STATE PARKS GUIDE.Qxd
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VVIISSIITTOORR AACCTTIIVVIITTYY GGUUIIDDEE FFOORR SSTTAATTEE PPAARRKKSS,, FFOORREESSTTSS,, RREECCRREEAATTIIOONN AARREEAASS && TTRRAAIILLSS Fees, Reservations & General Information Campers on first-come, first-served sites must Admission Stickers occupy the site the first night and any A vehicle admission sticker is required on consecutive nights for which they have all motor vehicles stopping in state park registered. Welcome properties. At each property you can Firewood Rule purchase either an annual sticker, for Wisconsin has rules about transporting firewood Welcome to the Wisconsin State Park System! admission to all state parks, forests and – for the latest details, make sure you consult recreation areas for the calendar year; or a dnr.wi.gov/invasives/firewood/. These rules are As Governor, I invite you to enjoy some of daily sticker, valid only on the date of issue. intended to stop the spread of forest pests and Wisconsin’s most cherished resources – our state One-hour stickers are available at most diseases that are transported in firewood. parks, trails, forests and recreation areas. From the locations. Firewood from sources approved by the waterfalls of Pattison State Park and the beaches Wisconsin Vehicle Admission department of agriculture, trade and consumer of Kohler-Andrae State Park to the breathtaking Sticker Rates* protection is allowable. Wood that does not views at Kettle Moraine State Forest and hundreds Wisconsin registration plates – $25 meet these criteria may be confiscated and of miles of trails traversing the state, Wisconsin is annually, $7 daily, $5 one-hour; WI Senior destroyed. The person possessing such blessed with a wealth of incredible natural beauty. Citizen (65 and older) with Wisconsin firewood may be subject to a citation. registration plates – $10 annually, $3 daily; State Trail Pass* These pristine natural resources have been registration plates from other states – $35 captured and preserved for over a century through A trail pass is required for all individuals age 16 annually, $10 daily, $5 one-hour. or older who are biking, horseback riding, in- the Wisconsin State Park System and are just line skating or cross-country skiing on certain waiting to be explored and enjoyed. Visit wiparks.net for more information designated trails. (A trail pass is not required for on special fees and discounts. hiking or walking.) An annual trail pass costs We have balanced public access with resource conservation and $20; a daily pass is $4. A dollar sign ($) next to created a state park system that today stands as one of the finest in the trail mileage on the chart in this brochure the nation. We’re proud of our incredible state parks, trails, forests Camping Reservations indicates trails that require the pass. Reservations are available for outdoor group, and recreation areas and the many possibilities they offer families family, and backpack campsites by calling our Carry in – Carry out who want to camp, hike, swim or simply relax in Wisconsin’s great toll-free reservation number 888-WI-PARKS In an effort to reduce, reuse and recycle, visitors outdoors. My wife, Tonette, and our family have taken advantage of (888-947-2757, 800-274-7275 TTY) or visiting to our picnic areas, shelters, beaches and other the recreational opportunities available through the state park system our Web site wiparks.net . Campers may make day-use areas are encouraged to pack reusable for many years and have collected a lifetime of fond memories. site-specific reservations up to 11 months in items and required to take garbage and advance. A non-refundable reservation fee of recyclables home. It’s good for us and it’s good More than 14 million people visit one of our state parks or recreation $9.70 will be charged in addition to camping for our earth. areas each year. With more than 100 locations statewide, a fees. Please have your major credit card ready when you place your call. (Checks accepted connection to the woods, waters and prairies of Wisconsin is always upon request.) close at hand. Non-reservable campsites are available at many Use this guide as your starting place to create a memorable outdoors parks on a first-come, first-served basis. For experience at one of our parks and recreation areas. We look forward more information contact the park of your choice or visit wiparks.net. to welcoming you. Camping Fees* Sincerely, Residents – $10-15/night; Nonresidents – $12-17/night. Sites with electricity $5/night extra. Vehicle admission stickers are also required. W I S C O Occupancy rule N S I N S T Campers who do not check in and occupy their A T E P reserved site before 3 p.m. the day after the A R K S P Scott Walker scheduled arrival date will forfeit the site. H O T Governor O Front cover photo: Mirror Lake State Park, by Michael Knapstein. Adventure awaits. * All fees subject to change. 3 Fees, Reservations & General Information, continued Pets Hunting & Trapping Pets are welcome in Wisconsin state parks, Hunting and trapping is allowed at most forests, recreation areas and trails when on a properties. For more information, please refer to National and State Scenic Trails leash and under control. For the protection of Wisconsin DNR hunting regulations or our and Scientific Reserve Units wildlife and visitors, pets are not allowed in website, dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/hunt/index.htm. picnic areas, buildings, on the beach or on The Ice Age Trail when completed, will nature trails. Other restrictions may apply. traverse approximately 1,000 miles across Please check the park office for specifics. Wisconsin, telling the geological story that State Park System Friends Groups shaped the landscape in our state. More More than 80 Friends groups around the state than 600 miles of the trail are open. For provide volunteer help, raise funds, and host more information, please call the Ice Age events at the state parks, forests, trails and Trail Alliance at 800-227-0046 or visit recreation areas. The umbrella organization, iceagetrail.org. Several properties Friends of Wisconsin State Parks (FWSP.org) specifically purchased for the Ice Age Trail supports these local friends groups and raises are part of the WSPS. The purpose of these private funds for state park system enhancement W I State Ice Age Trail Areas (SIATA) is to S C O and preservation. For more information, contact N S permanently protect lands to provide for I N S Friends of Wisconsin State Parks at 608/264- T A T segments of the Ice Age Trail; preserve E P 8994. W A R I S K Wisconsin's glacial landscape features and C S O R P N E H R S O I U N T A other natural and cultural resources O S M T T A T T E O associated with the trail route; and, where C P S A Accessible to All R K S possible, offer a primitive atmosphere of P Many people with disabilities explore and enjoy H O T Wisconsin state parks, forests, recreation areas relative solitude and perceived remoteness O and trails. Most picnic areas, park offices and where visitors may experience a quiet Hikers on the Ice Age Trail. toilet/shower buildings are accessible. connection with nature. These properties provide opportunities for low impact public Nearly all campgrounds have accessible recreation such as hiking, backpacking and snowshoeing while protecting the natural and campsites. For people unable to use these scenic character within this corridor. sites, we have fully accessible cabins at The North Country Trail will traverse seven states when completed, allowing a hiker to Buckhorn, High Cliff, Kohler-Andrae, Mirror walk from New York to North Dakota. The Wisconsin portion will link many public lands Lake and Potawatomi state parks, at Ottawa to create 200 miles of hiking trail. Many portions are now open. For more information Lake in the Kettle Moraine State Forest- contact our partner, the National Park Service, at 608-441-5610. Southern Unit, and Richard Bong State N O The Ice Age National Recreation Area. There are smaller rustic S R E D N accessible cabins at Blue Mound and A Scientific Reserve is a S Nature Programs N N Copper Falls state parks. Cabins are available E L special component of Many Wisconsin state parks have nature G centers with exhibits on the natural and cultural May-October, by reservation only. the state and national history of the region, audio/visual presentations For more information, ask at the park, or see park system. Each of and guest speakers. Others offer guided nature wiparks.net. nine separate units hikes, self-guided nature trails, informal For Your Safety around Wisconsin campfire programs and special events. Outdoor recreational opportunities and protects and interprets The Wisconsin Explorer program, for children conditions vary greatly from park to park. the outstanding ages 3-11, helps families explore the outdoors Information specific to each property is geological story in together while enjoying nature activities, available in park offices and park publications, Wisconsin. Totaling scavenger hunts, games, hikes and crafts. and posted in public areas. Enjoy your visit to more than 50,000 acres, Participants complete requirements and earn Wisconsin State Parks – please be safe, be Chippewa Moraine Interpretive Center. the Ice Age Reserve collectible patches. careful and act responsibly. includes Devil's Lake, Interstate and Mill Bluff state parks, the Chippewa Moraine State Visit wiparks.net for a listing of upcoming events Recreation Area, the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and the Cross in Wisconsin State Parks. No Web access? Call Visit wiparks.net for more information. Plains Ice Age Complex. 715-365-8966 or write us for a free copy.