13 Easy Spring Hikes in Wisconsin With Beautiful Views

The weather has finally warmed up, and it's rained enough to make sure everything is green and growing, so it's time to get outside! Go searching for wildflowers, enjoy the budding trees, look for baby animals, and generally celebrate the renewal of life after a very long, very cold, very snowy, and very hard winter. Here are 13 of the best hikes in Wisconsin that will get you into the forest to check out amazing sights. Next time you want to trek along one of the best Wisconsin hiking trails, keep an eye out for these gems!

1. Lime-Kiln Trail, High Cliff State Park - Sherwood

If you can handle the hills, you really can't beat the Lime-Kiln trail. The short loop is just 0.9 miles and you get to head into the forest to see the escarpment formations as well as walk along the edge of the lake. It's one of the best hikes in Wisconsin! The Butterfly Pond and Forest Management Trails feature a lot less elevation change.

2. Powder Hill Trail, Kettle Moraine Pike Lake Unit - Hartford

Powder Hill is 0.5 miles from the Nature Trail parking lot or 1.1 miles from the beach/picnic area parking lot. There's an observation tower that is worth the climb as you can see for miles in all directions.

3. Trail Tramper's Delight Trail, Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek

This trail is about 100 years old and connects Nicolet Bay and the Eagle Bluff Lighthouses. The 0.7-mile Minnehaha Trail along the lakeshore is also nice and easy.

4. Bison Nature Trail, New Glarus Woods State Park - New Glarus

This park has several trails under a mile, making it a good beginner-friendly stop. It's also an easy little side trip when you're spending a weekend in quaint New Glarus. This path is all about the prairie.

5. Hemlock Nature Trail, Wildcat Mountain State Park - Ontario

This 1.3-mile trail starts down by the Kickapoo River and heads up Mount Pisgah for some spectacular views. This is one of the most scenic spring hikes in Wisconsin!

6. Lake Geneva Shore Path - Lake Geneva

There is a paved path that fully circles Geneva Lake. The path is 26 miles long and can be accessed at several public places, such as the library and Big Foot Beach State Park.

7. Riverview Trail, Perrot State Park - Trempealeau

If you can handle the climb, definitely check out any of the Brady's Bluff trails. But since we're talking easy hike here, we'll focus on the Riverview Trail that traverses 3 miles along the Mississippi and Trempealeau Rivers.

8. Dells of the Eau Claire Loop, Dells of the Eau Claire Park - Aniwa

This is a peaceful stroll along the river near the public beach, with picnic spots. It's a great little introduction to this beautiful area, and definitely one of the best hikes in Wisconsin.

9. Willow Springs Trail, Blue Mound State Park - Blue Mounds

There are a handful of short trails at Blue Mound State Park, but this 2-mile trail goes through the forest, past a stand of willows, and to a natural spring that flows year-round and provides water for the first settlers to the area.

10. Ski Trails, Powers Bluff Maple Woods - Aripin

There are three different half-mile cross-country ski trails that make for great hiking in warmer months. The star here is a 1.6-million-year-old quartzite bluff.

11. Haskell Noyes Memorial Woods - Fond du Lac

A part of the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, there aren't really marked paths here, you just head out into the woods and explore.

12. Fox Maple Woods - Florence

Head into the forest and look for wildflowers in this 41-acre northern forest surrounded on three sides by the Whisker Lake Wilderness Area. The very best part is that this area is walk-in camping only; no motorized or mechanized vehicles are allowed. It is a place of true natural solitude.

13. Guided Tour, Ridges Sanctuary State Natural Area - Bailey's Harbor

You can head off on your own, but a guided hike with a naturalist is a relaxed, two-hour walk where you get to see and learn a ton. There is a small trail fee, but believe me when I say it's worth it for one of the best hikes in Wisconsin!

These are just a few of the great places you can see and explore this spring. What are some of the other spots you like to go for those first few breaths of fresh air in months? Let us know in the comments!

Looking for more of the best hikes in Wisconsin to get your family outside? Check out these 11 amazing Wisconsin hikes under 3 miles, and be sure to download the AllTrails+ app, which I find to be very helpful out on the trails!

Do you have a favorite hike in Wisconsin? Tell us about it on our nomination page, and you just might see your suggestion featured in an upcoming article. Ready to plan your next Badger State adventure? Check out Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.