ABOUT BAYFIELD

bayfield:where the water meets the soul

The “Gateway to the Apostle Islands,” “The Berry Capital of Wisconsin,” and “The Smallest City in Wisconsin” are all accolades Bayfield has earned. With a year round population hovering around 500 people, Bayfield still holds the title as one of the smallest cities in the state.

here are at least a dozen more merits this quaint town T on Wisconsin’s Northern most tip has to its name, but these titles are not often referenced by the folks who live here. If you ask they will let you in on some local secrets, such as where to get the best whitefish livers or the best spot to see the northern lights. As you drive north to Bayfield along National Scenic Byway, Highway 13, you’ll twist along the Gitchigami shoreline and rolling hills before it plateaus into the city limits. As you slow down, be sure to howl at the giant wolf (Ma’iingan in Ojibwe) at Howl Adventure Center and grab a homemade pie at the Gourmet Garage. When you turn the corner, you’ll be greeted by a panoramic view of Lake Superior and Madeline Island

before making your way down historic Rittenhouse Avenue. You’ll see the Old Rittenhouse Inn, the town’s first country inn and gourmet restaurant. You won’t find any box stores along the main corridor, only locally owned shops and galleries inviting you to take a piece of Bayfield home with you. A stroll through downtown reveals the brilliant work of the many artisans who call this town home and have found inspiration in the natural surroundings. At the end of Rittenhouse Avenue, you’ll find the Apostle Islands Cruises filled with visitors gripping their binoculars in anticipation of getting a closer look at the Apostle Islands. Walk along the path in Memorial Park and take in sailboats coming and going from the marina. Continue one block further north and catch the Madeline Island Ferry to see Bayfield from a new vantage point. The ferry terminal connects travelers and their vehicles from the mainland to the only currently inhabited island in the archipelago, Madeline Island. The ferry runs several times a day throughout the year whenever the channel is free enough from ice to operate. In years when the ice is thick enough to hold the weight of cars a road opens across the channel between Bayfield and La Pointe, the small town on Madeline Island, allowing residents and visitors to drive across the lake for a few short weeks in the peak of winter. Back on the mainland, the heavy lake effect snow makes the area a mecca for the active winter enthusiasts. Mt. Ashwabay’s 40 kilometers of pristine Nordic ski trails make it the perfect winter destination. Cozy lodging facilities make a splendid home base for quiet winter enthusiasts who prefer to curl up next to the fire with a book from Honest Dog Books or the Apostle Islands Booksellers. While some may feel the winters are long, we see it as more opportunities to ski and snowshoe miles of forested trails, or explore via snowmobile across Bayfield County. In spring when the ground starts to thaw, you’ll find Bayfield’s farmers and orchardists tending to their crop. With a climate tempered by its proximity to the greatest of the great lakes and protected by rolling hills, Bayfield is famous for its fruit production; a rarity in such a northern latitude. Just two miles from downtown Bayfield, you’ll discover the “Fruit Loop,” where growers produce some of the largest crops of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in the Midwest. You can’t find Bayfield fruits in your metropolitan grocery store; it stays local to make your favorite homestyle pie, cider, jelly, jam, or craft drink of choice. In the fall, stop by Erickson’s Orchards and pick up a dozen of the famous apple cider donuts and pick your own apples. Head to Bayfield Wineries and Blue Ox Cider to taste the fermented fruits in your favorite wine or cider. See the view of Lake Superior at Hauser’s Superior View Farm from the top of the historic 1928 SEARS mail-order barn. While you’re there, pick up a bottle of hard cider from Apfelhaus Cidery. Lake Superior’s unmatched beauty is what keeps people coming back to experience all of what Bayfield has to offer. Come often and stay long. Explore Bayfield and the Apostle Islands for yourself. Start planning your adventure today.