Wisconsin is an easy place to be able to find your outdoor oasis whether you like hiking, fishing, or relaxing in nature! There are plenty of Wisconsin State Parks that provide so many fun activities close to home! Join us while we look at some Wisconsin State Parks that are worth a visit!

Copper Falls State Park in Mellen, Wisconsin is truly a sight to see. The park is roughly 3,000 acres and is full of ancient lava flows, gorges, and waterfalls!

It was designated a state park in 1929 and quickly became known as one of Wisconsin’s most scenic. The park was once home to many different Indigenous tribes who sought copper in the area for making hunting weapons and tools.

European- American miners in the 1860s did exploratory mining for copper ore that may have been for Civil War efforts. The miners’ camp had several houses and farm buildings on the Bad River. While searching for copper ore, the miners dug an almost horizontal shaft into the hillside that is known as “the cave.” This shaft would sometimes flood due to the Bad River, so the crew actually diverted the river to flow North instead of South!

This park is full of history and beautiful scenery. Visitors are required to have a vehicle sticker for Wisconsin State Parks. If you do not have a Wisconsin State Park sticker, there is a daily fee you can pay to enter, and it’s 100% worth it! As a visitor you can bike, canoe, kayak, camp, fish, hike, swim, and hunt/trap in certain areas of the park! Be sure to check out the Wisconsin DNR website to get details on the recreation activities you plan to take part in to help maintain this beautiful park!

The Kettle Moraine State Forest takes up roughly 52,000 acres (over 80 square miles) in Wisconsin and is located north of West Bend. The park itself is broken up into two units, northern and southern, and requires a vehicle or day pass for entry. Both areas of the park have an abundance of trails for horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking. There are also plenty of opportunities for paddling, boating, swimming, fishing, hunting and winter sports in its rolling hills, lakes, forests, and grasslands!

The northern unit of the park is the largest of the two and makes up 30,000 acres of the park. This portion also enjoys access to the Ice Age Trail. There are three beaches that are open for swimming and approximately 350 spacious campsites that can fit as many people as you can muster!

The Southern unit of the forest has world-famous glacial landforms, forested glacial hills, kettle lakes and prairies with swimming, biking trails, and hiking, along with many more opportunities to enjoy the beauty of southeastern Wisconsin. The park’s forest has upwards of 100 miles of nature trails perfect for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding! The park itself offers numerous ways to explore, either by yourself or with a park guide through their nature programs. The nature programs are a great way to learn about a variety of topics related to the park.

There is also a 115-mile scenic drive through the long forest that includes historic sites and geological landmarks! Some of these geological landmarks were made from the Wisconsin Glaciation that created moraines, drumlins, kames, and eskers as well as lakes, bogs, wetlands and more! Historical sites include the Wade house, Holy Hill, Cushing Memorial Park and the Old-World Wisconsin outdoor museum. A Wisconsin State Park pass is required for entry, however there are options to purchase day passes to be able to view this beautiful State Forest. To get the exact details check out the website to get directions, information about visiting or just to learn about the history!

Willow River State Park in Hudson, Wisconsin has beautiful views of Willow Falls and Willow River Gorge. In this beautiful 2,800-acre park there are plenty of opportunities to hike, camp, paddle, fish or swim.

The park also offers camping opportunities and has one of the highest occupancy rates in the Wisconsin State Park system. Willow River’s campground is on the southern shore of Little Falls Lake and has three different groups of standard campgrounds with room for tents, trailers, motor homes and group campsites that include amenities!

The abundance of biking trails of varying lengths and difficulties allows for a variety of skill levels to enjoy this wonderful Wisconsin treasure. There are three different levels of trails that the park provides: green, the easiest, blue, more difficult, and black which is only for experienced riders.

The 11 biking trails enjoy varying sceneries so be sure to pack a camera!! The park also has 13 miles of hiking trails for those who enjoy viewing scenery on foot! There are approximately 11 different trails to choose from that take you through a variety of beautiful terrain the park has to offer. We highly recommend you check out Burkhardt trail, which takes you to the river bottom as well as to the Willow River Falls! This trail can be anywhere from 2 to 4 miles long, depending on which way you go!

This park is 500 feet above the junction of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers and is one of Wisconsin’s oldest state parks! It was founded in 1917 and was originally called the Nelson Dewey State Park prior to changing names in 1937.

Wyalusing State Park offers a wide variety of outdoor activities to enjoy including biking, boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, camping, and winter activities as well. Considering this state park is located on the junction of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers, you better believe there are some excellent fishing opportunities as well!

The rivers are full of panfish, bass, northern pike, and walleye. You can bring motorboats into the park as well as kayaks and canoes. There is a special canoe trail that is 6 miles long and takes you through the backwaters of the Mississippi river. The park has over 100 family campgrounds and 5 regular outdoor campsites, so there is also a unique experience to camp with large groups!

The Hugh Harper Indoor Group Camp is also available to house large groups. The facility includes a lodge with a full commercial kitchen, dining area and recreation area. It can house up to 108 people and each dorm has two full bathrooms with showers and toilets. There is also space to have a fire outside of the lodge!

This area is an amazing site to see and allows access to truly enjoy the oasis of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers all in one park!

Although this is not a complete list of all 66 Wisconsin State Parks it is great starting point to see some of Wisconsin beautiful landscapes! These parks provide an abundance of outdoor opportunities for people of all ages and accessibilities. Being outside with loved ones can be very beneficial for you and you may find something new you love! We highly recommend checking out these State parks to find your new oasis!

Locally distilled in Plover, Wisconsin.

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