High Cliff State Park: Red Bird Trail (Blog Hike #1090; Golden Staff Hike)

Trail: Red Bird Trail 
Hike Location: High Cliff State Park
Geographic Location: east of Appleton, WI (44.16327, -88.28825)
Length: 3.5 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2025
Overview: A mostly flat loop hike atop this park's namesake cliff with good views and interesting history.
Park Information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/highcliff
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming August 14, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 10 and SR 114 on the east side of Appleton, take SR 114 east 2.1 miles to Pigeon Road and turn right on Pigeon Rd.  Drive Pigeon Rd. south 1.6 miles to State Park Road and turn left on State Park Rd.  State Park Rd. deadends at the state park.  Stop at the park office to pick up a trail map and pay the entrance fee.  Turn left at the first intersection, drive to the top of the cliff, then turn left again.  Drive a total of 1.4 miles from the park entrance station to the parking lot beside the observation tower.  Park here.

The hike: 1187-acre High Cliff State Park earns its name from the high rock ledge that runs north/south through the park's central area, but there is far more to that ledge than meets the eye.  The ledge that defines this park is the southwestern end of the Niagara Escarpment, a 650-mile discontinuous arc of dolomite that has been exposed by erosion.  From this park, the Niagara Escarpment heads northeast out the Door Peninsula, then east along the southern edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, then southeast along the northern edge of Lake Huron and south across Ontario to reach its eastern end in western New York.  As its name implies, the Niagara Escarpment also forms the famous Niagara Falls and Horseshoe Falls along the New York/Ontario border.

            Before this land became a park, the exposed dolomite was quarried; part of this hike passes through the old quarry.  The State of Wisconsin purchased the land to form the park in 1956.  The park offers many amenities including a 112-site developed campground, aquatic recreation on adjacent Lake Winnebago, several picnic areas, and many miles of trails.  This hike features this park's signature trail: the Red Bird Trail.  Named after a famous leader of the Winnebago people, the Red Bird Trail forms a skinny loop along the top of the ledge, and it offers a fascinating mix of natural scenery and human history.  I came here on a Tuesday morning in early October, and I had one of the best hikes I have ever done in Wisconsin.

Observation tower

            Either before or after your hike, you want to walk the asphalt trail a short distance north through the mowed-grass area to the observation tower.  Climbing 4 flights of stairs elevates you to the top platform, which gives great views in all directions.  Lake Winnebago extends to the west, and views across the east side of Appleton unfold to the north.  This tower is popular but for good reason: take a few minutes to enjoy the view and see all there is to see.

Tower view across Lake Winnebago

Tower view across eastern Appleton

Trailhead for Red Bird Trail

            Back on the ground, pick up the Red Bird Trail as it leaves from the southwest corner of the parking lot.  An information kiosk marks the trailhead.  Very quickly you reach the statue of Red Bird, a handsome monument to the famous Winnebago leader.  The statue area also features another nice view northwest across the north end of Lake Winnebago.

Statue of Red Bird

            Past the statue, the wide dirt/gravel trail heads south with the top of the park's namesake ledge just through the trees to the right.  The Red Bird Trail is marked with red paint blazes, and distance markers appear at 0.1-mile increments.  The terrain atop the ledge is very flat, making the hiking easy and pleasant.

Crevasse near edge of the ledge

            Just past 0.4 miles, you enter the old quarry area.  The quarry operated from 1895 until 1956; workers used dynamite to blast the dolomite loose.  A kiln at the base of the ledge extracted lime from the limestone, and the lime was shipped all over the Midwest for use in various industrial products.  Today the quarry is a sunny area of open mostly flat rock, but a few ledges created by the blasting will need to be stepped up or down.  The trail on the rock is mostly unmarked; just keep heading south and stay close to the ledge on the right.

Old quarry area

            After crossing the park entrance road, you exit the old quarry and re-enter the forest.  The forest at this park is dominated by maple, hickory, and oak trees with a few birch.  The fall colors were just starting to show when I hiked here in early October.  At 0.8 miles, you reach another westward overlook that provides another fantastic view across sprawling Lake Winnebago.

View across Lake Winnebago

            1.1 miles into the hike, you reach an intersection with the Indian Mound Trail, which provides an opportunity to short-cut this hike.  We will eventually go straight to hike the full Red Bird Trail, but first take a short detour to the left to view the ancient mounds.  Experts think these mounds are 1500 years old, and the low mounds vary in shape from simple lines to animals such as panthers.

Panther-shaped mound

            Continuing south on the Red Bird Trail, the Lime Kiln Trail exits right at 1.25 miles.  The rocky Lime Kiln Trail leads steeply downhill to the old kiln site.  Stay left to remain on the Red Bird Trail.  After hiking down the west side of the campground, ignore another trail that exits left; it is another opportunity to short-cut this hike.  At 1.6 miles, you reach the south end of the Red Bird Trail's loop.  An unmarked trail continues south and leads to the Overlook Trail, but our hike turns left to stay on the Red Bird Trail.  Watch for the trail markers to make sure you do not miss this turn.

Old stone wall beside trail

            The trail curves left and then right to begin heading east through a narrow strip of woods with the park's campground on the left and an open field on the right.  An old stone wall parallels the right side of the trail; it probably marks an old property boundary.  Soon the trail curves left to begin heading back north.  What the return portion of this loop lacks in scenic ledge-top views it makes up for in scenic forest: this is the oldest and nicest forest on this hike.

Hiking through scenic forest

            You cross the campground access road at 2.4 miles and pass the group campground at 2.7 miles.  The forest gets younger and brushier the further north you go.  At 3.3 miles, you come out at the park road across from the park's playground.  Angle right and then left to hike through the playground and return to the observation tower parking area, thus concluding the hike.

Hartman Creek State Park: Ice Age Trail Loop from Allen Lake (Blog Hike #1089)

Trails: Ice Age National Scenic Trail et. al.
Hike Location: Hartman Creek State Park
Geographic Location: west of Waupaca, WI (44.32536, -89.21733)
Length: 2.8 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2025
Overview: A lollipop loop passing Allen Lake and many Ice Age geological landforms.
Park Information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/hartmancreek
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming August 28, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the junction of US 10 and SR 54 on the west side of Waupaca, take SR 54 west 4.5 miles to Hartman Creek Road and turn left on Hartman Creek Rd.  Hartman Creek Rd. deadends at the park entrance in 1.8 miles.  Stop at the park office to pick up a trail map and pay the entrance fee, then drive another 0.3 miles to the Allen Lake parking lot on the right.  Park here.

The hike: Located in central Wisconsin roughly halfway between Appleton and Stephens Point, Hartman Creek State Park protects 1417 fairly flat acres in the western part of an area known locally as Chain O' Lakes.  Chain O' Lakes consist of 22 lakes connected by channels, and several of those lakes including Hartman Lake, Marl Lake, Pope Lake, Manomin Lake, and Knight Lake sit in or adjacent to the eastern half of the park.  Paddling is a very popular activity, and the eastern part of the park offers numerous places to put in a kayak or canoe.  Motorized boats are also allowed, but all lakes in the park are no wake zones.

            Before it became a park, the land portion of Hartman Creek State Park was once a hops farm that featured the largest hops house in Waupaca County.  The State of Wisconsin purchased the farm in 1939, and the depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped build a State Fish Hatchery here.  In 1960, the fish hatchery was deemed unnecessary, and the land was transferred to Wisconsin's State Parks and Recreation Division.  Hartman Creek State Park opened in 1966.

            In addition to the lakes, the park offers some nice amenities including a 103-site developed campground and many miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.  The famous Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a 1200-mile backpacking trail that winds through much of Wisconsin, passes through the western part of the park.  This hike features a segment on the Ice Age Trail, but it uses some of the park's other trails to form a lollipop loop that passes one of the park's largest lakes as well.  I honestly was not expecting much from this park when I drove in, and I sat in my car for nearly an hour at the trailhead waiting for the rain to stop.  Nevertheless, I had a very nice hike.

Hellestad House

            Either before or after your hike, you want to check out the historic Hellestad House, which sits across the parking lot from Allen Lake.  This log cabin dates to 1864, and it was built and occupied by Ole and Anne Hellestad in nearby Scandinavia, WI.  Several generations of Hellestads lived in the cabin until it was sold in 1958 and fell into disrepair.  Decades later, Bob and Christine Faulk bought it at an auction and donated it to the park.  The cabin was moved to its present site in 1998.

Allen Lake trailhead

            To begin the hike, walk the asphalt trail west toward Allen Lake, then turn right to begin heading north with Allen Lake on your left.  Scenic views open up to the west across Allen Lake while another much smaller body of water sits to the right.  Trails in this park are mostly unmarked, but major trail intersections are marked by lettered posts bearing trail maps.  

Allen Lake

            At 0.15 miles, you reach the intersection at post B.  Turn left to begin heading west on a wide dirt trail that is open to hikers and mountain bikers.  At first the trail passes through tall old pine trees planted by the WPA in the early 1940's, but later sections pass through a younger pine planting.  After a very flat first 0.7 miles, you begin a gradual climb up the ridge west of Allen Lake.

Old pine planting

            Pass posts C and D to reach post E at 0.9 miles.  A total of 5 trails converge on this point, 2 of which are the Ice Age Trail.  You want to turn sharply left to begin heading south on the Ice Age Trail.  The Ice Age Trail follows a narrower dirt track compared to the trails you have been hiking so far, but plenty of yellow rectangular paint blazes mark the way.

Starting the Ice Age Trail

            As you start south on the Ice Age Trail, what has thus far been a rather uninspiring hike starts to gain intrigue.  The Ice Age Trail roughly follows the terminal boundary of the ice sheets from the most recent ice age, and thus the trail undertakes an undulating course over and around kettles and kames.  The steep kettles and kames make for much more interesting scenery than the flat pine planting you traversed earlier.  Some benches provide opportunities to rest and enjoy the scenery.

Kettle depression

            At 1.5 miles, you reach an unmarked trail intersection with a bench.  You could turn left if you wanted to short-cut this hike, but I continued south to maximize my time on the Ice Age Trail.  Note the large glacial erratic standing to the left at this intersection.  Glacial erratics are boulders transported southward from the Canadian shield by the glaciers.  While glacial erratics are found throughout Wisconsin's forests, this one is larger than most, and you pass through a large collection of glacial erratics just ahead.

Bench beside large glacial erratic

            1.85 miles into the hike, you reach a parking lot on West Windfelt Lane; this parking lot is an alternate starting point for this hike.  The Ice Age Trail continues south across the road and soon exits the state park, so our hike turns sharply left to head north on a wide dirt/grass trail.  The trail descends gradually with the park's campground on your right.  A few fall colors were showing on the early October afternoon that I hiked here, but this park has too many pine trees to make it a good fall foliage destination.

Hiking through young pine forest

            Allen Lake soon comes into view through the trees on the right.  Ignore side trails that exit right or left and stay with the main hiking/biking trail.  At 2.4 miles, you return to post C and close the loop.  Retracing your steps via a pair of right turns returns you to the Allen Lake parking area to complete the hike.

Fischer Creek State Recreation Area (Blog Hike #1088)

Trail: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Fischer Creek State Recreation Area
Geographic Location: south of Manitowoc, WI (43.93450, -87.72100)
Length: 1.4 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: October 2025
Overview: An out-and-back passing views of Lake Michigan leading to an old silo.
Park Information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/fischercreek
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming July 21, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: South of Manitowoc, take I-43 to CR XX (exit 137).  Exit and go east on CR XX.  Drive CR XX east 2.2 miles to Lakeshore Drive and turn left on Lakeshore Dr.  Drive Lakeshore Dr. north 1.3 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and park in the small paved parking lot.

The hike: Owned by the State of Wisconsin but developed and maintained by Manitowoc County, Fischer Creek State Recreation Area protects 124 acres along Lake Michigan.  The park straddles its namesake creek, and it protects more than a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline, which forms its east boundary.  The land was purchased in 1991 using money from the state's Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund with a contribution from Manitowoc County.  Today the park remains the newest county park in Manitowoc County.

            Fischer Creek State Recreation Area protects both blufftop and lakeshore areas, but its limited amenities include only a small Lake Michigan beach and some picnic shelters.  In particular, the Area is open for day-use only.  The park's single trail parallels Lake Michigan; it has both developed and natural sections.  This hike uses almost all of that trail, thus squeezing almost all of the hiking possible out of this small Recreation Area.

Trail leaving south parking lot

            Fischer Creek State Recreation Area has two parking lots; start at the south parking lot to do this hike as a single out-and-back instead of a double out-and-back.  The wide gravel trail heads northeast through a mowed-grass area dotted with small trees, cooking grills, and benches.  Both parking lots are located on the blufftop, and quickly you reach the edge of the bluff and a fantastic view east over Lake Michigan.  A stiff breeze was blowing off the lake on the late afternoon that I came here, and the long shadows extended well into the lake.

Blufftop view of Lake Michigan

            Next the trail descends steeply to reach the Recreation Area's small sandy beach; a short spur trail to the right leads down to the beach.  The beach was scenic but blustery on my visit.  After crossing Fischer Creek on an iron bridge with wooden deck, you reach another lakeside viewpoint that offers a fantastic view north along Lake Michigan.  Continuing north, the trail climbs moderately to top the next bluff.

Small Lake Michigan beach

View north along Lake Michigan

            Just shy of 0.4 miles, you reach a trail intersection with the north parking lot visible to the left.  The trail going sharply right leads a short distance to more blufftop benches.  This hike angles softly right to continue a northbound course.

Concrete silo

            Soon the gravel trail surface turns to dirt, and the trail crosses a small stream on a wooden footbridge to enter a dense brushy young broadleaf forest.  At 0.7 miles, you reach an old concrete silo, a relic from this land's agricultural history.  The trail continues north past the silo, but it gets increasingly narrow and overgrown before reaching a dead end at the park's north boundary.  Thus, the silo is a good place to turn around.  Retrace your steps south through the developed area to return to the south parking lot and complete the hike.

Aztalan State Park (Blog Hike #1025)

Trails: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Aztalan State Park (43.06341, -88.86238)
Geographic Location: west of Johnson Creek, WI
Length: 1.4 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: September 2024
Overview: A loop hike around a village dating to 1000-1300 AD.
Park Information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/aztalan
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=972445
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: Between Madison and Milwaukee, take I-94 to SR 26 (exit 267).  Exit and go south on SR 26.  Drive SR 26 south 0.8 miles to Milwaukee Street and turn right on Milwaukee St.  Milwaukee St. becomes Aztalan Street and then CR B as you drive west out of Johnson Creek.  Drive a total of 4.9 miles from SR 26 to CR Q and turn left on CR Q.  Drive CR Q south 0.3 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park and drive the main park road to the large parking lot at its end.  Park here.

The hike: When most people think of the ancient Middle Mississippian Mound Builders, they think of their amazing center they built at Cahokia Mounds across the Mississippi River from present-day St. Louis.  Yet the Mound Builders' civilization extended north through most of present-day Wisconsin, and around 900 A.D they settled along the Crawfish River in the southern part of the state.  Over the next 300 years the Middle Mississippian people built some of the largest pyramid/platform mounds in present-day Wisconsin, and they also built a stockade near the mounds by placing logs vertically into the ground.

            The site was abandoned between 1200 and 1300 A.D., possibly due to a mini ice age making food sourcing in Wisconsin difficult.  The ruins were discovered by Timothy Johnson in 1835, yet the land was still sold and farmed afterward.  The mounds and stockades that had stood the test of time for hundreds of years did not fare as well against the plow: the mounds were flattened and the stockades destroyed.

            In 1921, the Wisconsin Archaeological Society purchased a 3 acre plot of land that adjoined what remained of the stockade and contained 8 conical mounds.  In 1948, the Wisconsin State Legislature authorized the purchase of 120 acres that would constitute the main part of the site, and Aztalan State Park opened in 1952.  Today the mounds and stockade have been restored, and a system of hiking trails takes you through the site.  This hike forms a grand loop past all of the mounds and stockades, thus offering a thorough exploration of the ancient site.

Leaving the parking area

            Three mowed-grass trails leave from the main parking lot; you want to take the one in the middle that heads northeast to the "southeast mound," which is also known as the Gravel Knoll.  In fact, this "mound" is not a constructed mound but a naturally occurring kame deposited by retreating glaciers.  The kame still makes an interesting stop on your mound tour even though it represents natural history rather than human history.

Stairs to top of Southwest Mound

            To get from the kame to a real mound, turn left and head due west to the Southwest Mound, a 2-tier platform/pyramid mound.  Constructed wooden stairs lead to the top of the mound.  You can survey the entire site from the top of the Southwest Mound, which is this site's biggest mound.  Archaeologists think this mound had a large structure on its summit, and it was probably used for communal and ritual activities.  No evidence of burials have been found in this mound.  Also, notice the reconstructed stockade to the west; it is one of 2 such stockades in the park today.

View of Gravel Knoll from Southwest Mound

View of plaza to the north from Southwest Mound

            After taking in the view, descend to the base of the mound and head north following another mowed-grass trail that goes through the sunny prairie.  At 0.4 miles, you reach the Northwest Mound.  This mound is another platform mound.  Although it is smaller than the Southwest Mound, archaeological evidence indicates numerous burials in this mound compared to none at the previous mound.  There are no stairs or trails leading to the top of the Northwest Mound, and I do not recommend that you climb it.

Northwest Mound

            To continue your tour of the site, turn left and climb slightly to approach a secondary parking area that is very close to CR Q.  Before reaching the parking lot, turn right to begin hiking north along a row of conical mounds.  Archaeologists think these mounds were built to commemorate important events, and the row used to extend much further north than it does today.

Conical mound

            At 0.65 miles, you reach the park's north boundary and the highest elevation on this hike, which is about 70 vertical feet above the trailhead.  To begin your return route, turn right and descend steeply for a short distance along the north perimeter of the prairie.  Goldenrod was in full bloom in this prairie when I came here on a warm evening in mid-September, and the return route focuses more on this site's natural scenery than on its human history.

Crawfish River

            When you reach the exterior of the stockade, turn left to head for the Crawfish River, which you reach 1 mile into the hike.  The river was this site's original main entrance road, and down here you view the site the way ancient peoples would have approached it.  Turn right to begin hiking downstream with the river on your left.  Angle left when you reach the Gravel Knoll for a second time, and a short descent and climb returns you to the parking area to complete the hike.

Lizard Mound State Park (Blog Hike #1024)

Trails: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Lizard Mound State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of West Bend, WI (43.46402, -88.14055)
Length: 1.1 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: September 2024
Overview: A short, flat loop past many effigy mounds including the famous Lizard Mound.
Park Information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/lizardmound
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=972355
Photo Highlight:

Short Video:

Directions to the trailhead: From West Bend, take SR 144 north 3.7 miles to CR A.  Turn right on CR A.  The park entrance is 0.4 miles ahead on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and park in the only parking lot.

The hike: Hundreds of years before the first European explorers arrived in America, the Mound Builder peoples lived a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle across what is now the eastern United States.  The Mound Builders lived in societies that were highly organized for their era, and they built their characteristic mounds at numerous sites, many of which are protected today as state or national parks.  Wisconsin lies on the northern end of the Mound Builders' geographical range, and the Lizard Mound site is one of the best places in Wisconsin to view the Mound Builders' legacy.

            The historical value of the Lizard Mound site lies not so much in the size of the mounds as in their variety and quantity: at least 60 mounds of various shapes have been identified at this site.  The exact date and builders of the mounds remain unknown, but most experts think they were constructed between 650 and 1300 AD.  Some of the mounds were destroyed by farming before Washington County established the site as a county park in 1950: only 47 of the original 60+ mounds remain today.  The State of Wisconsin acquired the site in 1986, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

            True to a park established to preserve history, tiny 22-acre Lizard Mound State Park has limited amenities.  The park offers only a parking lot, some picnic tables, and a small interpretive center that gives you information about the mounds.  A limited system of unnamed and unmarked trails provides access to the mounds, and the hike described here takes you on a winding route designed to maximize your distance and your mound viewing.

Interpretive center

            Start by heading to the interpretive center.  To get there from the main parking lot, walk back out the park entrance road and angle left to reach the small picnic shelter-looking building.  Although many questions about these mounds remain unanswered, numerous signs give general information about effigy and burial mounds as well as specific information about this site.

Heading toward the mounds

            Armed with some knowledge about the mounds, next head for the mounds themselves by exiting the interpretive center to the south and walking between 2 ornamental metal fixtures that bear lizard-like shapes.  The first part of this hike goes through a sunny grassy area that is dotted with trees.  In general you want to turn right at each trail intersection to take the longest possible route through the mounds.

Passing a mound

            Quickly it becomes apparent that these mounds come in many shapes and sizes.  The first mound you pass on the left is a T-shaped mound that resembles a bird when viewed from above, while the next one is an elongated mound many experts think was meant to resemble a panther.  More ordinary conical and linear mounds are also passed.

Large panther mound

            At 0.3 miles, you pass a large panther mound that I originally thought was this site's signature lizard mound, but in fact the lizard mound sits just beyond and is signed.  This site has several panther, bird, conical, and linear mounds, but it only has 1 lizard mound.  You approach the lizard at its head, and the best vantage point looks over the lizard's front and back legs down its elongated tail.  A bench encourages you to sit, rest, and admire the unusually-shaped mound.

Lizard mound, looking toward the head

Lizard mound, looking toward the tail

            Past the lizard mound, the trail passes between a pair of panther mounds and enters a more heavily wooded area, where it will remain for the rest of the hike.  This area could be very buggy in the spring and summer, but bugs were not a problem when I hiked here in mid-September.  Many more conical and linear mounds are passed, and while no mound on this site is more than a couple feet high, all of them are interesting.

Conical mound in the woods

            The trail takes a serpentine course through the wooded eastern part of the park, and the persistently flat terrain might make you feel like you are hiking in circles.  Keep turning right at each trail intersection and keep following the trail.  Just shy of 1 mile, you reach an old hand water pump that probably dates to this land's agricultural days.  The main parking lot sits just to the right, thus signaling the end of the hike.

Kohler-Andrae State Park: The Cordwalk (Blog Hike #1023)

Trail: The Cordwalk
Hike Location: Kohler-Andrae State Park
Geographic Location: south of Sheboygan, WI (43.66733, -87.71630)
Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: September 2024
Overview: A double out-and-back atop sand dunes along Lake Michigan.
Park Information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/kohlerandrae
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=972356
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: Just south of Sheboygan, take I-43 to CR V (exit 120).  Exit, go east, then quickly turn right to stay on CR V.  Where CR V ends in 1.9 miles, continue straight to enter the park.  Pay the entrance fee, then follow signs for the Sanderling Nature Center, where this hike begins.

The hike: Consisting of 988 acres on the shore of Lake Michigan, Kohler-Andrae State Park's hyphenated name stems from its 2 separate histories.  The park's southern 122 acres were originally known as Terry Andrae State Park, which was established in 1928.  Terry Andrae was the President of the Julius Andrae and Sons' Electric Supply Company in Milwaukee, and he built a second house on this property to take advantage of the scenic dunes overlooking Lake Michigan.  After Andrae died in 1927, his family donated the land to the State of Wisconsin to form the park that bore his name.

            In an unrelated event, in 1966 the Kohler Company donated 280 acres of land located immediately north of the existing park.  Rather than adding the land to Terry Andrae State Park as would be customary, the Kohler donation was formed into a new park called John Michael Kohler State Park to honor the company's founder.  Additional adjacent land acquisitions bring the area's size to the current total.  While the "park" is still officially 2 separate state parks, they are managed, maintained, and marketed as a single entity: Kohler-Andrae State Park.

            In 2023, the park was the 7th most visited state park in Wisconsin, and it offers some fantastic amenities including a 135-site developed campground, some picnic areas, and a nature center.  Yet the park's main attraction remains the same as it was in Andrae's day: the dunes overlooking Lake Michigan.  Several hiking trails explore the dunes, and this hike describes possibly the most famous trail in Wisconsin: the Kohler Cordwalk.  The Cordwalk features fantastic dune-top Lake Michigan scenery, but the Cordwalk's unusual construction makes the hiking much easier than walking in soft sand.  I came here on a warm sunny morning in mid-September, and I had a splendid, scenic, and memorable hike.

Trailhead for southern Cordwalk

            The Cordwalk can be accessed at 3 distinct points; I chose to start at the Sanderling Nature Center near the Cordwalk's midpoint because it is easy to find and has a large parking lot.  Pick up the Cordwalk as it heads southeast from the parking lot.  A large sign that says "Kohler Dunes State Natural Area" marks this trailhead.

Hiking the Cordwalk

            Immediately the wonder of the dunes becomes apparent.  The soft sand dunes are mostly covered by green grass and shrubs with an occasional cluster of trees, while azure blue Lake Michigan can be seen and heard to your left.  The wind is your near constant companion.  Plenty of benches encourage you to rest and take in the scenery, but there is minimal shade on this hike.  Be prepared for the sun and warmth of the sand dunes.

Sunny Cordwalk bench

            The Cordwalk heads the general direction of south, but it meanders and undulates in seemingly random and endless twists and turns and ups and downs.  In some places you can see the construction of this unique trail surface.  Boards laid perpendicular to your route are strung together by 2 cables or cords that pass through holes drilled in the boards.  Some of the boards are loose and uneven, so you have to step a little carefully.  Nonetheless, hiking this trail surface is many times easier than hiking in soft sand as required at other Lake Michigan dunes hikes such as Warren Dunes or Indiana Dunes.

The Cordwalk's trail surface

            Several "spur Cordwalks" exit right or left from the main Cordwalk.  The spurs going left lead down to the beach beside Lake Michigan, while the spurs going right lead to inland wetland overlooks or the group camp.  You may not want to take each of these spur trails, but you should take a couple of them to see the dunes, lake, and surrounding areas from a different perspective.  Large numbers of gulls were sitting on the beach when I hiked down to the lake.

Gulls along Lake Michigan

            At 0.85 miles, you reach the south end of the Cordwalk and Parking Lot #5.  The main campground lies south of here, but there are no other trails that lead to this parking lot.  Thus, you want to turn around and hike the Cordwalk back north to the Sanderling Nature Center.  If you want to add a little variety to your return route, you can take a short spur of the Cordwalk called the Creeping Juniper Nature Trail.  This spur goes further inland than the trail you hiked southbound, and it takes you through one of the largest clusters of white pines among the sand dunes.

Hiking the Cordwalk northbound

            2.1 miles into the hike, you arrive back at the Sanderling Nature Center parking lot to complete the southern part of the Cordwalk.  If you are getting tired you can head home now, but why not see the northern part of the Cordwalk too?  Make it so by heading north out of the parking lot at another large sign for the Kohler Dunes State Natural Area.

North trailhead at Sanderling Nature Center

White pine cluster

            The northern part of the Cordwalk offers more of the same hiking and more of the same scenery, and thus the experience remains sublime.  A large cluster of white pines offers welcome shade and coolness just before you reach the Cordwalk's northern terminus at Parking Lot #2.  A spur trail leads right to the pet beach area along Lake Michigan, but no other trails depart this parking lot.  Thus, retracing your steps south returns you to the Sanderling Nature Center for a second time at 3 miles to complete the hike.