Immersive Healing in the North Woods—A Family Trip to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands
Jamie was a recipient of our “Live Your Big” scholarship program in 2025!
Jamie used her award to take a family trip to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. Below are Jamie’s post-adventure reflections.
It's hard not to fixate on the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of a traumatic brain injury, or in my case, a craniotomy to remove a rare pituitary brain tumor—one that notoriously slips through the cracks of benign and malignant, with permanent, life-altering impacts. As an outdoor lover, my abilities now are very different from what they were pre-brain trauma. Discovering a new way to connect to the outdoors that sustains me while actively grieving and healing from the loss of my former self is challenging at best. However, the good news is that when my life as a ‘survivor,’ a mom, a partner, a friend, and an employee feels overwhelming and unsteady, nature is my constant, and I trust it.
In early fall of this year, with the support of Outdoor Mindset, I put my healing journey into practice on a road trip north through Wisconsin to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands, accompanied by my husband, Travis, and our three-year-old son, Farren.
On our way, we drove through rolling hills, large metros and picturesque farmlands with bright red barns and old silos, along the eastern edge of the driftless region, and deep into the woods of the northern forest—until we came to a vast clearing; crisp, cool air filling our lungs and a feeling of humility and awe—the powerful Lake Superior.
Exploring the Shoreline
We arrived at our cabin for the weekend in Cornucopia, or “Corny” as the locals call it, a little town northwest of Bayfield, which is the launching point for Apostle Islands adventures. When we arrived, it was just shy of sunset on a drizzly, foggy evening. We were eager to stretch our legs, so we quickly unloaded the car, put on our rain boots, jackets, grabbed a flashlight, and set out for a nature hike down to the shoreline.
We passed by other cabins on the way down this community trail through a mixed-species forest. We came across an apple tree and picked a couple of apples for a trail snack, and investigated big, spongy mushrooms (aka Farren poking them with sticks).
The sound of the waves crashing grew louder, and when we arrived at the shore, each of us was overcome by the endless lake surrounding us, peaceful and turbulent at the same time. Farren’s excitement, stomping in the puddles left behind by the waves, and Travis’s hunt for good skipping stones immediately put me at ease. We were all craving this uncomplicated joy. I ended up with plenty of water in my boots, but I didn’t mind. This was my new version of ‘Type 2’ fun that I didn’t realize I needed, and it made me laugh out loud.
We continued wandering along the beach toward a small fish shack restaurant for dinner, where everything on the menu was caught that day. Along the way, we came across an artesian well, and we took turns drinking from it…so fresh, pure, and icy cold. We saw historic fishing boats wedged into the sand, and arrived at a large, dock-like platform over the bay, where sailboats and active fishing boats were tied up. We reached the restaurant and huddled inside for a well-earned, super-fresh meal of white fish sandwiches and stew.
Sea Caves and a Giant Waterslide
The next day, it was time to divide and conquer. This area of northern Wisconsin is well-known for its harrowing, majestic sea caves, which can be explored via kayak and canoe in the summer, and as an ice-climbing area in the winter. With a small kiddo in tow, I knew we would not pull off a full-on sea cave adventure. But I was determined that at least one of us would get a good look at them. Travis is an avid runner; that is his way of sustenance, and I had heard about a great five-mile out-and-back trail that ends with cliffside views of the sea caves. I knew this would be our collective chance to get a glimpse, and I’ve become quite skilled at living vicariously through others, so I insisted he go.
Meanwhile, Farren and I took a shorter route, equally as breathtaking, to Siskiwit Falls, which flows north and empties into Siskiwit Bay in Lake Superior. We had been told that in the summer, locals and tourists alike would bring their inner tubes and floaties and slide down these low-angle falls, as if it were a giant waterslide. With plenty of snack breaks along the way, Farren and I clambered down there and confirmed it was the coolest natural water park we had ever seen.
Madeline Island
Another of my favorite adventures on this trip was a visit to Madeline Island by Ferry, where I spent time out on the vast lake, watching the ships and sailboats go by, and exploring Big Bay State Park. While Madeline Island is walkable and bikeable near the port, it was well worth driving to Big Bay (we drove our car on board the ferry with us) to explore the boardwalk trails, along rocky beaches, and through a bog, lagoon, and a coniferous swamp. It was a truly unique experience, nearly all our own, with just a couple of others we saw on this hike - pure joy and peace, running and playing hide and seek in the trees, with my boys.
An Unexpected Gem
One final adventure worth noting was our time spent at Copper Falls State Park. We wanted to experience as much as we could (within reason) on this trip, including a detour on the road home to this very special place, just south of the Bad River Reservation.
We knew there were waterfalls and a family-friendly trail to see some highlights, but we had no idea how profound these features would be. It was the perfect final stop to stretch our legs and immerse ourselves in the senses, through a mixed conifer and deciduous forest, to see the deep gorges and waterfalls, and wander over bridges that traverse the complex river-landscape system. And it was no surprise that Farren totally rocked it, hiking the whole way up and down the spectacular loop trail.
Alive
The experiences of this trip gave me a familiar feeling of freedom I hadn’t realized I was missing. Since my surgery, and really, before that in my post-partum bubble, I had been quite risk-averse (for good reason). Getting out of my comfort zone was something I sought out like I used to. I had forgotten the feeling: something new, not knowing what was ahead (in a good way), letting myself feel small amidst mountains, oceans, endless landscapes, and wild climates. This adventure brought me home to myself, and in many moments since, I've sought out my new low-key version of ‘Type 2’ fun - mini adventures that are just enough to challenge me and make me laugh, helping me heal and feel whole again.
-Jamie McDevitt-Galles
