I had been wanting to see this view in person since I had first read aboutitalmost a decade ago.
From a slab ofexposed graniteknown as St. Peter’s Dome,I looked north over a kaleidoscope of fall colors in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest hundreds of feet below.It was a picture-perfect fall day, with a bluebird sky above the colors, which were about at peak. The view is one of the best in Wisconsin, and I had it all to myself. It was worth the wait.
The area is popular for seeing fall colors, but in 2016massive floods washed out the parking area and part of the trail to get there. Because those floods caused damage across the 1.5-million-acre national forest, and because the area had flooded before, it took almost three years to rebuild the parking area in a more sustainable location.
Even now that it’s open again, it’s not easy to get to.The remote area is a 5.5-hourdrive from Milwaukee,including along unpaved forest roads — some of which are still being repaired. And the4.2-mileround-triphike to the dome, the highest point in the forest at 1,565 feet, isn’t easy.
But the trip is worth it, and not just for the viewsfrom the top and along the way. The area also includes a beautiful 70-foot waterfall, Morgan Falls, that’s an easy1.6-mile walk from the same parking lot.
That parking area was moved after the 2016 flood, and part of the trail was rebuilt to withstand future flooding before reopening in early 2019.
The new parking area,just north of the old one,is large,with vault toilets. The trail from the lot is relatively easy, following a wide, crushed stone path through a mix of hardwoods that were vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red when I hiked on Oct. 8.
The trail crosses Morgan Creek via a handful of new sturdy bridges that will hopefully withstand future floods.
About half a mile in, the trail splits, with one route leading to Morgan Falls and the other to St. Peter’s Dome.
The final less-than-quarter-mileto Morgan Falls is along the same easy gravel path, which ends at the elegant waterfall that drops a total of 70 feet over a series of ledges in the red-gray granite. You can easily get close to the base of the narrow falls, and if it had been a warmer day I would have been tempted to walk in the shallow pool at its base.
But instead I snapped a few photos that could not come close to capturing its beauty and followed my tracks back to where the trail split.
From there, the other trail is more of a traditional single-track as it begins the 500-foot climb up to St. Peter’s Dome.
The hike from the split — about 3 miles round-trip — is more rugged than the walk to Morgan Falls. Rocks and roots abound, and there are a couple creek crossings via rock bridges.
But if you’re prepared with the proper footwear and clothing, some water and snacks, it’s not too difficult or steep. The trail gains elevation slowly, via moderate switchbacks. I saw every age of hiker on the trail — from an elementary school group and older adults to a young couple each carrying a child on their backs.
The trail was in good shape with only a few muddy spots, and crews from the forest service were working on some of those, moving rocks to prevent water from pooling when it rains.
It was a beautiful fall hike, passing through stands of changing basswood and sugar maples — the stars of the season that can turn from green to yellow, orange and red. There were alsoclusters of hemlocks on some of the exposed granite cliffs, covered in vibrant green moss even in early October.
The trail was busy considering it was a weekday morning, but when I got to the top around noon, I had the gorgeous view to myself. The open area is small, so I imagine it could get crowded on weekends, especially in the fall.
The forest service says you can see Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands 30 miles away on a clear day, but you must need perfect eyesight and an even clearer day than I had for that.
Instead, it was seemingly endless forest with a few farms in the distance.
For fall views in Wisconsin, it doesn’t get much better than that.
More information: The parking area for Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome is on Ashland-Bayfield Road (Forest Road 199), between Mellen and Grand View, about 340 miles north of Milwaukee.Cars need a $5 day pass(payable at the parking area; annual passes are $30).
Leashed pets are permitted on the trails.
There are ongoing road repairs in the national forest, which can lead to closures. Checkfs.usda.gov/cnnfbefore you head out.
Contact Chelsey Lewis atclewis@journalsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter at @chelseylew and@TravelMJS and Facebook at Journal Sentinel Travel.
