Ashland - Bayfield Area - Fall Color Scenic Drives
Color Tour trip - Ashland, WI - Old 9th Street Fishing Village
Fall Color, Fall Foliage Drives
Ashland, gateway to the Bayfield Peninsula, is about 42 miles west of Hurley/Ironwood on US Highway 2. Travelers coming from the east can go the direct route through Odanah, and perhaps stop at the Bad River Casino. As most of the lake is not in view along this route, those not on a time schedule will find a Fall color side trip worthwhile.
 Our recommended alternative is a waterfall side trip tour (south on Highway 169), stopping at Potato Falls and then on to Copper Falls State Park, near Mellen, WI. At Mellen, take Highway 13 north to Ashland and return to the regular Circle Tour route.
As of 9/27/08 Wi Travel Dept reports peak color change from Ashland to Hurley is about 30% and less than 25% from Bayfield to Superior. Peak color would be two to three weeks away.
Keweenaw travel bureau reports color change as high as 30% in some locales. |
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| ~~~"Click" on smaller images for a larger picture~~~ |
Ashland Lakewalk
We stayed along the lake at the city operated Kreher RV campground (the lake water near the shoreline was brown due to runoff from heavy recent rains).The lakewalk connects Kreher to Bayview Park on the city's east side. > > >
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Along the lakewalk we discovered the old 9th street Fishing Village and this fishing camp that has seen better days (near right). The Bayview Park fishing/swimming pier uses the pylons from a former ore dock that stretched far out into the lake (far right). > > >
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Some history on the 9th Street Fishing Village
Former resident Andrea Logan wrote to share some tidbits about the "Fishing Village." The boathouse pictured above was the former home of an old-timer named "Bruno" who worked at the old paper mill. She remembers seeing her first Packer game on Bruno's TV. She also says that the cove formerly held many more boathouses than shown in the picture at the top of the page. What remains were those that survived the storm that claimed the Edmund Fitzgerald. Andrea says she enjoyed both swimming and ice fishing in the cove and she and her friends could walk out on the sandy bottom for almost a mile before the depth was over their heads. |
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| Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center |
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Located about 2 miles west of Ashland, just past the Highway 13 turnoff, the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center is one of our favorite stops for the panoramic view from their observation deck, the interesting exhibits on the Lake and the history of the area, and the boardwalk nature trails.
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The Centers multimedia theatre offers programs on the Apostle Islands and weekly movies. There is also a gift shop/bookstore and a historical archives research center. Free Admission.
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Bayfield, Wisconsin - Color and the Applefest |
In October 2005, the color was close to its peak on AppleFest weekend. We rolled into town late Sunday afternoon about an hour before the official end of the festival. Weather was sunny with a crisp wind off the lake keeping jackets buttoned up. |
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We caught some apple brats, got some OctoberFest beer, and enjoyed the ambience of the campfire at Greunke's (aka Gruenkes) outdoor beer garden (near right).
 Go here for more AppleFest Pictures & Information
Go here for a Fall Foliage Drive of Bayfield Orchards |
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Color was showing at our campground and up in the highlands orchard country. |
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A nice day trip color tour loop.
Take Hwy 13 north out of Ashland to Bayfield . . . then a short side trip detour to Little Sand Bay (via Hwy H). . . return to Hwy 13 and stop at Meyers Beach . . . then continue on to Cornucopia . . . In Cornie, take County C south out of town, traveling through the high country of the Bayfield Peninsula, eventually returning to Hwy 13 at Washburn. |
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| Go Here for More Scenic Fall Color Drive Recommendations |
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Fall Color Tour Map
