State Parks

It wouldn’t be summer without a day lying out on a sandy shore, and this park in Ozaukee County offers a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline. If the sun gets to be too much, hike under white cedar trees or jump onto the intra-urban bike trail to nearby towns for treats.

This Door County park is among the state’s most remote. Accessible only by ferry (or your own boat) and with no cars allowed, some people swear it’s even darker at night than the nearby Newport, a certified Dark Sky park! The historic Pottawatomie Lighthouse has stood since before Wisconsin became a state and is open for daily tours through the summer.

There’s no shortage of waterfalls in Wisconsin, but the state’s tallest waterfall is in Douglas County, where Big Manitou Falls crashes down 165 feet. Visitors can also camp, hike, swim or lie out on the beaches of Lake Superior.

Wisconsin’s oldest state park straddles two states, bridging the St. Croix River at Polk County. Fishing and paddling are available, and hiking offers stunning views from the bluffs — which are often also peopled with rock climbers.

The Adams County park is renowned for being Wisconsin’s only interpreted rock art site, with ancient petroglyphs along its namesake sandstone mound. While a staircase to the top of the rock is off-limits for now, hiking and camping are still available.