Find Your Adventure With The Wisconsin Explorer Program
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 07/15/2022 12:00 PM CDT
DNR Parks And Recreation News
What’s Happening In Wisconsin's State Parks, Trails, Forests And Recreation Areas
The Wisconsin Explorer Program is an interactive, hands-on learning program for children ages 3 and up. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
Featured Activity: Be An Explorer
School's out, but learning doesn't have to end over summer. The Wisconsin DNR offers several ways to keep young people engaged, active and outside while continuing to learn at our state parks.
Our 18 nature centers across Wisconsin's state parks offer programs, interpretive displays, artifacts and educational materials all summer long. Nature Discovery Kits are available to download or pick up from participating parks. Free programs are offered at parks across the state, so stay up-to-date with the DNR Events Calendar. And, of course, don't forget about walking around to observe the world!
In addition to scheduled events with park naturalists, the Wisconsin Explorer Program is a self-guided activity to help encourage nature-based learning in Wisconsin's great outdoors with fun scavenger hunts, games, hikes and crafts.
There are three age levels in the Wisconsin Explorer Program: 3-5 years, 6-8 years, and 9 years and up. Three different themes help kids explore different aspects of the outdoors every year.
Find the booklets to participate at most state parks, forests and recreation areas. When kids have completed a book, turn it in to a park office and they'll receive a patch. Keep playing along every year to collect all nine patches. Visit the Explorer Program webpage to learn more.
Featured Event:
HAVENWOODS HIKE - SNEAKY SNAKES Havenwoods State Forest Saturday, July 16, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Come join us on a hike through Havenwoods in Milwaukee where you can learn all about snakes! Open to all ages. Hikes are typically around 1 mile long and take roughly an hour to complete.
Outdoor News & Announcements
Congratulations, Apple Pie! This week, Arlette Laan, who also goes by her trail name, Apple Pie, became the first woman to complete all 11 National Scenic Trails. She completed this accomplishment right here in Wisconsin at the Eastern Terminus of the Ice Age Trail in Potawatomi State Park.
Upon arrival, Arlette thanked her friends, family and trail angels (supporters who hiked, encouraged, fed and welcomed her). She said she learned a lot about herself when hiking and really encourages other people to do long-distance hiking.
As for her words of encouragement to other women who want to thru-hike? "For me, the way that I'm not a super young, super athletic-looking person, that we can all do this and we might not want to endure the not-so fun stuff, but that if we want to, and with an adventure-center mind, we can do it," she said. "Of course, women rock!"
Friends greeted her with Wisconsin cheese curds and her favorites, chocolate cake and apple pie. You can read more about her journey on The Trek and the Ice Age Trail website.
According to the National Park Service, National Scenic Trails are intended to showcase our country’s beautiful natural resources and are routes of outstanding recreation opportunity. These routes are primarily non-motorized continuous trail and extend for 100 miles or more, traversing spectacular terrain and connecting communities, significant landmarks and public lands. There are 18,000 miles of National Scenic Trails through 29 states. The Ice Age Trail is over 1,100 miles long and located entirely in Wisconsin.
Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
Spotlight On: Havenwoods State Forest
Wisconsin's only urban forest, Havenwoods State Forest is a 237-acre parcel in Milwaukee. This forest has it all: hiking and biking trails, a nature center, gardens and a colorful history.
Before becoming a state forest in 1980, the land that became Havenwoods was used by the U.S. Army and before that, Milwaukee County used it as a prison. Even earlier, this land was used by Native Americans and European settlers for agrarian life.
Today, there are six miles of non-motorized trails plus a series of bridges. The landscape includes woods, wetlands, grasses and gardens. Thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers in the 1970s, the "urban wasteland" area that is now Havenwoods was able to become revegetated. The forest reclaimed this decimated space, which abuts neighborhoods on Milwaukee's Northwest side.
The Environmental Awareness Center, open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on Sundays and Mondays), is great for hands-on learning. At the Center, you can view seasonal exhibits, participate in drop-in activities or check out the live reptiles and amphibians.
Havenwoods staff offer in-person workshops, programs and demonstrations. Visit the naturalist staff to get answers to your nature questions or help in identifying plants and animals that you encounter in the woods, wetlands and prairies.
Younger visitors can pick up species lists, geocaching adventure booklets and many other publications at the center. Binoculars, field guides, GPS units, snowshoes and other exploring tools are free to borrow and use at the property. Families can "Take Smokey for a Hike" or borrow a backpack with exploring tools and books.
Hiking in our state parks is a fun adventure for the whole family – little kids included. But strollers aren’t made for the trail, so you will need to adjust your hiking style to accommodate the kiddos.
Be the pack leader on your next family hike with tips for the right gear in this story from the summer issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine. It’ll help you find the right baby carrier, pack the right stuff and find the right trail for whatever level of hiking adventure you’re embarking on.
Nature Detectives Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center -
Much of what happens in nature happens when we cannot see it. Drop-in anytime to test your own natural puzzle-solving skills and learn about some helpful signs of animal activity to look for next time you go outside.
No registration is required.
Havenwoods History Hike Havenwoods State Forest July 20, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Learn how Havenwoods’ 237-acre landscape has changed over the years, from prison to park, and even a Nike missile site! Discover summer wildflowers and wildlife that inhabit its myriad of habitats, including prairie, ponds and woodlands.
State Trails Council Meeting Tigerton Town Hall Friday, July 22, 10 a.m. The quarterly meeting of the Governor's State Trails Council is scheduled for Friday, July 22, at the Tigerton Town Hall in Shawano County. The meeting starts at 10 a.m. After lunch, there is a tour of a nearby motorized recreation area. Virtual participation is available with pre-registration. If you're interested in attending, you can read the full agenda before you go.
Help us preserve and protect the natural beauty of Wisconsin by following Leave No Trace ethics when you are out at Wisconsin State Park properties. These seven principles help decrease the damaging impact we have so everyone may enjoy parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas at their best. Thanks to the National Park Service and Ice Age Trail Alliance.
Principle #4: Leave What You Find
Take only photos and leave only footsteps. Do not pick flowers, plants or bark off trees.
Preserve the past. Observe, but do not disturb or take historical artifacts and historical or cultural structures. Do not build structures or furniture or dig trenches.
Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
Where do you #OutWiGo exploring? What do you learn when you #OutWiGo? Tag us on social media to share your explorations!
