Getting killer views of anywhere in the state usually requires a not-exactly-easy hike and climb. But when you’re in Milwaukee, you can hike right along the lakefront on a paved path that’s part of a system that’s 120 miles long and traverses the whole city. The path will lead you to Northpoint Lighthouse, where the most strenuous part is the climb to the top of the lighthouse. The payoff is stellar views of the whole city.
You can pick up the Oak Leaf Trail anywhere along Lincoln Memorial Drive north of downtown Milwaukee. There's street parking the whole way. If you're up for a longer hike, the Milwaukee Art Museum is a great starting point and the lighthouse is about 2.4 miles north from there. You can also start at McKinley Marina for a nice one-mile hike to the lighthouse.
The Oak Leaf Trail is one of the very best urban trails, with more than 120 miles of mostly paved paths. It meanders all over Milwaukee and is a great way to get to know the city. Here, it'll lead you up from the lakefront to Lake Park and the lighthouse.
The views in Lake Park are stunning all on their own as you climb up the bluff and get peek-a-boo views of Lake Michigan. The park itself is a remarkable jewel that was conceived and rendered in 1893 by Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted, the designer of New York’s Central Park and the 1892 Chicago Exposition, was one of the 19th century’s foremost American landscape architects.
You'll spy the now-retired 1888 lighthouse among the trees as you approach. Decommissioned in 1994, the lighthouse is one of the oldest stranding structures in the city.
It has a 74-foot tower and a Queen Anne-style Keeper’s Quarters. There is a fully-accessible museum in the house. Sitting atop a tall bluff, the beacon actually sits 154 feet above Lake Michigan, making it one of the highest lights in the Great Lakes. That's what makes it one of the very best views around.
You'll climb a winding staircase up to the top of the lighthouse. It's a gorgeous piece of architecture and you can see amazing bits of craftsmanship and elements of design in this beautiful spiral staircase.
Of course, the lake views are really the most stunning part. You'll be able to see for miles up and down the coastline, enjoying some of the best views of Lake Michigan you'll ever see.
Whether you go for summer's extended hours, to see fall foliage, or in winter when there are fewer leaves obscuring your view, this climb is worth it no matter the season. The hike to get here is as easy as they come.
Northpoint Lighthouse is located at 2650 N Wahl Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211 in Lake Park.
During the summer, the lighthouse is open for tours every Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Those hours run from mid-June until the end of August. The rest of the year, the lighthouse is open Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, students and children aged 5-11. Children under age 4 are free. Children must be at least 5 years old and at least 38 inches tall to climb the tower.
To see a map of Lake Park at the Oak Leaf Trail, click here. To learn more about the Oak Leaf Trail, click here.
