This Weekend Wisconsin State Parks Are Free To All Residents

June 3 - 4, 2023

Start off the Summer with a weekend visiting one of your favorite Wisconsin State Parks for 

free. The Badger State is 50 beautiful state parks, 15 state forests, and 44 state trails. The first weekend every June, families can explore all our state parks offer with admission fees, fishing licenses and trail passes waived. Admission stickers are not required at any of our 50 state 

parks or 15 state forests All state parks are open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

And for the fishing family, residents and non-residents will not be required to have 

a fishing license or trout/salmon stamps

On Your Own Ice Age Trail Hike and Scavenger Hunt

May 6, 2023 -  10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Cross Plains- Join the Cross Plains Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, along with other community partners for a full day of family-friendly events. Including, community-wide garage sales, live music, food trucks, Human Foosball, KenDucky Derby on the Black Earth Creek, fishing demonstrations, and on-your-own scavenger hunt hike along the Ice Age Trail.

Location: Stop by the Ice Age Trail Alliance office anytime between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 6 to get your scavenger hunt bingo card before you enjoy a hike along the Ice Age Trail. The Alliance office located at 2110 Main Street, Cross Plains. Parking will not be available at the office but will be available on public streets. Follow the yellow Ice Age Trail Event yard signs.

Snowshoe Hike along Ice Age Trail At Forest Headquarters

January 28, 2023 -  11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

We are making tracks in the KMSF-SU! Join us on a series of hikes/snowshoeing jaunts throughout the forest. We will be looking for and identifying animal tracks. Dress warm and join us for an adventure! We have snowshoes to lend out during the event, including children’s sizes. Supplies are limited. This hike features moderate hills and is 2 miles long.

Location: Meet at Forest Headquarters– S91 W39091 State Hwy 59 in Eagle.

Website: EVENT WEBSITE

Night time Ski, Hike, Snowshoe - Kettle Moraine State Forest (KMSF) - Southern Unit

January 21, 2023 -  6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Join a magical evening of free, candlelit recreation. The forest and trails will be glowing with 450 candle luminaries. Warm up after your hike or ski with a bonfire. Chili and hot chocolate will be available for purchase, with all sales benefitting the Friends of Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit. Leashed dogs are welcome on the ski trails for this night only.

Location: Meet at the Nordic Trailhead located at N9084 Cty Road H in Whitewater

Website: EVENT WEBSITE.

Candlelight Hike - Rock River Heritage Park

January 21, 2023 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Enjoy a winter hike in Rock County’s newest County Park, formerly the BSA Camp Indian Trails. 

This is approximately a ½ mile loop hike. Please try to be there at the time it begins. The event includes fire warming pits and treats. FREE to attend, but donations are welcome and accepted for

improvements in Rock County Parks.

Event Host: Ice Age Trail Alliance

Location: 5801 N River Rd, Janesville,

Website: EVENT WEBSITE

Candlelight Hike - Storrs Lake Wildlife Area

January 7, 2023 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Join the Rock County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance for a candlelight hike!

This is approximately a ½ mile loop hike. Please try to be there at the time it begins. The event includes fire warming pits and treats. FREE to attend, but donations are welcome and accepted for

improvements along the Ice Age Trail in Rock County.

Event Host: Ice Age Trail Alliance

Location: Storrs Lake Wildlife Area, Milton

Event Website: EVENT WEBSITE

May Is National Fitness Month

May 1 - 31, 2023

Hit The Trails May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month  The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s (ODPHP) have created the "Move Your Way" campaign to encourage Americans to get out and move for your health. And now more than ever with the CDC easing restrictions on outdoor, and Summer just around the corner, it; is a great time to realize your New Year's resolutions.

Southern Wisconsin is blessed with seemingly endless outdoor places to celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Lakesedition.com is a great mobile resource for discovering those wonderful places in our region to recreate. On land you can't wrong with hike through Southern Wisconsin's largest contiguous forest, the Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit near Whitewater. or hike to the top of Magnolia Bluff just south of Evansville. Have fun and good hiking.

On Your Own Ice Age Trail Hike and Scavenger Hunt

May 6, 2023 -  10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Cross Plains- Join the Cross Plains Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, along with other community partners for a full day of family-friendly events. Including, community-wide garage sales, live music, food trucks, Human Foosball, KenDucky Derby on the Black Earth Creek, fishing demonstrations, and on-your-own scavenger hunt hike along the Ice Age Trail.

Location: Stop by the Ice Age Trail Alliance office anytime between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 6 to get your scavenger hunt bingo card before you enjoy a hike along the Ice Age Trail. The Alliance office located at 2110 Main Street, Cross Plains. Parking will not be available at the office but will be available on public streets. Follow the yellow Ice Age Trail Event yard signs.

Snowshoe Hike along Ice Age Trail At Forest Headquarters

January 28, 2023 -  11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

We are making tracks in the KMSF-SU! Join us on a series of hikes/snowshoeing jaunts throughout the forest. We will be looking for and identifying animal tracks. Dress warm and join us for an adventure! We have snowshoes to lend out during the event, including children’s sizes. Supplies are limited. This hike features moderate hills and is 2 miles long.

Location: Meet at Forest Headquarters– S91 W39091 State Hwy 59 in Eagle.

Website: EVENT WEBSITE

Night time Ski, Hike, Snowshoe - Kettle Moraine State Forest (KMSF) - Southern Unit

January 21, 2023 -  6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Join a magical evening of free, candlelit recreation. The forest and trails will be glowing with 450 candle luminaries. Warm up after your hike or ski with a bonfire. Chili and hot chocolate will be available for purchase, with all sales benefitting the Friends of Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit. Leashed dogs are welcome on the ski trails for this night only.

Location: Meet at the Nordic Trailhead located at N9084 Cty Road H in Whitewater

Website: EVENT WEBSITE.

Candlelight Hike - Rock River Heritage Park

January 21, 2023 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Enjoy a winter hike in Rock County’s newest County Park, formerly the BSA Camp Indian Trails. 

This is approximately a ½ mile loop hike. Please try to be there at the time it begins. The event includes fire warming pits and treats. FREE to attend, but donations are welcome and accepted for

improvements in Rock County Parks.

Event Host: Ice Age Trail Alliance

Location: 5801 N River Rd, Janesville,

Website: EVENT WEBSITE

Candlelight Hike - Storrs Lake Wildlife Area

January 7, 2023 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Join the Rock County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance for a candlelight hike!

This is approximately a ½ mile loop hike. Please try to be there at the time it begins. The event includes fire warming pits and treats. FREE to attend, but donations are welcome and accepted for

improvements along the Ice Age Trail in Rock County.

Event Host: Ice Age Trail Alliance

Location: Storrs Lake Wildlife Area, Milton

Event Website: EVENT WEBSITE

 TRAIL GUIDE

FOUR SEASONS OF BROOKLYN WILDLIFE AREA A GREAT DAY TRIP ALL-YEAR ROUND

The Brooklyn Wildlife Area is vast, diverse in its' topography, ecosystems and vegetation, and right here in Southern Wisconsin's backyard. Hunters, hikers, birders and fisherman will find the park's 3,500 spread across DNR, state, private easements serene and rugged, secluded but accessible green space for any outdoor adventure.

Away From The Crowds  Gibbs Lake County Park Offers Visitors a Quiet Place to Fish, Hike, Horse Back Riding, Or Day Camping

While many of Wisconsin's lakes are hemmed in by residential development, Gibbs Lake is not. There are houses set back from the shores of Gibbs, but the majority of the lake's edge and its' smaller twin, Little Gibbs Lake are quietly ringed by a diverse mix of pine and maple woods, open prairie and wetlands thanks to Gibbs Lake County Park.