Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

Grafton, Wisconsin

4.7/5

based on 11 reviews

Save

View all 17 photos

All 17 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

1.8 miles

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Jon Mattrisch

Stunning views of Lake Michigan. Five story bluffs. Beautiful nature scenes. Dozens of acres of trails and exploration. All just 30 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee, WI. If you're looking to capture some beautiful pictures of Wisconsin, or just want to hike along the shores of Lake Michigan, Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve is where you need to be.

Lion's Den Gorge is a gorgeous nature preserve featuring a variety of unique nature scenes. The park includes massive bluffs, sand dunes, forests, creeks and bridges, hiking trails and stunning vistas of the Lake Michigan shoreline. The preserve is 72 acres and is located in the town of Grafton, just north of Milwaukee. You won't need a vehicle pass or any paid admission to visit the preserve.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Photography

Hiking

Beach

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Lake

Picnic Area

Romantic

Scenic

Wildflowers

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop Reviews

Natalie F

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

07/02/20

This used to be less well known, but because of "stay at home" and covid, it's much more popular since people are exploring their own backyards again, which I guess is a good thing, but makes for more crowds! The first time I came here I couldn't believe the color of the water, it looks like you are in the Caribbean! It's beautiful, there are monarchs flying all around you, and it's an easy hike. If you come here just for this hike take the time to drive into Cedarburg and wander around their downtown. It's really cute! Lots of options for coffee or a meal, including Fiddleheads Coffee!

5.0

Elizabeth Wolfenberger

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

02/24/19

beautiful views. we went after several snowstorms/melting/refreezing and the trails were covered in ice so it was a bit slippery but well worth it for the scenery.

5.0

Explorer

Andy Merkel

Explorer

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

09/17/18

What a great place to go and explore Lake Michigan. These views are uncompromised in the area!

5.0

Brandi Matijevic

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

09/16/18

Easy trails with scenic views and a few hidden spots off the beaten path. A perfect little afternoon adventure.

5.0

Bernadette Garcia

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

03/04/18

There are a lot of paths to follow that all loop back to the parking lot. My children came along. They love the lake hikes that we go on. It was nice to hear the roar of the lake as we came in to the shore from the stairway. We did need a little more adventure than the marked pathway so we hoped of and trekked a bit off the path. It is definitely a beginners fun easy hike. With beautiful sights.

4.0

Kathy Kruse

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

09/09/17

Loved it! My sister-in-law and I went hiking there this morning. Beautiful views of Lake Michigan, and very easy hiking for new adventurers. It's not a huge park, so it's very doable to explore the whole thing in a morning.

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike the Bluff Trail to the stairs at Lion's Den Gorge

This is a longer hike than just simply appreciating the lake from the top. Follow the signs along the Gorge loop toward the "Stairs". This entire loop will take you approximately 1 hour from the parking lot to the lake roundtrip. There are multiple routes to the bottom. For those that want a straight shot to the staircase and to the lake, right off of the boardwalk will be a straight-shot tra...

Hike the shore of Lake Michigan at Doctor's Park

This park has it all. There is ample parking, full bathrooms, and picnic areas. The trail starts right at the parking lot and there are two different paths you can take: 1.) Follow the paved path down toward the lake on the north side of the parking lot 2.) Walk straight from the parking lot across the field and look for the staircase down to the lake among the trees. Once you get down to the ...

Hike the North and South Beach Trail at Harrington Beach State Park

This state park is about a 30 minute drive north from Milwaukee on I-43. It has beach access along it's entire length, multiple hiking trails, and a great quarry lake that can be used for fishing, hiking, or general exploring. From the parking lot, you can go and hike one two areas (of course they both meet up): The North BeachGo straight east and follow the path toward the water from the parki...

Hike the Quarry Lake Trail at Harrington Beach State Park

This state park is about a 30 minute drive north from Milwaukee on I-43. It has beach access along it's entire length, multiple hiking trails, and a great quarry lake that can be used for fishing, hiking, or general exploring. From the parking lot, go south toward the signs for Quarry lake. There is one paved path that will lead to the lake which is a quick 3-5 minute walk. You will be reward w...

Hike through the Menomonee River at Lime Kiln Park

Park right behind Main Street, and you can go on trails on either side of the river, or you can get your rain boots on and go through the river and see these bluffs with your own eyes up close. This is truly a hidden gem here in Menomonee Falls and you will be one of the few people that will discover it! There are 3 waterfalls here, mostly under 5 ft high, see if you can find them all! The tra...

Explore Atwater Park

One of Milwaukee's truly hidden gems, this beach is right off of Capitol Drive and approximately 50 stairs down from the bluffs to the shoreline! You can park anywhere on the road (Lake Drive) and be a short walk to the main overlook. This beach has many jetties that go out into the water which are closed off however they make great foreground interest if you are coming here for photography! ...

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop

Details

Description

Download the Outbound mobile app

Features

Hike the Lion's Den Gorge Loop Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Hike the Bluff Trail to the stairs at Lion's Den Gorge

Hike the shore of Lake Michigan at Doctor's Park

Hike the North and South Beach Trail at Harrington Beach State Park

Hike the Quarry Lake Trail at Harrington Beach State Park

Hike through the Menomonee River at Lime Kiln Park

Explore Atwater Park

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps