Fall Flourishes in the Northwoods of Wisconsin
Along the leaf-covered dirt path that follows the small flowage, or dam-formed lake, fall is everywhere. It can’t be missed—in the soft crunch and crackle perfectly matching the heel-to-toe roll of each foot as I step, and in the musky air that fills the cool forest. With one deep breath of the sweet smell, I know that fall has returned to the Northwoods.
Autumn’s my favorite season for a visit. The almost 500-acre Totagatic Flowage, lying northwest of Hayward, Wisconsin, on state Route 27, offers not only great fall color, but also eagles, deer, loons and, infrequently, endangered Karner Blue Butterflies, whose migration takes them through the area around this time. Several flowage accesses join state Route 27, or for a quieter look take Duck Pond Road (five miles north of the Totagatic River) to the west dam.
Flanked by the 850,000-acre Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Hayward sees premier leaf-color, and its three intersecting highways make it a natural base for day trips. State Route 77 runs east and west; state Route 27 and U.S. Highway 63 run north and south, and it’s easy to spot accesses as you drive. Those who prefer to plan ahead can start with http://www.travelwisconsin.com/ or http://www.wisconsinbeautiful.com/.
I’ve gravitated once again to the 47,000-acre Brule River State Forest along state Route 27, between Hayward and Superior. Since bald eagles migrate down the Brule River, whenever I wander this forest I watch for their far-off silhouettes. And should raptors not cooperate, I can still laugh at the chattering chipmunks as they blur across the ground, stopping to dig at every possible hiding place for some forgotten morsel. Fortunately, unlike them, I’m in no hurry.
Writer, photographer and outdoor enthusiast David Iushewitz is based in Glendale, Wisconsin.
Rumbling Waters: Visit Big Manitou Falls, which tumbles 165 feet to the Black River, and Little Manitou Falls immediately downriver. You can find them in Pattison State Park on state Route 35.
