Big Bay State Park
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
2,363 acres8.6 mi of trail
Lagoon Ridge TrailWoods TrailPoint TrailBayview Trail+1
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Corey Coyle · CC BY 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in La Pointe
More than half of La Pointe’s land is conserved: 75%
75% of La Pointe’s land is conserved, about 37,434 acres. The biggest trail networks: Big Bay State Park (8.6 mi), Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve (7.1 mi), Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (6.2 mi). 5,332 acres are parks and preserves, 16,612 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
75%
37,434 acres · of 77.8 sq mi of land
Trails
34 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,332 ac
16,612 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
57%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.4 mi
6.4 mi lanes
Lakes & rivers
3
3 beaches · 2 boat launches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Big Bay State Park, with 8.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve
Nature preserve
2,667 acres7.1 mi of trail
Fisherman's LoopCasper TrailWest LoopNucy Meech Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Managed by National Park Service
34,800 acres6.2 mi of trail
Tombolo Trail
Dogs usually limited
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Gaylord Nelson Wilderness
Managed by National Park Service
32,071 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dogs usually limited
No trailhead mapped yet
Big Bay Town Park
Managed by Town of La Pointe
90 acres0.4 mi of trail
Lagoon Ridge Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Forest Park
Managed by Town of La Pointe
23 acres0.3 mi of trail
Casper Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
All 11 parks & preserves
Big Bay State Park2,363 acres · 8.6 mi of trail · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsMadeline Island Wilderness Preserve2,667 acres · 7.1 mi of trail
DirectionsApostle Islands National Lakeshore34,800 acres · 6.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
Gaylord Nelson Wilderness32,071 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
Big Bay Town Park90 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of La Pointe
DirectionsForest Park23 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of La Pointe
DirectionsSouth Shore Road Park23 acres · Town of La Pointe
Ojibwa Memorial Park4 acres · Town of La Pointe
DirectionsGrants Point/Old Fort Road Lake Access3 acres · Town of La Pointe
Harry Nelson Recreation Center2 acres · Town of La Pointe
DirectionsMemorial Park1 acres · Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
DirectionsWho protects it
37,434 conserved acres
75% of La Pointe’s land. Who manages La Pointe’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service34,768 ac
State natural resources2,550 ac
Private owners175 ac
National Lakeshore or Seashore · 34,768 acState Park · 2,529 acPrivate Park · 175 acConservation Easement · 21 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1 acre is a conservation easement, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apostle Islands National Lakeshore National Lakeshore or Seashore | National Park Service | 34,768 | Open |
| Big Bay State Park Private Park | Private owners | 2,511 | Open |
| Madeline Island Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 154 | Open |
| Big Bay State Park 4 State Park | State natural resources | 39 | Open |
Things to do
21 places to go in La Pointe
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in La Pointe
Joni's BeachIn Memorial Park
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in La Pointe
La Pointe PlaygroundIn Harry Nelson Recreation Center
DirectionsPlus 2 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in La Pointe
La Pointe Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in La Pointe
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in La Pointe
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in La Pointe
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in La Pointe
Big Bay State Park Group Camp Site 1In Big Bay State Park · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsBig Bay State Park Group Camp Site 2Fee · In Big Bay State Park · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsBig Bay Town Park CampgroundFee · Town of La Pointe
DirectionsMichigan Island Watercraft Campsite #1In Gaylord Nelson Wilderness · Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
DirectionsStockton Island Watercraft Campsite #20Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
DirectionsStockton Island Watercraft Group Campsite AFee · In Apostle Islands National Lakeshore · Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
DirectionsStockton Island Watercraft Group Campsite AFee · In Apostle Islands National Lakeshore · Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
DirectionsTrails & water
13 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 12.5 mi
Tombolo Trail3.3 mi
Lagoon Ridge Trail2.5 mi
Fisherman's Loop1.2 mi
Casper Trail1.1 mi
Woods Trail1.0 mi
Point Trail1.0 mi
Bayview Trail1.0 mi
West Loop0.7 mi
Nucy Meech Loop0.6 mi
Point Loop Trail0.6 mi
3 more trails
East Loop
0.3 miBurroughs Trail
0.3 miCut-Across Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
6.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
6.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
Courts & fields
11Tennis
1Pickleball
1Basketball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 4 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
La Pointe Indian CemeterySite · listed 1977
About itHadland Fishing CampBuilding · listed 1977
About itBass Island Brownstone Company QuarrySite · listed 1978
About itManitou CampBuilding · listed 1983
About itCoole Park ManorBuilding · listed 2005
About itRocky Island Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2008
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in La Pointe: May, August and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.9 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°F) | 22 | 26 | 37 | 48 | 61 | 71 | 77 | 76 | 68 | 54 | 40 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 1.8 |
February is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 3.8 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in La Pointe →
Questions about parks and trails in La Pointe
Where can I hike in La Pointe?
The longest trail networks: Big Bay State Park, 8.6 miles; Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve, 7.1 miles; Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 6.2 miles; Gaylord Nelson Wilderness, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on La Pointe’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Big Bay State Park and Big Bay Town Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in La Pointe?
6.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 6.4 of painted or protected lanes.
Is there public land near La Pointe?
48,098 acres of parks and open public land lie inside La Pointe or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,332 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from La Pointe neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →