There are some great hikes in northern Wisconsin, but the trail to Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is easily one of my favorites. The hike takes you to the second tallest waterfall in Wisconsin (Morgan Falls) and to an excellent viewpoint overlooking the forest (St. Peter’s Dome). This trail is a great way to spend an afternoon and a fantastic place to do some hiking.
Getting to the Trailhead
In general, it’s pretty easy to get to the trailhead for Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome. Just navigate to the location on Google Maps.
The only thing that I really want to mention is that you will come up a very long gravel road to reach the parking lot. It’s in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, so it’s pretty isolated. Additionally, you’re in rural Wisconsin, so you’ll definitely need to have your own vehicle.
Trail to Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome
From the trailhead, there are two unique points of interest you can hike to. The first is Morgan Falls, which is the second tallest waterfall in Wisconsin. The second is to St. Peter’s Dome which features a great lookout point over the forest. It’s up to you whether you want to hike to just one of these spots or if you want to visit both. Personally, I recommend both if you are able.
Trail to Morgan Falls
Morgan Falls is closer to the trailhead than St. Peter’s Dome so it just makes sense to talk about Morgan Falls first. From the parking lot, it’s about a 0.9 mile hike to Morgan Falls. There is a spur in the main trail after about 0.75 miles, so if you want to visit Morgan Falls, make sure you pay attention. If you miss this turn, you’ll find yourself hiking all the way to St. Peter’s Dome without having seen the waterfall (though don’t worry, the sign is pretty obvious). From the junction, it’s only another 0.15 miles to Morgan Falls.
As far as waterfalls go, Morgan Falls is nice, but it’s not my favorite. I spent three days visiting waterfalls across northern Wisconsin and found some really great ones, so Morgan Falls just didn’t quite make my favorites list. I don’t think that it’s a bad waterfall, but rather, I found many other waterfalls to be more impressive.
I think some of that may be due to the awkward angle. I wanted a nice photo and just couldn’t seem to find an angle that where I could get a nice shot of the waterfall. To be fair, I couldn’t really find a great view even without the camera. So while the waterfall was nice, it just wasn’t as photogenic as some of the other waterfalls.
The good news though is that the trail to Morgan Falls is pretty easy. Yes it’s nearly a mile one way, but it’s a pretty flat trail. I only logged 30 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead to the waterfall, so for those who want a hike but don’t want anything even close to strenuous, Morgan Falls might be the answer.
Trail to St. Peter’s Dome
The trail to St. Peter’s Dome is longer and more difficult than the trail to Morgan Falls, but I wouldn’t necessarily call the St. Peter’s Dome trail difficult. I’d say it is more of a moderate trail. You’ll have some elevation gain and some rocky terrain, but it’s never too hard. In fact, there was only one section of trail that I found difficult and it was a section of trail where a large tree had fallen over the trail. Your options were climbing over the tree or taking a steep path up and around (whereas if we could have followed the trail, the section wouldn’t have even been notable).
From Morgan Falls, it’s 1.4 miles to St. Peter’s Dome. The entire trail from Morgan Falls is uphill and you’ll gain about 450 feet of elevation, but I never found it to be particularly steep. Just prepare for a steady climb for your entire trek.
Unfortunately though, the trail isn’t what I would call exciting. It’s a trail through the woods and I didn’t feel like there was anything super remarkable about it. Maybe I’m just numb to Wisconsin’s never-ending hikes through the forest, but if you’re looking for an exciting trail the entire way, it’s not this one.
That said, your reward for hiking is a sweeping view of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. I happened to be the only person at the viewpoint when I visited (though I passed people on both directions of my hike) and that made the experience better. Take some photos and enjoy the view. But watch out for mosquitoes.
I had no issues with mosquitoes on my trip to northern Wisconsin (I got very lucky), but at St. Peter’s Dome, they were absolutely vicious. I didn’t even have issues when I was hiking, just at the viewpoint, so take that for what it is.
When you’re finished, simply retrace your steps back to the parking lot. While you’ll have a tiny bit of climbing on the return journey, it’s almost two miles of downhill back to the trailhead and the parking lot.
Trail Stats
There’s several ways you can hike this trail and it all depends on what you want to see. I visited both Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome and here’s what I logged.
Parking lot to Morgan Falls (one way): 0.9 miles, 30 feet of elevation gain
Morgan Falls to St. Peter’s Dome (one way): 1.4 miles, 450 feet of elevation gain
St. Peter’s Dome to Parking lot (one way): 1.9 miles, 70 feet of elevation gain (but an overall descent of nearly 500 feet)
Total: 4.2 miles, 550 feet of elevation gain, 1 hour 45 minutes (including time for photos)
Entrance Fees for Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome
Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome are located within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. You must pay for a day use pass to visit the park. There is no formal entrance station but you’ll find kiosks at the popular parking lots, including the lot for the Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome Trailhead.
The day use pass is $5 per vehicle. If you have an interagency pass, such as the America the Beautiful Pass, this is also accepted. Leave your day use pass (or interagency pass) displayed in your vehicle while you hike.
More at Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is home to more than 800 miles of hiking trails. So, the trails to Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome just scratches the surface of what’s available. Beyond hiking, you’ll also find some lakes which offer a different kind of recreation. Learn more at the official website.
When to Hike to Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome
When people think of Wisconsin weather, they likely think of snow and cold. That’s not an unreasonable assumption as winters here can be cold, snowy, and brutal. While you’ll find some winter activities here like cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and a few others, for most visitors, you’ll want to look to warmer weather.
By far the most popular time to visit northern Wisconsin is during the summer months. This is when you’ll have the warmest weather (a definite plus while spending time near Lake Superior) but also the highest prices. Summers in Wisconsin can also get humid, so keep that in mind.
During the fall months, the changing leaves make everything in Wisconsin a gorgeous color. Temperatures are cooler which can be both good and bad. Summer crowds have also diminished but that may mean limited availability for activities near the Apostle Islands.
More in Northern Wisconsin
Morgan Falls is just one of the many waterfalls in Northern Wisconsin, so if it’s waterfalls you’re after, you don’t have to look far. While there are plenty of waterfalls to be found throughout northern Wisconsin, you can’t go wrong with those in the state park. Big Manitou Falls at Pattison State Park is the tallest waterfall in Wisconsin, while nearby Amnicon Falls State Park offers a series of waterfall with a historic bridge. Copper Falls State Park has the Doughboy Trail that loops you through three waterfalls on an excellent hiking trail.
Also in the very north of Wisconsin, you’ll find the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. You’ll find more hiking trails on the mainland, but getting out to see the rock formation of the islands is what’s really special. Either take a scenic cruise from Bayfield or hit the lake in a kayak.
Madeline Island also makes a great day trip from the mainland. Visit the main town of La Pointe or head to Big Bay State Park.
Final Thoughts
I included this trail because I wanted to visit Morgan Falls, but decided to add on the spur to St. Peter’s Dome after seeing the positive reviews on AllTrails. That was an excellent decision because this trail quickly made to my list of favorite trails in Wisconsin. So if you’re in the area, I highly recommend including a hike to Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome.
Continue Your Adventure
Wisconsin Northwoods: Northern Wisconsin is full of great waterfalls, including Amnicon Falls State Park and Big Manitou Falls at Pattison State Park.
More in Wisconsin: In Door County, don’t miss the gorgeous parks and endless hiking opportunities. Further south on the shores of Lake Michigan is Kohler Andrae State Park, which is one of my favorites. About an hour north of Madison, you’ll find Wisconsin Dells and Devil’s Lake State Park.
More in the Midwest: South of Wisconsin is Illinois and the city of Chicago. Slightly east of Chicago is Indiana Dunes National Park. To the southwest of Wisconsin is Iowa with its fun Maquoketa Caves State Park.