Selective Focus: Madeline Island’s Fairy Gnome Village

Not to be confused with the old mysterious miniature village on private land, Madeline Island has a very-easy-to-find fairy gnome village in an area where the public is welcome. It’s located on paths connected to the Capser Trail in a natural area managed by the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve.

It’s easy to miss the village when hiking the main trail, but it’s also easy to find if you’re looking for it. It’s not far from the western trailhead off Big Bay Road. A circle of benches leads into the a tiny town built from rocks, twigs and bark. On the map below, the location is labeled as an “outdoor classroom.”

A map of the Capser Trail from the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve website.