Cathedral of the Pines is in Lakewood, Wisconsin about 14 miles north of Mountain off of Archibald Lake Road. It is a magnificent stand of over 200 year old pines. Farming and logging were the main sources of business years ago. At the time Conner Lumber Company owned much of the land that is now the Nicolet National Forest. The lumber company harvested the lumber by clear cutting, or cutting down all the trees. But, Mr. Conner’s wife used to take her children to this area of the woods, and sit and teach them to read by reading the Bible. She thought of this place as a spiritual place that gave her peace and begged her husband to let it stand. To please her, he did just that, and it stands to this day in northern Oconto County, Wisconsin.
This area of the forest is beautiful any time of the year. In the spring it is especially interesting because it is home to a rookery of blue herons. They nest in the very top of the Pine trees, nearly 200 feet in the air. As the little birds hatch and grow, one can hear a virtual concert in the forest as they make many complex sounds and calls. You can sit beneath the trees for hours and just soak up the concert. Other times of the year it is a wonderful place to walk or sit and enjoy the forest. 