Wisconsin’s state parks are gearing up to celebrate the system’s 125th anniversary this year with events all across Wisconsin.
Interstate State Park is the oldest in Wisconsin’s state parks system. Matthew Densow is the natural resource property supervisor for the park in northwestern Wisconsin.
On WPR’s “Wisconsin Today,” Densow said what makes Interstate special are its “glacial potholes,” or potholes in the land left by whirlpools from the last Ice Age.
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“As we always like to say, the world’s most perfect potholes are on our side of the river,” he said.
Interstate State Park has a sister park on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River. Wisconsin’s Interstate became a state park in 1900, but Densow pointed out it’s technically not Wisconsin’s first-ever state park.
That credit he said goes to “The State Park,” which was formed in the 1870s after the state Legislature set aside about 50,000 acres in northern Wisconsin. But with the timber lobby eyeing up the land and few people traveling to the remote area to visit, the state later sold off the park’s land in the late 1800s before forming the State Parks System in 1900.
Densow said his park plans to celebrate this year’s 125-year anniversary in September with free admission on Sept. 20 and some “VIP guests” like Monty the Mammoth, the mascot for the Ice Age Trail Alliance.
He encourages all state residents to go out and enjoy the outdoors at a state park this year.
“We invite everybody to come out and experience what Interstate has to offer,” he said. “And if you can’t make it up to Interstate, there are Wisconsin state parks close to lots of communities across the state or recreation areas or state trails or state forests. It all falls under the big umbrella of the Wisconsin State Park and Recreation System.”
Missy Vanlanduyt, recreation partnerships section chief for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, joined Densow on “Wisconsin Today” to talk about the system-wide anniversary celebrations.
“We’ve got hundreds and hundreds of events scheduled across the state, as we do every year, but most of those will have a 125th anniversary spin to them,” she said. “A great way to get out there and get some free giveaway items is to participate in some how-to events and learn more about the State Park System.”
To browse all upcoming events offered through the Wisconsin State Park System in celebration of the big anniversary, visit here.
