Most visitors picture lakes when they think of the Northwoods, and fair enough — but a short drive from Eagle River gets you to something quieter: forest waterfalls, tucked into the Nicolet National Forest, and a string of backroads that make for one of our favorite half-day trips. Here's how we'd plan it.
Nearby falls
Are there waterfalls near Eagle River?
There are, and they're easy to underestimate. A short drive into the Nicolet National Forest, along the upper Wisconsin River, brings you to a set of forest falls and rapids reached by an easy walk from the parking area — no technical hiking required, just sturdy shoes and a little patience for uneven footing near the water. The forest closes in around you on the approach, so the sound of the water reaches you before the view does.
Closer to home, Eagle River itself has a smaller falls and dam right downtown, at the spot where the river feeds into the Eagle River Chain — the world's largest inland chain of freshwater lakes. It's a nice five-minute stop to stretch your legs on the way to or from dinner.
Timing
When should you go to see them at their best?
Flow changes with the season. Spring snowmelt brings the falls up highest and loudest, which is dramatic if you don't mind cooler weather and a little mud on the trail. Fall is our favorite combination trip — pair a falls stop with the color tour we're already partial to, since the drive there runs through some of the best hardwood stretches in the area. Summer flow is calmer, but it's still a worthwhile, easy outing, and the forest is at its greenest.
By car
What are the best scenic drives nearby?
Nicolet National Forest byway
The highways threading through the national forest east of town are the backbone of the trip — dense hardwood-and-pine canopy, river crossings, and the turnoff for the falls.
County backroads loop
String together the quiet county highways around Sugar Camp and Three Lakes for a slower, lake-to-lake loop you can fit between other plans.
Downtown & the headwaters
Walk the falls and dam right in Eagle River, where the chain begins, then wander into town for coffee or an ice cream cone before heading back out.
Make a day of it
How do you build this into a full Northwoods day?
Start slow with coffee on the dock, then head out mid-morning for the drive and falls — you'll be back well before lunch. Spend the afternoon on the water; both cabins keep kayaks on hand if you'd rather paddle than drive any further. By evening, a supper club or fish fry rounds things out nicely, and the firepit does the rest once the sun goes down.
Where to stay for a day-trip base
Both of our cabins sit right on the water and make an easy home base for this loop — The O.G. on Lake Arbutus and The Grandy Dandy on the Sugar Camp Chain, each with kayaks, a hot tub, and the lake out the door for whenever you get back.
Good to know