Summer is a great season to get outside, stretch your legs, and go for a nice hike! In the Midwest USA, you don’t have to wait for mountains to become passable or high elevated roads to become snow-free. The summer hiking and backpacking seasons are much longer; you can get out and start hiking earlier in the year!
So if you’re ready to hit the trails this summer, this guide is for you! I will share the 10 best summer hikes in the Midwest.
Whether you want to dip in a waterfall, trek through a river, or take a walk in the woods, these Midwest hiking trails will start your summer off right!
10 Best Summer Hikes in the Midwest
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1. Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Falls
- Location: Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Michigan
- Length: 10.2 miles
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Elevation Gain: 636 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
Tahquamenon Falls State Park houses two magnificent waterfalls, Upper and Lower, which are also known to locals as “The Root Beer Falls.”
With two parking lots – one for Upper Falls and the other for Lower Falls – hikers have the option to drive to each trailhead and hike the short trail to both of the falls individually.
Or, for the more adventurous, there is a 10.2-mile moderate trail that connects the two waterfalls.
2. Brandywine Gorge
- Location: Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Ohio
- Length: 1.4 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 164 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
Brandywine Falls is definitely a highlight of Cuyahoga Valley National Park – all 60 feet of it. But what most don’t realize is that you can see the falls from below! Many chose to see it from the boardwalk, which is definitely the easiest and most accessible route to the falls. So if you’re short on time or you have little ones, try hiking the short out & back via the wooden steps.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, I’d highly encourage you to hike the gorge! The 1.4-mile Brandywine Gorge Trail starts near the bed & breakfast and follows the edge of the gorge. You will then dip down to the creek level, and eventually, Brandywine Falls will come into full, glorious view.
3. Shut-Ins Trail
- Location: Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park – Missouri
- Length: 2.3 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 278 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Pet-Friendly: No
This trail is popular but worth it! Make sure to arrive early. The gates open at 8. We arrived at 7:30, and there was already a short line of cars waiting at the gate. By 8:00 AM, the queue of eager adventures stretched to the street and snaked the windy road outside the park entrance.
Though we felt as though there was an excessive amount of cars for that hour, we were able to find solitude along the trails and in the water, and by the time we left, the crowds had definitely thickened immensely.
The Shut-Ins is technically a 2.3-mile moderate trail, but we chose to extend the hike by boulder hopping through the river. The maze of rocks that quite literally barricaded the water from rushing into the river created a dizzying array of white-capped foam that angrily licked the boulders.
While there is a formal trail, the boulder hopping was my favorite part.
Proceed with caution; drowning and flooding are common in this area. Watch for warning signs, and don’t leave children unattended in the shut-ins.
4. Mina Sauk Falls
- Location: Taum Sauk Mountain State Park – Missouri
- Length: 2.9 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 433 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
This 2.9-mile moderate loop twists through a copse of thick, lush forest and opens up to a rocky-top vista of the hills below. The Ozark Trail crosses paths with this trail, so you may see thru-hikers and section backpackers like we did!
When you arrive at the falls, you will hear but not see it. The waterfall is at an extremely awkward angle from the trail. To get a better view, navigate the shallow river crossing, then climb down – carefully – through a steep maze of boulders and tree limbs.
5. Ledges Trail and Pine Grove Loop
- Location: Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Ohio
- Length: 3.6 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 275 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
The Ledges are located in the southern portion of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The northern and central sections are the most popular: Brandywine and Blue Hen Falls draw the most traffic. But the southern portion is severely underrated and underappreciated!
The Ledges is a 2.3-mile moderate loop. If you add Pine Grove, you’ll be hiking a total of 3.6 miles. The striking sunken valley is littered with mossy caves and tall rock walls. You won’t feel like you’re in Ohio when you step into the cool shadows of the Ledges!
The reason I recommend this as a summer hike is because the cool caves and enclosed rock walls are shaded from the sun, and offer a nice relief from the hot weather. The temperatures inside the cave are consistently cooler than the outdoor heat.
When you’re done walking through the rock formations, make your way to the overlook. A break in the trees provides a sweeping window view of Cuyahoga Valley.
6. Cave Point Lakeside Trail
- Location: Cave Point County Park – Wisconsin
- Length: 1.6 miles
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Elevation Gain: 39 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
This trail is a fun one! The tiny county park in Wisconsin is located along the cliffs of Lake Michigan.
Zebra mussels peek out from underneath the aquamarine surface. As you walk the mile down and back along the edge, you can venture to the rocks below or listen to the thunderous waters crash against the cliffs from above.
Watch a sunset or cliff dive if you have time. There truly isn’t a bad view from this trail!
7. West Beach – Dune Succession
- Location: Indiana Dunes National Park – Indiana
- Length: 1.0 mile
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 75 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
On this lakeside trail at Indiana Dunes National Park, you’ll climb 250 steps at West Beach for spectacular views of not only the lake but Chicago!
The swampy habitat makes this a buggy trail, but as long as you wear bug spray and sunscreen, you won’t have a problem!
The finish line is a “secret” beach access that isn’t swarmed with swimmers and sunbathers. Enjoy this semi-secluded slice of sand away from the food stands, lifeguards, and rows of striped beach towels and umbrellas.
8. Sable Falls
- Location: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – Michigan
- Length: 0.6 miles
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Elevation Gain: 101 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
Sable Falls is an easy trail that takes you down a river, past a cascading waterfall, and to a pebbled beach.
Towering dunes backdrop the rocky beach, stretching for miles in either direction.
Solitude is quite easy to find if you step away from the spot where the trail spills into the beach!
9. Cataract Falls
- Location: Cataract Falls State Recreation Area – Indiana
- Length: 1.7 miles
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 111 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
Identical to Tahquamenon Falls, Cataract Falls has parking lots at both waterfalls – Upper and Lower. If you choose to park at each lot, you can avoid the trail altogether and just walk right up to each of the falls.
I’d definitely recommend hiking the easy trail that links the two falls! Start at Upper Falls and make your way to Lower Falls, or vice versa. You will walk through a thick forest lined by the serene Mill Creek.
If you have time, take the tiny spur trails that lead to the water and bask in the shallow rocky water to cool off. Enjoy a picnic in one of the many creekside spots!
10. Munising Falls – Michigan
- Location: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – Michigan
- Length: 0.4 miles
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Elevation Gain: 49 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Pet-Friendly: Yes
The trail to Munising Falls is short and sweet, and the falls are simple and beautiful.
I picked this trail over Miners Falls because of the viewing experience. Miners Falls is arguably more impressive – so it’s definitely worth seeing – but it wasn’t accessible from the gorge level. The viewing area is super tiny and tends to get claustrophobic with tourists and photographers.
📸 The photo on the left is Munising Falls; the photo on the right is Miners Falls.
Summary
I hope this list of best Midwest hikes encourages you to get outside and explore this summer!
Comment below with your favorite Midwest hike. Let me know if you have any questions!
