Houghton Falls

Washburn, Wisconsin

3.0/5

based on 1 reviews

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Details

Distance

1.48 miles

Elevation Gain

180 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

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Added by Dan Barr

Nestled along the eastern shoreline of Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula, Houghton Falls is a beautiful nature preserve jam-packed with beautiful gorges and scenic vistas out onto Lake Superior.

Houghton Falls State Nature Preserve is a small but mighty park located just north of Washburn, WI. Starting at the trailhead on Houghton Falls Rd, the trail takes you through a heavily forested area filled with hemlock, yew, and birch. About 1/3 mile in, the trail comes across the Echo Dells, a series of deep sandstone ravines that are home to the parks main feature, Houghton Falls.

The trail continues along the southern rim of the ravines and crosses an old railroad bed used to haul brownstone from the quarries near Bayfield to major cities like Chicago and Cincinnati. Once on the other side of the railbed, the ravine deepens from 20'-30' to nearly 100' as the creek breaks to Lake Superior.

At the end of the trail about 3/4 miles in, the trail terminates at a short cliff that overlooks Lake Superior, and is a favorite destination for cliff jumping and swimming.

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Running

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Forest

Lake

Romantic

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Waterfall

Swimming Hole

Houghton Falls Reviews

Stephanie Windschill

Houghton Falls

10/30/19

This is a beautiful park, but where these pictures are taken from it's not encouraged to be going in that area as there are signs that say no trespassing. To preserve this area I would encourage everyone to follow the rules & signs that are posted.

3.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Houghton Falls

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Houghton Falls Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Camp at North Fork Campground

Kayak around Madeline Island

Cross Country Ski the Ashland Trails

Kayak at Big Bay State Park

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