Hemlock Heaven - Presque Isle, WI
- Moose's Golden Tails
- Aug 5
- 5 min read
Austin has visited the Northwoods of Wisconsin a number of times, and for me, this was my first time. Let's just say I want to come back every year! There truly is something about a secluded, peaceful cabin surrounded by lush forest right on the lake. Picture sitting out on the dock watching the sunrise, taking the pontoon boat out for a cruise on the clear water, sitting by the warm fire at night with good company, or walking the dogs on a long private drive winding through the woods without another person in sight. This is what our week long stay at Hemlock Heaven consisted of and much more!
We found Hemlock Heaven on Airbnb after a long time searching for exactly what we wanted. It was difficult and took a lot of patience searching through many listings. We have a lot of boxes to check when it comes to booking the right place for vacation. Here was what I was looking for:
Dog-friendly - needed to allow three large dogs + dogs allowed on furniture (yes)
Directly on the lake with a dock - bonus if a pontoon boat was available for use (yes and yes!)
Secluded with no close neighbors (absolutely)
Fully stocked kitchen so we can make our own meals (yes)
Large outdoor space for the dogs (yes)
Other things we looked for: How big is the lake and how is the fishing? (good fishing on a 4 chain lake) Does it have a grill and patio furniture for us to use? (yes) Does it have a spot for the dogs to swim? (yes) Are there places to eat nearby? (yes) Is there hiking nearby? (yes) What amenities does the place have? (a lot!) Does it have easy check in? (yes) Does the place have a lot of pictures and good reviews? (yes)
About the property
This cozy cabin is nestled into the Van Vliet Hemlocks State Natural Area right on Averill Lake. The lake is 68 acres with almost the entire shoreline being undeveloped. It also connects to Presque Isle Lake (1,280 acres) and Van Vliet Lake (220 acres) which is easily accessible by boat. There is free use of the rowboat and canoe, and there's the option to add a pontoon boat or fishing boat to your rental. We rented the host's pontoon boat for the week which was our favorite part! It was all ready for us at the dock upon arrival, and the host gave us a phone call to make sure we were comfortable operating the boat.
Before reaching the cabin, we drove on a 2 mile private drive that winds through the lush forest. There was plenty of space to park our cars, and check in was super easy. Upon our arrival, the cabin was spotless and everything we hoped for. The host keeps a beautifully decorated home making you enjoy the lake life just a little bit more. The living room felt so cozy, and the kitchen was spacious and fully stocked. There's one bedroom downstairs with two twin bunks. You'll also find a washer and dryer in this room which allowed us to pack a little lighter. Heading upstairs, you have the master bedroom with a comfy king bed, tv, and a balcony. The loft area has two twin beds and a queen bed that overlooks the lake. The cabin has one clean and spacious bathroom on the lower level. It also offer plenty of amenities and seemed to have everything we needed!
Where we ate
Presque Isle is the nearest town and offers a few dining options. While we ate a majority of our meals at the cabin, we did eat out a few times. Every time we went to eat, we left our three dogs kenneled at the cabin. We did not want to stress about bringing three dogs out to eat. Our first morning, we visited The Outpost in Presque Isle for breakfast which did not disappoint! They do have an outdoor patio if you are interested in bringing your pup.
Our kind host recommended P.I. Pub also located in Presque Isle for their homemade pizza. We ate here for dinner one night and would also recommend! They do have an outdoor tables available.
We ventured over to Boulder Junction one night for dinner at the Boulder Beer Bar and mini golf at The Ice Shanty Drive-In and Mini Golf. It was a Wednesday night so the bar does a limited menu inside, and they have a shrimp boil going on outside. Austin and I both enjoyed our food!
The host of the property is super familiar with the area and is happy to help out with any recommendations you need!
Nearby hiking
Once again, the host gave us some pretty good recommendations on some beautiful hiking areas nearby. We drove to Black River Harbor Recreation Area and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Both of these are about an hour drive so we did make a little day trip out of it. There was no entrance fee for Black River Harbor, and there was an 11 dollar entrance fee for Porcupine Mountains.
Black River Harbor is located in Ironwood, Michigan and has several spectacular waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, and idyllic beaches. The Black River originates in Wisconsin and flows through forested areas and has a series of beautiful waterfalls as it drops in elevation to meet Lake Superior. This area is also popular for camping. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Hikes we completed:
Potawatomi Falls and Gorge Falls Loop - this was a very easy and short trail! I didn't end up getting a good picture of Gorge Falls as the trail that leads down to the viewing platform was closed. We did get a great view of Potawatomi Falls!
Rainbow Falls - about a half mile trail that leads down to the falls. It starts off easy and relatively flat and then you will encounter a lot of stairs that descends about 100 feet or so. Well worth it, the falls in the area are spectacular with a heavy flow.
The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is located in Ontonagon, Michigan also home to several roaring waterfalls, river views, scenic trails, ridges, and beaches. There is no shortage of outdoor activities to enjoy here. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Hikes we completed:
Presque Isle Falls Loop - rated as a moderate hike. Park at the Presque Isle River Scenic Site and start on the trailhead from there. This trail winds through the forest along the Presque Isle River, passing the scenic Manabezho and Manido Falls. We first took a short detour over the suspension bridge that leads out to a beach area to view Lake Superior. The two falls were roaring and a must see! The trails were well maintained and expect stairs. You may continue on to Nawadaha Falls, but we chose to turn back. Right after Manido Falls, you will be able to see the third waterfall from a far distance. The trail looked narrow and a bit overgrown after Manido Falls, so that is why we chose to only view it from a distance.
Have I convinced you to take a trip to the Northwoods yet? I know I can't wait to come back! We were so happy to be able to take our dogs on vacation and watch them enjoy it as much as we did. They had plenty of room to run, sniff, explore, relax, and swim. It was also their first time on a boat which they loved! Our dogs can be reactive at times, so we found this cabin to be perfect. We couldn't hear or see people from our property, and there was extremely limited traffic going by on the lake. I'd love to hear if you've ever took a trip up north!
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