Governor Dodge State Park, #8

Governor Dodge State Park is a favorite park of ours, so we were excited to visit again on a hot summer day! Governor Dodge State Park is the second largest state park in the system and was named for the second Governor of Wisconsin Territory, Henry Dodge (he was a tough and enterprising dude, if you have a moment, look him up!) There are seven hiking trails and three off road bike trails. There are also horse camping areas and 22 miles of bridle trails. When we complete this project, I'm either going to be purchasing a horse or a bike, I'm sure of it. We enjoyed Stephens' Falls Trail on this hot day. It takes hikers past Stephens' Falls and along a babbling stream. While it was a big challenge to get "G" to keep moving, and not want to "touch the water", it was a perfect length for this particular day.

There are two man-made lakes at Governor Dodge State Park, each with a welcoming, sandy beachfront. We visited Twin Valley Lake beach, which had a nice grassy area, perfect for the picnic we enjoyed. It was busy, but not crowded, and there were several people enjoying kayaking in the lake. Once we get through our "Year O' State Parks", we will be returning here! Next stop, Harrington Beach State Park and Kohler Andrae State Park (our first camping attempt, we will need luck and the force!).

Roche-a-Cri and Hartman Creek State Park, #6 and #7

I was really excited to visit Roche-a-Cri and Hartman Creek State Parks, as they were new to me, and had some interesting history to accompany them. The intriguing aspect of Roche-a-Cri was the history, people have been coming her for centuries, and you can see evidence of this on the side of the 300 fot high, 480-million year old sandstone mound. This rock outcropping was named Roche-a-Cri by 17th and 18th century French voyaguers, La Rouche means "the rock". Over the years, people have used the rock for a variety of purposes. On the side of the mound, there are petrographs, drawn with a sharp tool or knife, and pictographs, which were drawn with a soft tool, such as a brush. These renderings were used as a way to communicate or send messages.

There is also "historical graffiti", (an amusing term, when does it become historical?) The earliest example is a set of initials from 1845, that seem to be at the appropriate height for someone to have carved them while standing on horseback. I found this particularly impressive, as I have struggled to stay seated on a immobile horse in the past. In 1861, a Civil War Cavalry Sharpshooter Company encamped by the cliff face held marksmanship trials there, and the marks can be seen in the rock they used for their target.

The hike up to the top was tough, (I was carrying 32 pounds of toddler urging me to go faster pretty much the entire time). While this may have been encouraging to some, it seemed to have the opposite effect on me. Again, the views...they were awesome. We could see 10 counties and for 60 miles. The trip back down was only slightly slower, mostly because G insisted on taking all 304 steps on his own. We tried our dardnest to take our obligatory selfie, but G was in no mood, and it seemed unwise to attempt to wrangle a 2 year old at the top of a bluff. :)

Luckily, Pete's Father lives right on the way to Hartman Creek, so we were able to stop for lunch on our way to cool off. It was great, thanks Ira and Karen! Hartman Creek State Park is on the Waupaca Chain O' Lakes and has a 300 foot sandy beach with a decent sized roped off swimming area.There is so much to do at this park, including off road biking, horseback riding trails, boating and kayaking. We hiked the Deer Path Trail, which offers a nice 1 mile loop around Allen Lake. We spent the majority of our time cooling off in the lake and enjoying a beer, the best way to spend a summer afternoon! Next stop, Governor Dodge State Park!

Tower Hill State Park and Blue Mound State Park, #4 and #5

It's a twofer! Yes, we visited Tower Hill State Park and Blue Mound State park on the same day, Memorial Day. Tower Hill State Park was up first, and had breathtaking, unexpected views. It is also one of the smallest and quietest state parks in the area, with just 77 acres, 15 campsites and 5 short hiking trails. With just 5 short hiking trails, there were few options for a hike, so we chose the obvious, up to the shot tower!

From 1833-1861, lead from southwest Wisconsin was brought here to make lead shot. The shot tower was constructed on a bluff overlooking the Wisconsin River. The shaft was 120 feet deep and connected to the river by a 90 foot tunnel. It was also dug by one man, J. B. Saunce, with a pick and shovel (if you have extra time on your  hands, read about the dual story with J.B. Saunce, it made me a chuckle). Leaving the shot tower, feeling only slightly less productive that day (no tunnel digging in my future), we headed to Blue Mound State Park.

 

 

Blue Mound State Park was next, and as the highest point in southern Wisconsin, 1,716 feet above sea level, the views are outstanding, (it seems I like a good view, they come up a lot). There are two observation towers, and several picnic areas views of the country side near the north tower. If you are going to picnic somewhere, this is the place to be. This is also the only state park in the system with a swimming pool. When I visit this park again, (it's definitely worth more than one visit), I would plan it for the fall, the colors would be spectactular. This is one of those parks that is popular and visited by many, but doesn't seem to be busy, even on a hot summer weekend. Next stop, Roche-a-Cri State Park and Hartman Creek State Park!

 

 

New Glarus Woods State Park-#3

New Glarus Woods State Park offers eight miles of hiking trails, including 5.5 miles of self-guided nature trails. We traveled to this park on Memorial Day weekend, and the weather was nice, (a trend that should continue, but if there is anything I've learned from being a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, it's that you can and will be surprised). It was warm, humid, and party sunny, a drastic difference from the parks we visited two weeks ago with our winter coats!

This park seemed to be popular with bikers, there were several when we visited. Upon further investigation, it looks like there is a trail that connects to the Sugar River Trail, a 24-mile long recreation trail that connects New Glarus Woods to the communities of Monticello, Albany and Brodhead. Maybe we should consider biking as our next challenge? The hiking trails are easy to moderate, and offer beautiful views of the country side, one of the prettiest parts of the state, if you ask me. The New Glarus Brewery is nearby and visible from a few of the trails. We didn't get a chance to visit the brewery this time, but it is a must see if one is in the area, preferably without kids, their beer garden (or bier garten for you Germans out there) is fantastic!

We hiked the Bison Trail, an 0.8-mile interpretive trail offering interpretive signs with information about prairie life, history and management. The Bison Nature had a swinging bench and life size Bison replica (G's favorite part!). There are several trails that offer great learning opportunities, including the Havenridge Trail, with 36 learning stations and a booklet that historic, cultural and natural history. It would be a great hike for school age kids. There is also a nice play structure and great picnic areas. Pics below, it was a great morning trip! Next step, Tower Hill State Park and Blue Mound State Park!

 

 

 

Aztalan State Park-#2

We visited Aztalan State Park the same blustery weekend we enjoyed Mirror Lake State Park, (mid-May in Wisconsin, that's why we keep our winter coats handy until at least Memorial Day!) Aztalan State Park is located in the Town of Aztalan in Jefferson County. It showcases the site of an ancient Middle-Mississippian village that thrived between A.D. 1000 and 1300. It was beautiful and you can see pretty much the entire park from one place.

It reminded me of how I envisioned the prairies in the "Little House" books (maybe showing my age, but that's no secret) :) Rolling, green hills, and a beautiful, sparkling river. The Crawfish River runs along one side of the park. There is a lot of history here, and the park has helpful signs along the way that explain each area. G's favorite thing to do was call out when there was a sign up ahead (he's obviously very interested in history at an early age).

Overall, a beautiful and interesting place to visit, and a great place for a leisurely Sunday walk. We were able to let G run pretty much anywhere on his own, which led to a great nap on the way home! Would recommend for a nice walk on a Sunday, but not somewhere that one will see outstanding geographical features. Here is our obligatory selfie. Next stop, New Glarus Woods State Park!