Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 09/30/2022 12:00 PM CDT
DNR Parks And Recreation News
What’s Happening In Wisconsin's State Parks, Trails, Forests And Recreation Areas
The Ice Age Trail is marked by mammoth icons or a yellow blaze. / Photo Credit: Joe Warren, Wisconsin DNR
Hike The Mammoth Challenge In October
This October, our friends at the Ice Age Trail Alliance invite you to take the Mammoth Hike Challenge. Hike, run, walk or backpack 42 miles on the Ice Age Trail and visit three Trail Communities to earn a limited-edition patch and certificate.
Did you know that the Ice Age State and National Scenic Trail crosses through several state park properties, and begins AND ends at two state parks? No matter which way you start or finish, you're at a state park.
The western terminus of the 1,200-mile trail is in Interstate State Park in Polk County, while the eastern terminus is at Potawatomi State Park in Door County. The trail traces the edge of the glaciers’ advance about 10,000 years ago because of the repeated glacial freezing and melting that occurred during that time. The basic features defining the route of the Ice Age Trail are the Kettle Moraine of eastern Wisconsin and extending westward along the most recent terminal moraine.
The Ice Age Trail provides recreational opportunities for thousands of visitors each year and expands the interpretation of Wisconsin’s unique glacial geology to dozens of communities along its route. In fact, the trail passes through 142 Wisconsin communities in 30 counties. Some communities have elected to become official "Trail Communities" - look for an Ice Age Trail Community sign on your way into town.
The Ice Age Trail is managed cooperatively by the DNR, the National Park Service and the Ice Age Trail Alliance. The trail passes through public and private land; please be respectful and stay on the trail, especially when on private land. The trail is a work in progress: more than 600 miles are marked segments, while another 500 miles are unmarked routes.
Now that you're oriented to the Ice Age Trail, challenge yourself this fall, whether participating in the Mammoth Challenge or simply enjoying the trail:
Log your miles over days, weekends, weeks or one big adventure. You have the entire month of October to do it. Registration for the Challenge is FREE. All are welcome to participate.
There is no fee to use the Ice Age Trail. Please note that parking at state parks, forests and recreation areas requires a valid admission sticker. Biking is only allowed on segments of the trail where it follows state trails; please watch for signs. Leashed dogs are welcome on the Ice Age Trail.
Photo Credit: Sheenu Burtis
Outdoor News & Announcements
Glacial Drumlin State Trail Closure A .25 mile section of the Glacial Drumlin State Trail at the Cottage Grove Trailhead will be closed starting on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 for approximately one week. This trail section will be closed during the repaving construction. A reroute around the closure will be available. Property condition notices are posted online.
Congratulations To Lapham Lodge The Friends of Lapham Peak – Kettle Moraine State Forest recently received a $1.3 million grant for construction of a new year-round, multi-use facility. The funding comes from the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) through American Rescue Plan funding.
The 5,000-square-foot Lapham Lodge trailhead facility will welcome visitors to the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Lapham Peak in Delafield. The new facility will replace an existing undersized shelter that can no longer accommodate park needs. The new space is designed to handle increased visitor traffic and multiple concurrent events. Construction is anticipated to start in mid-2023.
The Economic Development Administration's $1,299,900 investment will be matched with $660,600 in local funds raised by the Friends of Lapham Peak. At the completion of construction, the Friends will donate the new building to the DNR for ongoing ownership, operations and maintenance.
Kettle Moraine State Forest - Lapham Peak Unit is the ninth most-visited state park property in Wisconsin, with about 674,000 visitors annually. The Friends of Lapham Peak have an additional $400,000 more to raise for this project.
Photo Credit: Rendering of Lapham Lodge by Galbraith Carnahan Architects
Home & Habitat Fest In Milwaukee Havenwoods State Forest and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) invite the public to the first Home & Habitat Fest, an afternoon of free food, live music and family-friendly activities focused on housing and natural resources at Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee on Saturday, Oct. 1. Read more in our Upcoming Events section below.
The vision for a state forest in Milwaukee started with the neighboring community. In hosting events, such as this one, the forest remains a community asset and serves to connect residents with resources and opportunities for learning and recreation. With a history of high human impact, the property serves as an example of what can be done to improve habitat for Wisconsin’s wildlife populations both on a larger scale, as well as within our own residences.
Learn about the steps to becoming a homeowner, resources to navigate rental issues, small steps everyone can take to improve habitat and more.
Aztalan State Park
Where in Wisconsin can you walk the grounds of the historic town of an ancient community? At Aztalan State Park, visitors can wander the site of an ancient Middle-Mississippian town that thrived between A.D. 1050 and 1250.
Through archaeological study, historians have been able to find evidence of a community surrounded by walls that included a residential area, a plaza, a communal food storage area, ceremonial mounds, agricultural fields and stone structures in the Crawfish River where Native people trapped fish for food.
Aztalan is an important archaeological site for understanding human history in Wisconsin. It is viewed as the northernmost outpost of the Mississippian society who practiced maize horticulture and came up the Rock and Crawfish rivers. Other Mississippian sites are found throughout the middle and southeastern parts of the United States.
Aztalan became a Wisconsin state park in 1947, and in 1964 it was dedicated a National Historic Landmark. Today, it is a 172-acre state property that includes picnicking, hiking, shoreline fishing, canoe launching, historical interpretation and archaeological and historical tourism.
Today's caretakers of Aztalan seek to balance resource protection, site access, interpretive opportunities, compatible recreational activities and careful development and preservation. It is a place to respect, explore and celebrate the history, and mystery, of one of Wisconsin’s first farming communities.
This October, Aztalan celebrates its 75th anniversary as one of Wisconsin’s state parks. Please join the Friends of Aztalan State Park as they celebrate this milestone, one in a long history, with a celebration on Saturday, Oct. 8, starting at 10:30 a.m., with free admission to the park. And, join the Friends as they embark on plans to build an interpretive center that would help explain this site for decades to come.
Join us for an afternoon of free food, live music and family-friendly activities focused on housing and recreation in Milwaukee.
Pet a turtle, take a hike, grab a bite to eat and get info on a variety of topics including animal habitats, renting and homeownership.
Music by Jahmès Tony Finlayson.
Sponsored by WHEDA & the DNR. This event is free of charge.
Schedule Noon - 1 p.m. – Animal Meet & Greet
Noon - 2:30 p.m. – Informational Booths Learn about the steps to becoming a homeowner, resources to navigate rental issues, small steps everyone can take to improve habitat and more.
1 - 1:30 p.m. – Special Guest Speakers Hear from DNR Secretary Preston Cole, WHEDA CEO Elmer Moore, Jr. and Milwaukee Housing Authority Executive Director Willie Hines
