that you could hike (crawl) behind the waterfall into a little ice cave where you could still see a falling water on the inside of the waterfall column. The waterfall column was for sure several inches thick, and I was super not worried about the ice here, though in general on ice rivers (this is really more of a creek) I recommend never hiking right on the base of waterfalls since there is often a deep plunge pool under thinner ice.
Duluth people! This hike is just about an hour from Duluth.
READ: Best Winter Hikes on Lake Superior, Ranked
Note that the Ice Road is not a tourist attraction!! People live on Madeline Island and the road is a literal lifeline to the mainland when the ferry can’t run. Driving too fast on the ice road can damage it.
I also SUPER super want to note that this content is backposted! Meaning that this all happened a week+ ago, and now we’ve had warmer weather. The ice may already be bad for the season by the time you read this.
This is where I guide a lot of sea kayaking trips in the summer with Lost Creek Adventures! If you’re new here, I’ve worked almost seven years now as a Lake Superior/West Coast coastal kayaking guide, day and overnight trips, which is one of the reasons I’m super familiar with the Bayfield Area.
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