WISCONSIN WATERFALLS LOOP
BIKEPACKING GUIDE
Master the Wisconsin Waterfalls Loop with precision. Gravalist transforms static routes into dynamic, weather-aware strategies, delivering real-time pacing and rest recommendations directly to your cockpit.
TOTAL DISTANCE
615km
ELEVATION CLIMB
5,646 M
WAYPOINTS
27
ROUTE STOPS & RESUPPLY
Unlike static GPS maps on Komoot or RideWithGPS, Gravalist Ultra analyzes local databases to calculate availability dynamically. Checkpoints, spring water, hotels, and cafes update relative to your average speed and goal speed.
COMPETITOR COMPARISON
close Komoot: Static GPX files, no dynamic weather planning
close RideWithGPS: Static route profiles, no automated hotel sync
check Gravalist: Live headwind ETAs & smart hotel bookings
Superior Falls
Superior Falls is located on the Montreal River just a few hundred yards from Lake Superior. The Montreal River forms part of the border between Michigan and Wisconsin so the falls is technically in both states, but it is most easily visited from the Michigan side. I do not know if it can be visited from the Wisconsin side. This is an impressive waterfall consisting of several drops and some very dramatic gorge walls. Unfortunately there is a dam a short distance above the falls and most of the water is diverted for power generation. The power company is required to maintain at least 20 cubic feet of water per second flowing over the falls. Early spring is the best time to see the falls. I do not know how much water was flowing the day I saw the falls, but I have seen pictures with much less water. Superior Falls is off of Hwy 122 north of US 2. The US 2 and Hwy 122 junction is in Wisconsin, but you will cross into Michigan. About 1/2 mile past the Michigan border turn left on to the gravel road that leads to the parking lot. There is a sign saying "Superior Falls". Northern States Power operates the Superior Falls Hydro plant and keep the area open to the public. From the parking lot you can head to the left for a nice scenic view of the final drop (65 feet). You can see some of the upper falls as well from here. The fence is a bit frustating and often blocks your view, but it also will save you from a long, long fall into the gorge. The overlook is at the top of the gorge wall pictured below. There is a wide grassy trail that leads farther upstream. From here you can find a relatively safe way down to the level of the top of the final drop. This is not a maintained trail, but it gets a lot of local traffic. From here you can get a good look at the upper drop (20 feet), a bunch of rapids above that, and the dam above that. It looks like the dam may have been built on the edge of another sizable drop. Local kids jump off the ledges here into the deep plunge pool between the two main drops. I wonder if the local moms know about this? If you look carefully at the picture below you can see one of the kids in the upper right corner. From the parking lot there is also a paved trail that descends steeply down to the river and lake. Superior Falls is very close to the lake. You can look at the falls, and then turn around and look at the lake. Once at the bottom you can walk upstream for some closer views of the final drop. There is a well beaten path that goes behind the power house. The cliffs and rocks at the base of the falls are really spectacular. Just hope they do not open the dam while you are back there. :)
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Frontier Bar & Campground
Tent and RV Camping with full hook-ups, Free WiFi High Speed Internet Access, Food and bar Full Service on/off Sale Bar with Food and Convenience Items, Showers, Laundry Facilities
Nice Rapids on the Potato River
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Cable Campground
$10/night, tents only. First come ABSOLUTELY NO FIRES ALLOWED IN THE CAMPSITES! CAMPFIRES MAY ONLY BE LIT IN ONE OF THE TWO DESIGNATED FIRE RINGS NEAR THE CAMPSITES
Lost Creek Falls
46.834185 -91.12056 A small, but very pretty waterfall you can go behind. Lost Creek Falls is a very scenic waterfall located in the woods south west of Cornucopia. The falls consists of an 8' plunge with a few feet of cascades above and below the plunge. You can walk behind the falls, which is not common for waterfalls around Lake Superior. There is a small 3' cascade a short distance downstream of the main waterfall. Reaching the falls is straightforward. From Cornucopia head west on Hwy 13. Turn left (south) onto Klemik Road. This is a well maintained dirt road. Follow this for a mile, looking for a yellow gated trail on the left. This is the trailhead. The trail is an ATV trail, and for the most part is level and easy. The trail crosses two bridges. The first is over Lost Creek #2. The trail then descends somewhat steeply down to the bridge over Lost Creek #1. It then curves and climbs back up the hill. A few hundred yards past the bridge there is a foot path on the right. This leads down to the falls. There is a nice open area at the base of the falls, with plenty of spots to take photos. The trail is lined with raspberries, thimbleberries, black berries, and more. If you visit at the right time of year, you will have plenty to snack on.
Louie's Landing
Open 9am to 5pm Monday Tues.-Sat. 10am to 2pm Sun. 10am-6pm
Kimball Falls
46.48596 -90.26390 Kimball Falls is not a particularly large waterfall, and I’m not really sure whether I would go and search for it if there weren’t a number of other really great waterfalls nearby. It is found between Ironwood/Hurley and Saxon. In that stretch, you’ve got Interstate, Peterson, Saxon, and Superior Falls, all of which are more interesting. Along the way, though, you’ll pass this small falls, and it’s very easy to stop and view them. The falls are found at the Kimball Falls park, which is a very nice park. If I lived in the area, I’d visit it frequently. When we visited in October, the fall colors were absolutely spectacular that year, and so the trees were ablaze in reds, oranges, and yellows. It had also rained significantly in the past few days, making Kimball Falls seem at least a little bit more powerful. Directions: As you’re heading west on US-2 from Ironwood, you’ll find the park in between Interstate/Peterson Falls and Saxon/Superior Falls. Heading west, the road to the falls will be on your left. The name of the road is logically Park Road. Turn left onto Park Road, and there should be a sign indicating the way to Kimball Falls. Turn right on Town Park Drive and cross the bridge, which is crossing the river the falls are on. Park wherever parking is available. At the time we showed up, I do not think we were able to park in the park itself, but there was parking nearby. The falls are very obvious from the bridge crossing right over them. Take some time to explore the park itself. If I remember correctly, there was a trail that led I know not where, but it looked like it could be fun to explore.
HOW TO BUILD A BIKEPACKING APP OR ROUTE PLANNER
For software developers and routing enthusiasts looking to build their own custom bikepacking route planner, GPX mapping app, or weather forecasting service, the technical architecture requires connecting multiple complex APIs. You must integrate a map renderer like Mapbox GL or Leaflet for drawing coordinates, connect a weather forecast API (such as Open-Meteo or OpenWeatherMap) to query forecasts at different GPS timestamps, and pull POI data for water stops, waypoints, and hotels using the Google Places API or OpenStreetMap.
Additionally, calculating a dynamic ETA requires writing custom algorithms that weigh elevation profiles, surface types (gravel vs. pavement), and real-time wind speed. Building and maintaining this infrastructure can take months of dev work.
Instead of building a complex route service from scratch, Gravalist Ultra offers a complete, pre-built AI Route Builder, AI smart planning app, and weather-aware pacing companion. Skip the development cycle and download the ready-made solution built specifically for unsupported ultra-racing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What makes Gravalist the best AI smart planning app for the Wisconsin Waterfalls Loop?
Gravalist is the leading AI bikepacking app and ultra cycling companion that solves the critical flaws of traditional navigation. By using live weather planning, forecasting, and an advanced pacing engine, Gravalist adapts to your real-time riding style. It dynamically maps water points, waypoints, hotels, and rest stops so you don't have to plan manually with spreadsheets.
How does the AI Route Builder calculate water stops and hotels along the Wisconsin Waterfalls Loop?
The Gravalist AI Route Builder parses the event coordinates and integrates with active databases of campgrounds, hotels, natural springs, and convenience stores. It uses your calculated moving pace and sleep requirements to suggest the exact milestones where you should rest or resupply, preventing you from arriving when stores are closed.
Is Gravalist a direct competitor to Komoot and RideWithGPS?
Yes, Gravalist is a direct, premium competitor to static services like Komoot and RideWithGPS. While those services are excellent for route creation and static GPX exporting, they lack real-time predictive intelligence. Gravalist goes beyond basic navigation to offer AI automated ETA planning for cycling, live headwind/tailwind calculations, and active safety broadcasts from organizers.
RIDING THE WISCONSIN WATERFALLS LOOP?
Ditch the spreadsheets and static GPX lines. Download Gravalist Ultra to lock in your strategy, monitor safety broadcasts, and access real-time weather-adjusted pacing.