Close
We're Sorry
Lakeshore Trail to Sea Cave Overlook
Hiking in Apostle Islands, Wisconsin
Lakeshore Trail to Sea Cave Overlook
Cornucopia
view websiteMawikwe Road
Corucopia, WI 54827
715-779-3397
Good-for-Kids Rating
BabiesToddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Hiking
Lakeshore Trail to Sea Cave Overlook Description
The sea caves, one of the Apostle Island's most distinctive features, are accessible by kayak in the summer and ice hiking in the late winter. If you want to see them with younger kids, there's another option: a wonderful, relatively easy 1.1-mile hike on land (and over 11 wooden bridges) that brings you to an overlook where you stand on top of the caves and peer down, so close you can hear the water splashing in and out of this geological wonder.
Kid Tips
Toddlers & Pre-K: Bring a backpack carrier for young toddlers -- the path is too hard for them to hike unassisted. There are enough twists and turns -- and the reward of getting to the sea cave -- to keep even the youngest interested.
Pre-Teens & Teens: For older hikers, start your trail exploration at Meyers Beach. (Note: there is a $3 self-serve parking fee if you park your car here.)
Planning Notes
- Get there by car. The trailhead is about 13 miles (approximately 20 minutes) north of Bayfield on Highway 13. Take a right on Mawikwe Road before you get to Meyers Beach and drive 1.2 miles down the dirt road until you see a sign for the trail on your right.
- Take a longer hike. You can also begin this hike from Meyers Beach, which will add 0.7 miles to the trip.
- Bring water. The hike is shaded by tall trees and abundant flora, but you'll get thirsty after all that climbing.
- Expect to sweat. This is a kid-friendly hike (one 4-year-old scrambled up the path like a mountain goat), but it's still strenuous. Wear sturdy shoes, bring a snack, and be advised that you may end up carrying smaller children on the way back.
Just the Facts
Hours: Accessible 24/7
Fees: Free
Recommended Time: 2 - 4 hours
