We stopped off at Pattison State Park on our way to Duluth, mainly to see the waterfalls. Both the Big Manitou Falls and the Little Manitou Falls are beautiful. They were running fast because it had just rained, and both were fairly easy to get to. I wouldn't say they are handicapped accessible, however, if you can walk on the unpaved trail just a short way, parking is very close to each location. If you are just stopping to see the falls, it can be done in less than an hour. Helpful hint...if visiting in the summer, make sure to use mosquito spray!
Love taking photos here. So many amazing places to take family pictures. When its warm enough we take the kids swimming here. Great outdoor space in Douglas County.
My husband and I ours hiked from Big Manitou Falls to Little Manitou Falls. If you visit the park, that hiking trail is pretty and private. It may not be suitable for small children or people with mobility issues, as the trail is not paved.
We didn't camp here but just wanted to check out the waterfalls. It is about 15 mins away from downtown Superior. I like the fact that the waterfalls are so close to the parking area without much hiking at all. That made it a lot easier on a freezing cold day for us when we took our 2-year old with.
We spent a terrific afternoon at Pattison State Park and thoroughly enjoyed some hiking. We were very happy we had mosquito repellant -- don't forget that. We took the hike around the lake that crosses the river and ends at the Big Falls. The falls are an amazing drop and more surprising to find them in the midwest. The Little Falls were nice, too. The lake also has a small beach which was very popular with the kids at the park. Best of all, there were no crowds on this summer weekday. It seems like this place is a very well-kept secret. A must see if you are in the area.
The walk to these falls is very easy and the parking is nearby. In a matter of minutes, you'll be looking at this spectacle of nature. A must!
Pattison is a beautiful park that is easily accessible from the city of Superior.Gorgeous waterfalls (especially after a rainfall). A lovely beach and picnic area and pavilion with a fireplace. Great campgrounds. Fabulous hiking trails
We stayed and camped at site #9 with our 4 children (ages 4-14) Mon-Fri, the site was a great size and clean. Next to the site was an open field for dogs that my kids were able to play football in. Rangers and staff we're all nice and we had no issues at all. Two sites down were pit toilets but after I discovered the nice flush toilets & showers in the inner loop I only went to those bathrooms. The bathrooms at the front entrance of the park are nice flush toilets too, always clean. In the same building as these bathrooms there was also a small but interesting nature center with little tid bits about the park. The swimming area is also nearby and was quite busy during the day. The hiking trails were beautiful and easy enough for my 4 year old to navigate, the main reason I chose this park was the falls and they didn't let me down! This is the most gorgeous place I've been in Wisconsin! So glad we made the drive!
Very beautiful waterfalls. Nice swimming area and changing rooms. Good hiking trails and easy parking. You must pay to enter if you are out of state.
My family and I camped at Pattison in July 2014 for four nights during the week and had an excellent experience. We try to pick a different State Park each time we camp and this one was one of our favorites. Why? Pros: quiet (no loud idiots like at Devils Lake), not busy (my kids, ages 4-8, could ride their bikes safely on the campground road), clean (sometimes the busier, larger state parks get dirty and litter covered), water fun (excellent beach and swimming; fun playing in the river near the falls), beautiful scenery (the falls), close to Duluth and other things to do, mostly grassy campsites (vs. campsites blanketed with limestone screenings which puncture the bottom of your tent), no nighttime critters digging in your stuff (seriously--other camp grounds are crawling with coons before the sun even sets--not so at Pattison). The only thing that could make Pattison even better would be better wooded campsites (they are little too open; not enough privacy; set up more for RVs and campers) and a newer playground. Still, one of our favorite places to camp. Be warned though--come prepared for mosquitoes! We had a fogger and used lots of DEET. We had to. The "tamer" more natural bug repellent failed. You could almost hear the mosquitos laughing at it! Supposedly one of the worst years on record. But, preparation will allow you to still enjoy the outdoors.