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They also worked on the frame for the new boardwalk, and would later install new decking. Work started on the project earlier in the week when the crew tore out the old boardwalk. “The old boardwalk was forty-plus years old and starting to show its age -- built on posts on a shelf above the creek. Plus, it was recently damaged by a tree that fell across it in September,” explained City of Bayfield Parks and Recreation Committee chair Kate Kitchell. “With more and more people using the Gil Larsen—many with children, the Committee determined that it would be wise to stabilize the structure as well as add railing. It’s a much nicer viewing area for the waterfalls, and easier for people to take pictures.”  Setting the foundation above the creek. Will & Bill above the creek edge. “There we go!” whooped volunteer Gene Lemmenes, lowering his sledgehammer after driving a piece of rebar through the boardwalk frame. “It’s amazing we haven’t hit any rock. Look at it! Loose rocks up there, loose rocks everywhere; you’d think there would be bedrock.” “It’s a hybrid between a crib wall and a boardwalk,” Will explained. “The crib will help prevent future erosion and keep the hillside in place. And because we’re replacing the boardwalk, it won’t really change the look.” Will has been busy during the trail-building season working on projects all the way from the Cable area up the Iron Range. Kate calls him, “A project leader extraordinaire!” Will thought the project was going smoothly and was especially grateful to the Coast Guard for carrying the six-by-six beams and other materials down the Sweeny Switchback and across the stream to a more accessible staging area.
The completed boardwalk. Click images to enlarge. The new boardwalk was funded by the City of Bayfield over two fiscal years. Many thanks to volunteers Bill Bland, Kate Kitchell, Gene Lemmenes, Scott Nesvold, Keith Ray, and Pete Rothe, who helped with the project.
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Based upon the lessons learned in 2022, Bayfield Area Trails will expand the Adopt-a-Trail program in 2023. Keep your eyes peeled to sign up next spring.
An enthusiastic group of Northland College students recently spent a day doing service work on the new Pikes Creek Trail as part of their August Welcome Experience to the Chequamegon Bay area.
The recent work was done on the half-mile long “B” segment of the Pikes Creek Trail. The “C” segment starts at the Fish Hatchery, and the “A” segment connects to the Jolly Loop.
The students were from all over including Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, central and southern Wisconsin, and the Twin Cities area. Several students planned to major in outdoor education; others were studying biology and natural resources. Welcome, all, to the Chequamegon Bay Area! And thanks for your work on the Bayfield Area Trails!
Thanks to sponsorship from the Town of Bayfield and approval from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Bayfield Area Trails is moving forward with the development of the new “Pikes Creek to Ashwabay Trail” that will connect from the Les Voigt Fish Hatchery on Highway 13 south of Bayfield to the Jolly Long Loop of the Mt. Ashwabay trails network.
The trail is designed for foot and snowshoe use; because of the special protections in the DNR’s Pikes Creek Management Area, no motorized or bicycle use will be allowed.
Steve Vizanko of Bayfield Nordic sees this as a positive addition to the area’s trails. “Adding this as a snowshoe trail will create a great opportunity, as well as alleviate some existing conflicts between snowshoers and nordic skiers. Plus, the views from the plateau in winter time will be fantastic.”  Winter view from plateau on the trail. Click to enlarge image.
Work was launched on August 30 – 31. We will soon reach out via email to recruit and schedule volunteers to work on Segment C. If you are not on the BATs email list and you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here.
The Bayfield Area Trails Committee is also especially grateful for the support from the Town of Bayfield Board, Clerk and Treasurer; without them, this project would not have been possible.
"Hikers will enjoy walking the nice loop along the trail, climbing to a forest overlook point and strolling along Pikes Creek,” said volunteer crew leader Mike Kinnee who helped organize area citizens to make needed improvements throughout the loop trail. “There’s a lot of interesting ferns and unique flora out there. We found some beautiful lady slippers out there last spring,” he added.
The original trail was made possible in 2006 by Jerry Jolly, who lived nearby. He donated 72 acres of the land here, containing the creek, meadows, and forests to Bayfield County with the desire that it be open to people for recreation. While Mr. Jolly has since passed, his legacy gift continues to provide great enjoyment to all who recreate here. It is particularly beautiful in the autumn when one can walk along Pikes Creek reflecting the colors of the fall leaves or from the hilltop overlook gazing through the colorful forest to the creek below.
The National Park Service is completing a two-year facelift of the Lakeshore Trail this summer that hikers will find more than cosmetic. The trail improvements will protect natural resources, improve public safety and enhance visitor experience throughout the year.
Hikers will readily see many of the improvements. About 800 feet of new boardwalks will cover wet, muddy areas and will discourage the continuation of informal, social trails. Four new bridges spanning steep ravines, including two that are nearly 50 feet long, will replace those in poor condition and make walking easier and safer. Three beautiful, hand-crafted cedar benches will offer a respite for weary feet while five small waysides will be created for future informational and signage kiosks. And three overlooks will offer travelers great Lake Superior and island views, safely from atop the cliffs. Click images for full-screen slideshow. While use is limited to foot traffic only, for those who are interested in backpacking and overnight use, two new campsites will be added mid-trail, to augment the single site that now exists at the far end of the trail. Some trail work will be less apparent. The trail will be rerouted in one area to prevent soil compaction around the state endangered mountain cranberry that grows here, and new water bars along the trail in spots will prevent future erosional problems. Click images for full-screen slideshow. These additions will make a great trail experience even better. Late afternoon and evening are particularly good times to enjoy the lake scenery as the western sun lights up the cliffs as the waters shimmer below. Whether you’ve hiked this trail many times, or this will be your first, you will find the walk a delight as the mix of clouds, waters and light are always creating a new and changing palette of colors, textures and scenes to enjoy.
For more information on the trail and current conditions, visit the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore website. Thanks to many donations, funding from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and the hard work of the City staff, the renovation of the Waterfront Walk through Memorial Park is complete!
 Waterfront Walk looking south from gazebo.
On behalf of the City of Bayfield Parks and Recreation Committee, please accept our heartfelt appreciation for helping to make this happen! Along with the Harbor improvements, this is something we can all be proud of.
THANK YOU!!!
Bill Bland said that when he moved to the area six years ago, the Big Ravine West Rim Trail was, he thought, the best, closest trail to town—and, for that reason, got the most use. “But over time,” Bill said, “because of heavy usage, the trail got ratty in spots. Dirt gets kicked aside, and stones and roots emerge. A little effort toward trail maintenance can make a big difference.”
BATs volunteers who worked on West Rim Trail included Jackson Beckman, Bill Bland, Mark Filonowich, Neil Howk, John Ipsen, Kate Kitchell, Gene Lemmenes, Ted May, Leo Stern, Cyndi Taylor, and Kris Wegerson. What’s the next opportunity to volunteer with Bayfield Area Trails? The BATs Trails Subcommittee will be looking for help on the Jerry Jolly Trails’ Overlook Loop during the week of July 24-30. Under the leadership of Mike Kinnee and Genevieve Johnson, the work will consist of clearing encroaching vegetation and re-establishing the trail between the Pikes Creek bridge and the Overlook. The crew will also install about 30 feet of boardwalk and a small wooden footbridge on the trail along Pikes Creek. Learn more about signing up to receive BATs updates, and volunteer, by clicking here.
The more volunteers, the merrier! On Thursday May 5th, a group of volunteers constructed short lengths of portable boardwalk to mitigate passage through wet areas on the north end of the Big Ravine’s East Rim Trail. The many hands of the following volunteers allowed the project to be completed in under two hours: Don Louis Bredle, Kurt Dicke, Mary Finn, Neil Howk, Paul & Brenda Kaese, Kate Kitchell, Tessa Levens, and Gene Lemmenes. The group dug small channels to help drain standing water off of the trail. They also constructed a dozen sections of treated boardwalk using 8-foot lengths of 2" x 12" boards screwed to 6" x 6" blocks. The boardwalks were placed along the wettest sections of the trail and can easily be moved aside once the trail dries out.
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