Had a very nice meeting of our non-profit at the Lodge. Rustic, but lots of flexible space and a nice atmosphere for a gathering. The big Fireplace was a favorite spot to talk with colleagues. Many stuffed birds and animals all around the lodge. Parking a bit of a walk to the Lodge.

This place is a hidden gem! It’s off the beaten path so many people don’t know about it and it’s hardly ever busy. Highly suggest!

Beautiful park, that has a lot to offer. It’s very big and very well kept. It’s work and contribution is remarkable. We visited for a mini picnic in nature and it was very enjoyable. Worth planning a visit to be there for the day! Definitely coming back for a hike.

We take a trip here several times per year. There is no entrance fee. We start with a picnic lunch by the park lot (which is on the right about a 1/4 mile from the entrance. If the ranger station is open when you visit there is a bathroom inside the house like building but the entrance is down the stairs from the picnic area. From the parking lot we cross the street to take the wildlife loop. It is a gravel trail most of the way but taking a stroller is not ideal. This trip is better suited for kids who can walk or small enough to be carried. The first stop on the trail is the fire look out tower. The kids feel pretty brave climbing part of the way up this tower with steep stairs. In the fall you might be able to spot the bison if the trees are bare and the bison are not hiding in the prairie. Then we walk down the hill. There is an enclosure for deer in their natural habitat so many times the deer are not easy to spot. I make sure the kids are quiet as we enter this area and they learn first hand how animals are camoflauged. The next area has more Native Wisconsin animals most of which are injured or for some reason unable to live in the wild any longer. Coming around lunchtime you may get to see the animals being fed. As others have mentioned there are wolves, hawks, owls, bobcats, fox, rabbit and over the years there have been racoon, mountain lions and other interesting animals. There are a few educational signs and a port a potty. Keep following the trail and their is a gate you will need to open and close to exit. Then we take the first trail back into the woods. There is an odd sculptor that I do not know the story behind and we have seen plenty of other wild life on the trails like squirrels, deer and birds so be quiet for the best chances of seeing them. The trail will lead you to some educational buildings that are not always open. But there are other educational spots about the lumber industry and Native American buildings but our favorite is the little pond. In the summer we find lots of frogs, dragon or damselflies, turtles etc. There are some nets to explore in the pond. We often are able to walk the little dirt trail around the pond. That is usually when we see the most activity. Then we typically hike back out to the road and up the hill back to the car. But there is another interesting museum west of the ranger building and a nice wooded trail and some trees have identification tags on them to help you learn to identify Wisconsin trees. We usually spend about 90 minutes to 2 hours visiting.

Great way to spend a beautiful afternoon at a Wisconsin gem. We were the only people who took advantage of the picnic area. I guess you need water slides, video games or gambling now a days to attract the masses. The animals of course are the real highlights. Evidently mid afternoon is feeding time because the wolves, foxes and at least one of the predator birds were feasting on recently deceased animals. Not exactly what we went to see but it sure adds to the authenticity of your experience. They appear to be in the process of updating the animal enclosures which seem dated. This will only enhance the entire experience. We got up close (but not TOO close) to all the animals with the exception of the Bison. They must have a good hiding place. They have a Bear that is real sociable. He will even pose for a photo with you :-)