Great trail that allows you to explore the emerald Bay Area and beyond. The Eagle Nest campground was already closed for the season when we were there end of September but there’s parking space next to the road and it’s not very far down to the start of the trail head. From this starting point it’s 1.3 miles to Vikingholm and a little over 7 miles to the lighthouse. The first part of the trail goes downhill all the way to the water and then stays at that level for a while (some up and down but nothing major). You start going uphill once you’ve passed emerald point and then it goes up for quite a long time until you get to the lighthouse. We didn’t go any further but Colawee Cove is another mile or so downhill from there. We did a there and back hike but it’s apparently possible to catch a shuttle from Colawee Cove back to Vikingsholm and then you could hike back up from there. It was a great hike overall with beautiful views of the bay and the lake plus it’s mostly on the shade so it doesn’t get too hot which is nice. Make sure to bring enough water however because there’s no facilities on long stretches...
Read moreDay trip with my husband. Started out at DS Bliss State Park, hiked through the park. The trail goes through Emerald Bay State Park to the castle. Views are priceless. The rock formations along the trail are amazing. The chain link cables are their to protect you from falling off the cliffs. We were fortunate to watch a hot air balloon launch off the lake while hiking. Was an awesome experience to see. Wild life galore. Enjoyed this hike, & spending the day at the beach. Length of the...
Read moreThis trail is beautiful a Ranger at the entrance said it’s a 4 mile hike in total (down and back) On your way down its easy but on your way back you definitely feel like you need to stop to catch your breathe it’s not extremely intense. You could definitely do it but PLEASE BRING WATER! At the bottom you could rent a kayak or paddle board and go to Fannette Island. On my way down I saw 3 Bald Eagle nests, so you’ll definitely see some bald...
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