Pattison State Park is located on state route 35 about 13 miles south of downtown Superior, Wisconsin. The 1436 acre park includes picnic areas, a swimming beach, campground, and several miles of trails. It also features 165' high Big Manitou Falls, the highest waterfall in Wisconsin. The waterfall is on the Black River as it flows north to the Nemadji River and then into Lake Superior.
Martin Pattison thwarted a plan to dam the Black River and submerge Big Manitou Falls by secretly buying a total of 660 acres along the river in 1917. The following year, he donated the land to the state for preservation. The state created the park in 1920, but it wasn't developed until the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established a camp at the park in 1935. The CCC developed the trails, the road underpass, the swimming beach, and most of the other facilities in the park.
The Black River passes over iron-bearing rock on its way to the falls. Enough iron leaches out of the rock and into the river to cause the water to have a dark reddish tint. We visited in early August 2017.
Park office
A small part of the picnic area
Shelter can be reserved for group functions
More of the picnic area
Paved path toward Big Manitou Falls
Benches for viewing Interfalls Lake
Tunnel entrance
Tunnel under WI 35
Looking back at the tunnel
Black River at the brink of the falls
Last drop above the main falls
Pavement ends and stairs begin
First viewing site
Partial view from the first site
Gravel and timber step path to second viewing site
Approaching the second viewing site
View downstream
Iron deposits on the rock face of opposite wall of the gorge
Big Manitou Falls
Base of the falls
Closer view of the base of the falls
View down the gorge
Back at the tunnel, turn right...
...to view the pedestrian bridge over the Black River
Arch bridge over the river
Spillway maintains level of Interfalls Lake
Bridge from the other side of the river
Last drop above the falls from the opposite side
Top of the falls
Obstructed view of the falls from the opposite side
Entry to Wisconsin State Parks requires an entrance fee. Vehicles with Wisconsin plates may enter for $8 per day or $28 per calendar year. Out-of-state vehicles are assessed a fee of $11 per day or $38 per calendar year.
Continuing our summer 2017 drive through Wisconsin, we stopped at the Namekagon River Visitor Center of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The visitor center houses the usual information desk, book shop, exhibits, restrooms and a small theater with about two dozen seats. An excellent 19 minute video, The Saint Croix: A Northwoods Journey, portrays the history of the riverway from an idea decades ago to its continuously changing reality through the voices of a variety of stakeholders.
The 2009 video is one of the best National Park Service productions that we've seen.
Visitor Center
Wayside exhibit
Informational kiosk
Sidewalk art
Brochure rack
Information desk
Riverway map exhibit
Sturgeon exhibit
Birch bark canoe
Black bear
Entry to the St Croix National Scenic Riverway is free.
We drove through Wisconsin on our summer 2017 trip to visit national parks in the Upper Midwest and the Dakotas. Along the way, we stopped at a rest area that also was signed for a scenic view. What we found was a rather unique feature at the Jackson County Rest Area on westbound Interstate 94. Known as Rest Area 54 by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), it is located six miles west of the Millston exit at mile marker 122.5. Besides the usual restrooms, tourist information brochures, and picnic area, this rest area has a 1/3 mile walking trail that includes a 560 foot boardwalk along the side of Belle Mound (called Bell Mound by WisDOT) to a viewing platform of the Black River Valley. The rest area was relocated in 1988 to include the scenic view. The trail has a solid surface of either concrete, asphalt, or lumber planking and climbs at a gradual pace, so it is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. This is a great place to stop and stretch your legs during a long drive.
Picnic tables
Wisconsin Law Enforcement Officers' Tribute
Flowerbed
Another flowerbed
Topographic map with GPS route
Elevation profile
Trailhead
Black River Valley commercial history
Wide paved path through the woods
Timber retaining wall
Retaining walls on both sides
Even with a nice trail, some people take shortcuts
Another retaining wall
The path to the right may lead to the top of Belle Mound, but we didn't explore it
I visited the roadside West Prong Falls again in July 2017. While the amount of water flowing over the falls was much reduced from my last visit in March, it was still a fascinating and beautiful sight to see.
Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.
