A wild uninhabited Wisconsin island is home to a trail that’s like no other. The Thordarson Loop Trail rings Rock Island, an island in Lake Michigan that’s an adventure just to reach – it takes two ferry rides to get to this place, which is a Wisconsin State Park. It’s worth the effort. Rock Island is home to rugged woodland trails, rocky beaches, beautiful stone structures, and an old lighthouse. there are no cars or bikes allowed on the Island, but the Thordarson Loop Trail will take you to all of the island’s best sights.
To get to the Thordarson Loop Trail, drive to the tip of the Door County peninsula and take a ferry to Washington Island. Then, drive or bike to Jackson Harbor and board the Karfi, a ferry that will take you on the short journey to Rock Island.
The first thing you will see on the island is a massive stone boathouse. Here is where you'll pick up the Thordarson Loop Trail. The trail is named after Chester Thordarson, a wealthy inventor who owned the island for decades before dying in 1945. He built the boathouse.
You'll encounter a couple of tiny cemeteries along the trail. They hold the graves of the island's early European settlers who worked here as fishermen. Their families left the island long ago.
The trail will take you past Pottawatomie Lighthouse, a structure that was built in 1836 with rock quarried nearby. The last lighthouse keeper left in 1946, but this building isn't going anywhere.
If you’re pressed on time, you can make the loop shorter by cutting across the island on the Havamal Trail. On the other hand, if you want an extended island hiking adventure, there are campsites on the south side of the island. Looking for more spectacular Wisconsin hiking trails? Here are 13 that are out of this world.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
