13 places to see fall colors from up high
There aren’t a lot of places to get up high in Wisconsin.
The glaciers took care of most of our mountains thousands of years ago. The state’s highest point, Timm’s Hill, juts up just 1,951.5 feet in Price County.
But almost 2,000 feet is more than enough to provide a panoramic view of Wisconsin’s best seasonal display: the changing leaves.
Hiking among them is great, but for the full show, you need to climb.
And Timm’s Hill isn’t the only place to do it. As color starts to reach peak across Wisconsin over the next few weeks, check out these 13 spots for seeing fall colors from on high. Don’t put off your trip — leaves are already nearing peak in some parts of the state, and the autumnal display will be over as fast as it started.
1. Timm’s Hill, Ogema: An observation tower at this county park makes Wisconsin’s highest point even higher. The hike to the tower isn’t particularly difficult, so follow it with a walk along the 1.5-mile Timm’s Lake Trail for views of the forest from below. The 10-mile Timm’s Hill National Trail connects the hill with the Ice Age Trail in Taylor County to the south (note the southernmost two miles are closed Sept. 1-Dec. 31).
2. Mountain Lookout Tower, Mountain: This Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest tower, built in 1935, is the last remaining from a network of towers used to spot fires in the early 20th century. Now the 100-foot structure provides 360-degree views of the surrounding forest, whose eastern Nicolet side covers 661,400 acres.
3. Blue Mound State Park, Blue Mounds: The highest point in southern Wisconsin calls for two observation towers to take in the views. One is perched on the east side of the 1,719foot mound; the other on the west.
4. Pike Lake, Hartford: While everyone else is waiting in line to climb the tower and elbowing for views at Holy Hill, head about seven miles north for similar views from the observation tower at Pike Lake. This unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest is likely to be less crowded and also has seven trails to hike ranging from under a mile to just over four. The 2.4-mile Orange loop will take you to the tower, which is perched on Powder Hill, a glacial kame that rises above a forest dense with maples, ablaze in yellow in the fall.
5. Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area, Stockholm: State natural areas are more rustic by nature, so you’ll have to work a little for this bird’s-eye view. From the parking area, follow social trails and old logging roads west and north to a lookout on a 400-foot bluff above the Mississippi River.
The natural area itself is mostly restored oak savanna (i.e., not a ton of trees), but the bluffs to the south are covered in foliage. The Great River Road wraps around them below, and raptors soar on the thermals above. If you’re lucky, you might spot a peregrine falcon — this is one of only six spots in the state where they naturally nest.
Your GPS will probably take you to a sign marking the bluff from below. To hike the actual bluff, follow Spring St. (County Road J) north out of Stock-
holm. Turn west onto County Road E, then west on Long Lane. The parking area is at the end of the road.
6. Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay: Despite being relatively far north in Wisconsin, colors can reach peak as late as the third week in October in Door County, thanks to the temperature-moderating waters of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. A 75-foot observation tower at this state park provides views from 225 feet above Sturgeon Bay and the trees that line it.
The park is also home to the eastern terminus of the Ice Age Trail. Follow it 2.8 miles along the bay through stands of basswood, white and red pine, white birch, beech and sugar maples — autumn’s showstopper. At the park’s southern boundary, continue walking along Duluth Ave. to Waterfront Mary’s for reward refreshments along the water.
7. North Point Lighthouse, Milwaukee: If you’re short on time to see the changing leaves, North Point is a good spot for a quick dose of fall. Climb the 74foot tower for views of leafy Lake Park, Lake Michigan and downtown Milwaukee. It’s open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (65+) and $5 for kids ages 5 to 11.
8. Nelson Dewey State Park, Cassville: Wyalusing State Park about 30 miles north gets more attention (and rightly so, it’s a gorgeous park), but little Nelson Dewey has stunning bluff-top views, too, with fewer crowds. Hike the short, linear trails — they range from 0.2 to 0.6 miles — for views of the Mississippi River from a 500-foot bluff, then pitch a tent at one of the four walk-in campsites along the bluff. All boast unobstructed views of the river, and site C will give you a view of the setting sun. Bring ear plugs — trains rumble on the tracks below through the night.
9. Roche-A-Cri State Park, Friendship: Climb the steps to the top of the 300-foot Roche-A-Cri mound for views of other rock outcroppings scattered among the changing leaves below. The mound also has ancient petroglyphs and pictographs scrawled into its tan rock base. The main gate to the park closes Oct. 10; visitors can still access the site from a parking lot off Czech Ave. on the south end of the park (state parks admission stickers required).
10. Wildcat Mountain State Park, Ontario: Take in the changing leaves of the Kickapoo River Valley and the gumdrop hills of the Ocooch Mountains from a handful of scenic vistas at this park. Find two easily accessible ones at the Upper Picnic Area, or drive down to the canoe launch area for a challenging hike via switchbacks up Mt. Pisgah. The reward is two scenic lookouts at 1,200 feet.
11. Copper Falls State Park, Mellen: National forest views come with a side of waterfalls at this state park. See two cascades — Copper and Brownstone falls — along the 1.7-mile Doughboys Nature trail (the first half mile leading to the waterfall overlook is paved and accessible; pets are not allowed on any part of the trail). Then follow the 1-mile CCC 692 trail to the 65-foot observation tower, which provides views of the heavily wooded state park, the ChequamegonNicolet National Forest to the southwest and, on a clear day, Lake Superior to the north.
12. Marengo River Valley, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: St. Peter’s Dome west of Mellen is one of the best spots to see fall colors in the national forest, with views stretching to Lake Superior. But storms in 2016 destroyed the trails to the overlook, and they’re still closed while being repaired.
Not all is lost. To the south, hike nearly 10 miles of the North Country Trail through the Marengo River Valley for stunning views from three overlooks. A shelter near the river provides a spot for turning this into an overnight backpacking trip.
Find parking on the eastern end of the segment at Lake Three on Forest Road 187. Or for a shorter hike to the overlooks, which are close to the western end, park on Forest Road 202 to hike east.
13. Rib Mountain, Wausau: A 60-foot observation tower on top of this 1,942 “mountain” makes for even better views of the Wisconsin River and city of Wausau to the east and Nine Mile Forest Recreation Area to the south. Granite Peak Ski Area also offers chair lift rides up the hill from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 15. Tickets are $11 per person; kids ages 3-5 are free (kids under 3 are not permitted).