THE PARK NEXT DOOR
  • Home
    • Contact
    • Sign up for Updates
  • THE MAGAZINE
  • Celebrating 10 Years
  • Blog
  • Support The Park Next Door
  • Achievements / Press
  • Art for Your Walls & More
  • Special Features
    • What's New
    • For Love Of Lavender
    • Peony Perfection - 2025
    • Nature Is For Every Body
    • Wisconsin Astronomy Observatories
    • 30 Easy, Scenic Nature Walks
    • Gone Fishing
    • Birding Local
    • Sparkle In The Parks & More 2024
    • Fabulous In Fall
    • Hiking Safely During Hunting Season - 2024 Edition
    • Blooms Galore 2024: U-Pick Sunflowers, Cut Flowers and Lavender Fields
    • A Walk On The Beach
    • On The Bookshelf
    • There's A Camera In My Pocket
    • It's Garden Party Time
    • Exploring Door County
    • Tasting Door County
    • Local Waterfalls Are Calling
    • On The Side
    • Beauty On The Escarpment
    • Sacred Ground & Effigy Mounds Of Wisconsin
    • Legacies Of Nature
    • Escape To The Woods
    • Snapshots
    • Migration Song - The Magic of Bird Migration
    • Dog Days In The Park
    • Gift Ideas For The Nature Lover
    • Winter in Wisconsin
  • Let's Explore
    • Nature Trails >
      • 116th Street - Oak Leaf Trail - West Allis, WI
      • Bald Bluff Nature Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Belle Reynolds Nature Trail - Oakfield, WI
      • Black River Trails - Sheboygan, WI
      • Eagle Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Emma Carlin Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Glacial Drumlin State Trail - Lake Mills, WI
      • Ice Age Visitor Center Nature Trail - Campbellsport, WI
      • Kettle Moraine Low Prairie Natural Area - Eagle, WI
      • W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Milwaukee, WI
      • Kohl Park Hiking Trail - Milwaukee, WI
      • Paradise Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Rice Lake Nature Trail - Whitewater, WI
      • Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Seminary Woods - St. Francis, WI
      • Stony Ridge Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Stute Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Washington Avenue Nature Trail - Sheboygan, WI
      • White River State Trail - Elkhorn to Dover, WI
      • Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk - Delafield, WI
    • Local Parks >
      • Akakawaa Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Alt Bauer Park - Germantown, WI
      • Anclam Park - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • Astico County Park - Columbus, WI
      • Asylum Point Park & Lighthouse - Oshkosh, WI
      • Aurelian Springs Village Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Beckman Mill County Park - Beloit, WI
      • Big Hill Park - Beloit, WI
      • Biwer Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Bluhm Farm Park - Muskego, WI
      • Brown Deer Park - Brown Deer, WI
      • Calhoun Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Carlin-Weld Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Dorothy Carnes Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Carver-Roehl County Park - Clinton, WI
      • Case Eagle Park - Burlington, WI
      • Cave Point County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Cherney Maribel Caves County Park - Maribel, WI
      • Cliffside Park - Caledonia, WI
      • Copernicus Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Creekwood Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Cudahy Woods - Cudahy, WI
      • Dave's Falls County Park - Amberg, WI
      • Denoon Park - Muskego, WI
      • Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum - Brookfield, WI
      • Downtown Waupaca Parks - Waupaca, WI
      • Doyne Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Ellison Bay Bluff County Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Elm Grove Village Park - Elm Grove, WI
      • Endicott Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Estabrook Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Euclid Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Falk Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Firefighters Memorial Bluff - West Bend, WI
      • Frame Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Franklin Woods - Franklin, WI
      • Froemming Park - Franklin, WI
      • Frontier Park - Butler, WI
      • George K. Pinney County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI -
      • Glacier Hills County Park - Hubertus, WI
      • Goodman County Park, Strong Falls - Athelstane, WI Falls -
      • Grant Park - South Milwaukee
      • Greenfield Park - West Allis
      • Grobschmidt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hales Corners Park, Ben Hunt Prairie and Cabin, Seneca Hale Summer Kitchen, Cobb Park - Hales Corners, WI
      • Harnischfeger Park - Ixonia, WI
      • Hart Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hartbrook Park - Hartland, WI
      • Hartung Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hidden Lake Park - Brookfield, WI
      • High Grove Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Hika Bay Park - Cleveland, WI
      • Hobbs Woods Nature Area - Fond Du Lac, WI
      • Homestead Hollow County Park - Germantown, WI
      • Honey Creek Park - West Allis, WI
      • Hoyt Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Humboldt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Idle Isle Park - Muskego, WI
      • Indian Mounds County Park - Lake Koshkonong Effigy Mounds and Trail - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Indianhead Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Jackson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Jacobus Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Johnstone Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Kelly Lake Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Kiekhaefer Park - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Kinsey Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kocziuszko Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • H.C. Koepp Village Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • Konkel Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Korth Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Krueger Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kurth Park - Muskego, WI
      • Alan Kulwicki Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Ledge County Park - Horicon, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Grafton, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Lincoln Park - Glendale, WI
      • Lions Legend Park I & II - Franklin, WI
      • Lion's Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Lisbon Community Park - Hartland, WI
      • Lyons Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Magnolia Bluff County Park - Evansville, WI
      • Malone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Manchester Hill Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mangan Woods - Greendale, WI
      • Mary Knoll Park - Brookfield, WI
      • McCarty Park - West Allis, WI
      • Menominee River Park - Wausaukee, WI
      • Mitchell Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Monarch Trail / County Grounds Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Moorewood Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Moorland Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mound Zion Park - Brookfield, WI
      • John Muir Memorial County Park - Town of Buffalo, WI
      • Mukwonago Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Mush Ko Se Day Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Muskego Boardwalk Nature Trail - Muskego, WI
      • Muskego Park - Muskego, WI
      • Nashotah Park - Nashotah, WI
      • Natureland County Park - Whitewater, WI
      • New Berlin Historical Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Nitschke Mounds County Park - Burnett, WI
      • Nixon Park - Hartland, WI
      • North Point Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Oerding Park - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Petrifying Springs Park - Kenosha, WI
      • Picnic Point Park - Oshkosh, WI
      • Pleasant Valley Parks & Trails - Town of Cedarburg, WI
      • Pondview Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, WI
      • ProHealth Care Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Pulaski Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Quaas Creek Park - West Bend, WI
      • Regner Park - West Bend, WI
      • Richfield Historical Park - Richfield, WI
      • Ridge Run Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rivers Edge Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Riverside Park - Watertown, WI
      • Riverside Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rock River Heritage County Park - Janesville, WI
      • Rolling Meadows Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Rotary Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Sandy Knoll County Park - Town of Trenton, WI
      • Saveland Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schoen Laufen Park - Germantown, WI
      • Schoetz Park - Village of Hales Corners, WI
      • Schoolhouse Beach - Washington Island, WI
      • Scout Lake Park - Greendale, WI
      • Sheboygan Indian Mound Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Simmons Woods Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • South Shore Park - Bayview, WI
      • Spassland Park - Germantown, WI
      • Springs Park - Delavan, WI
      • Sunset Beach County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Swan Park - Beaver Dam, WI
      • Three Bridges Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Thunder Mountain Overlook Park - Crivitz, WI
      • Turtle Creek Parkway / Tiffany Bridge - Clinton, WI
      • Tyranena Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Valley View Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Veterans Memorial Park - Grafton, WI
      • Viking County Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Virmond Park - Mequon, WI
      • Warnimont Park - Cudahy, WI
      • Washington Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Weatherstone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Wequiock Falls Park - Green Bay, WI
      • Weston Antique Apple Orchard & Isabelle Weston Memorial Trail - New Berlin, WI
      • White River County Park - Walworth County
      • Whitnall Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wilson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI
      • Ken Windl Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wirth Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Xenobia Springs Park - Palmyra, WI
    • Nature Preserves >
      • Adam Birding Conservancy - Whitewater, WI
      • Badertscher Preserve - Muskego, WI
      • Joyce M. Baer & George J. Socha Conservancy - Marshall, WI
      • Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay, WI
      • Beulah Bluff Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Beulah Bog - East Troy, WI
      • Blue Heron Wildlife Sanctuary - Saukville, WI
      • Bratt Woods - Grafton, WI
      • Burlington School Forest - Burlington, WI
      • Calhoun Creek Prairie - New Berlin, WI
      • Cedarburg Bog - Saukville, WI
      • Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha, WI
      • Conservancy For Healing And Heritage - Franklin, WI
      • Robert O Cook Arboretum - Janesville, WI
      • Crooked Creek Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Crossroads At Big Creek - Sturgeon Bay
      • Deer Creek Sanctuary - New Berlin, WI
      • Delavan Memorial Arboretum - Delavan, WI
      • Donges Bay Gorge - Mequon, WI
      • Emerald Preserve - Oak Creek, WI
      • Engel Conservation Area - Muskego, WI
      • Faville Grove Sanctuary - Lake Mills, WI
      • Fellenz Woods - West Bend, WI
      • Flowing Well - Whitewater, WI
      • Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Forest Exploration Center - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Fox River Sanctuary - Waukesha, WI
      • John S. Garman Nature Preserve - Waterloo, WI
      • Garrison's Glen - Mequon, WI
      • Genesee Oak Opening and Fen - Mukwonago, North Prairie WI
      • Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods - Caledonia, WI
      • Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grasslyn Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Greenway Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grootemaat Nature Preserve - Greendale, WI
      • Hartland Marsh Preserve - Village of Hartland, WI
      • Hawthorn Glen - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum - Kenosha, WI
      • Heckrodt Wetland Reserve - Menasha, WI
      • Hermansen Woods - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Highland Woods - Mequon, WI
      • Hildebrand Nature Conservancy - Village of Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, WI
      • Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon, WI
      • Huiras Lake Natural Area - Fredonia, WI
      • Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - Williams Bay, WI
      • Kurtz Woods State Natural Area - Grafton, WI
      • Lac Lawrann Conservancy - West Bend, WI
      • Lakeshore Nature Preserve - Madison, WI
      • Ledge View Nature Center - Chilton, WI
      • Lion's Den Nature Preserve - Grafton, WI
      • Lois Jensen Nature Preserve - Delafield, WI
      • Lulu Lake Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • John Margis Jr. Wildlife Area - Burlington, WI
      • Maywood Environmental Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Jean McGraw Memorial Nature Preserve - Kenosha, WI
      • Mequon Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Mill House Native Plant Preserve - Village of Fontana, WI-
      • Moely Prairie - Prairie Du Sac, WI
      • Nature Hill Nature Center - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Ned Hollister Wetlands Conservancy - Delavan, WI
      • Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve - Eagle, WI
      • Nicholson Wildlife Refuge - Franksville, WI
      • Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area - Oakfield, WI
      • Oconomowoc River Conservancy Park - Merton, WI
      • Parry Spring - Dousman, WI
      • Pavcek Preserve - Hartford, WI
      • Petersen Island Woods Preserve - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy - Middleton, WI
      • Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Pope Farm Conservancy - Verona, WI
      • Price Park Conservancy - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pukaite Woods Nature Preserve / Mequon Rotary Park - Mequon, WI
      • Retzer Nature Center - Waukesha, WI
      • The Ridges Sanctuary - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • River Bend Nature Center - Racine, WI
      • Riveredge Nature Center - Saukville, WI
      • Helen Rohner Children's Fishing Park - Williams Bay, WI-
      • Saller Woods - Rochester, WI
      • Sanctuary Woods - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Sauk Creek Nature Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schmeekle Reserve - Stevens Point, WI
      • Seno Woodland Center - Burlington, WI
      • Spirit Lake Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Spruce Lake Bog - Campbellsport, WI
      • Joan Stevens Woods - Greenfield, WI
      • Stigler Nature Preserve - New Berlin, WI
      • Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat - Mequon, WI
      • UW-Waukesha Field Station - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Van der Brohe Arboretum - Two Rivers, WI
      • Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area - Mukwonago, WI
      • Vernon Wildlife Area - Waterford, WI
      • Wadewitz Nature Camp - Village of Rochester, WI
      • Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve - Burlington, WI
      • Wehr Nature Center - Franklin, WI
      • Whitnall School Forest - Greenfield, WI
      • Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve - Two Rivers, WI
      • Zeloski Marsh - Cambridge, WI
    • State Parks >
      • Aztalan State Park - Aztalan, WI
      • Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area - Sauk City, WI
      • Big Foot Beach State Park - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Bong State Recreation Area - Kansasville, WI
      • C. D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area - Kewaunee, WI
      • Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area - New Glarus, WI
      • Copper Culture State Park - Oconto, WI
      • Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI
      • Harrington Beach State Park - Belgium, WI
      • Hartman Creek State Park - Waupaca, WI
      • Havenwoods State Forest - Milwaukee, WI
      • High Cliff State Park - Sherwood, WI
      • Kohler-Andrae State Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • La Budde State Natural Area - Ice Age Trail Segment - Plymouth, WI
      • Lake Kegonsa State Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Lakeshore State Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Lapham Peak State Park - Delafield, WI
      • Lizard Mound State Park - Farmington, WI
      • Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area - Campbellsport, WI
      • Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago, WI
      • Natural Bridge State Park - North Freedom, WI
      • Newport State Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek, WI
      • Pike Lake State Park - Hartford, WI
      • Point Beach State Forest - Two Rivers, WI
      • Potawatomi State Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
    • Sculpture Gardens, Conservancies & Observatories >
      • Bobrowitz Sculpture Garden - Colgate, WI
      • Boerner Botanical Gardens - Hales Corners, WI
      • Nick Engelbert's Grandview - Hollandale, WI
      • Franconia Sculpture Park - Shafer, MN
      • The Garden Door - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Greendale Children's Garden - Greendale, WI
      • Harmony Arboretum & Gardens - Peshtigo, WI
      • Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture - West Bend, WI
      • Margie's Garden - Hales Corners, WI
      • Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy - Milwaukee, WI
      • Modine-Benstead Observatory - Union Grove, WI
      • New Life Lavender & Cherry Farm - Baraboo, WI
      • Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI
      • M. Schettl Sales - Sculpture and Oddities
      • Rotary Botanical Gardens - Janesville, WI
      • Sisson's Peony Garden - Rosendale, WI
      • Stavkirke - Washington Island, WI
      • Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Stevens Point, WI
      • James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden - Town of Wilson, WI
      • West Of The Lake Gardens - Manitowoc, WI
      • Yerkes Observatory - Williams Bay, WI
    • Cemeteries >
      • Calvary Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Forest Home Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Highland Memorial Park Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • La Belle Cemetery - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Mount Olivet Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Berlin Center Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • Oak Hill Cemetery - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Riverside Cemetery - Oshkosh, WI
      • St. Adalbert Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
  • Gardening for Wildlife
    • The Eco-Friendly Lawn
    • Welcome to the Firefly Show
    • Birdbaths in the Habitat
  • Detours, Links & More
Picture

THE BLOG @ THE PARK NEXT DOOR

Looking Back At 2022 - Beautiful Wisconsin

1/3/2023

3 Comments

 
Picture
2022 brought 53 new adventures and locations to The Park Next Door.

Now that the holidays are behind us, I've been taking a breath and looking back at the past year. All the nature adventures, park strolls, and hikes in all four seasons.  Last March was the 8th anniversary of The Park Next Door. At that time, there were 180 listings on the website. I set a goal to reach 200 by the end of May, and surpassed it by a few.  At the end of 2022, there were 233 listings on the website, in addition to several new special features.
That's 53 new adventures taken, not including repeat trips to several local parks and preserves. I managed to fit in a few longer day trips, including a weekend trip to Door County last fall. Not a single outing disappointed. The weather may not have always cooperated, but no matter. Wisconsin is truly a natural beauty, no matter the weather or season.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite highlights of 2022.

Color me surprised to happen upon a herd of goats grazing at Elm Brook Village Park this past June. Fast becoming an eco-savvy way to clear invasive species from parks, fields, and woodlands,  Grazing Goats Wisconsin is truly on to something.

​I've noticed more and more grazing goat herds at work in all parts of Wisconsin. Not only are the goats clearing invasives in an easier, more economical way than the hard labor required to dig them out of the ground, they impart a bit of joy to all who get to watch them doing so. They are pretty darn cute, after all.
Picture
Grazing Goats Wisconsin hard at working clearing invasive species at Elm Grove Village Park.
Picture
A herd of grazing goats can forage between 150-200 lbs of roughage and vegetation per day.

Discovering the ancient beauty of the Niagara Escarpment as it winds its way through the state, led us to three gorgeous parks: Ledge County Park, in Horicon, Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area, near Fond du Lac, and Cave Point County Park in Sturgeon Bay.  Each one had it's special features, and natural drama. 

Heading northeast to the Manitowoc/Two Rivers area, we visited three amazing landscapes. Van Der Brohe Arboretum, a retired golf course blossoming into a new nature preserve and arboretum; Cherney-Maribel Caves County Park, another beautiful park along the Niagara Escarpment with caves you can tour; and Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve, a premium bird watching spot and educational center.  There is so much nature to be enjoyed in this part of Wisconsin, I will definitely be going back.

The ongoing work of community members came together to create nature trails, preserves, and personal healing, at three first-time hikes. Eagle Nature Trail has been a labor of love in the community of Eagle, since 2009. Belle Reynolds Nature Trail in Oakfield has community roots beginning in 2002, and the Conservancy for Heritage & Healing was 17 years in the making, with its grand completion ceremony taking place in 2022. Here you will find not only nature trails, but a tranquil healing garden, and a unique chapel perfect for finding some moments of solace and peace.

Looking to add a bit of art to adventure led to two separate excursions. The first, at the height of summer blooming, to West Of The Lake Gardens in Manitowoc. The gardens infuse elements of mid-century modern design, and Asian garden design along the bluffs of Lake Michigan. There's definitely
a Hollywood in the 50's vibe here, along with some of the most well plotted out gardens in the area.

A second art in nature adventure took us to Steven's Point Sculpture Garden and nature trail in Steven's Point. In the early days of fall, the trail was colorful, and the art installations along the walking trail  were unique in design and placement. If you're in the area, don't miss it.

An October hike at Hobbs Woods Nature Area in Fond du Lac, was one of the most memorable hikes of the year for me. Not only is Hobbs Woods incredibly beautiful, but we were accompanied on our hike that day by a local black cat. We covered about two miles on our hike with this Unexpected Companion  with us every step of the way. It was, for me, a kind of magical experience. I think about it often. I'm certain she lives at a neighboring house or farm, and I hope to see, and hike with, her again one day.

Late summer and early fall introduced me to some amazing flower farms and cutting gardens in the area, and brought on an obsession with Zinnias. What an astoundingly beautiful flower! I can't wait to plant a cutting garden filled with them in our garden this coming summer. I doubt it will keep me from visiting the flower farms, though. The vast array of beautiful blooms they grow are a visual feast. Most of the flower farms have pick-your-own sunflower fields as well. It's hard not to be cheerful when walking through the tall maze of a sunflower field. Here are a few of my favorites.

I wouldn't go out of my way to plan a trip to Door County in the rain, but when rain happens, what can you do...my first trip to Door County was on a blustery, cold, rainy weekend in early November. Most of the bright fall color was already gone, but some of the russet tones were hanging on. And a walk through wet, leaf-laden woodland trails was manageable.  The beauty of the state and local parks I visited still shone through, and I definitely plan to return. Whatever the weather. There's so much to see and do in Door County. If you haven't gone, I highly recommend it.

On the local...fall in Wisconsin is a sight to see. So I'm going to wrap up this favorites list with a few of the glorious local parks that were golder than golden this past autumn. They are beautiful, of course, in all seasons, but you might want to put them on your list of must-dos for next fall.

Kinsey Park, in Brookfield, is a small neighborhood park, with an exceptionally beautiful woodland trail behind it. It was absolutely stunning this past October. Lizard Mound State Park, in Farmington, was so incredibly dressed in gold this fall I gasped when we arrived. The autumn colors truly defined the sacred burial mounds in such a stunning way. The Forest Exploration Center, in Wauwatosa, is a popular spot in all seasons. But if you don't get there in fall, well, you're missing out. The Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, in Mukwonago, is often known as Rainbow Springs (it was once a resort). The lake at the river unit here is as clear as can be, and the fall colors along the trail and surrounding the lake are truly gorgeous. I know it's only January, but I'm looking forward to next fall!  
3 Comments
    Picture

    Author

    A nature lover, bird watcher, wildlife fan,  amateur  photographer,   humane gardener,   traveler, and singer of songs. I've been keeping closer to home these days, and truly discovering the beauty that lies in TheParkNextDoor.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    July 2019
    June 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    December 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture

All photos, blog posts, and content are
copyright (c) 2014-2024 Kimberly Mackowski,
​unless otherwise noted.

  • Home
    • Contact
    • Sign up for Updates
  • THE MAGAZINE
  • Celebrating 10 Years
  • Blog
  • Support The Park Next Door
  • Achievements / Press
  • Art for Your Walls & More
  • Special Features
    • What's New
    • For Love Of Lavender
    • Peony Perfection - 2025
    • Nature Is For Every Body
    • Wisconsin Astronomy Observatories
    • 30 Easy, Scenic Nature Walks
    • Gone Fishing
    • Birding Local
    • Sparkle In The Parks & More 2024
    • Fabulous In Fall
    • Hiking Safely During Hunting Season - 2024 Edition
    • Blooms Galore 2024: U-Pick Sunflowers, Cut Flowers and Lavender Fields
    • A Walk On The Beach
    • On The Bookshelf
    • There's A Camera In My Pocket
    • It's Garden Party Time
    • Exploring Door County
    • Tasting Door County
    • Local Waterfalls Are Calling
    • On The Side
    • Beauty On The Escarpment
    • Sacred Ground & Effigy Mounds Of Wisconsin
    • Legacies Of Nature
    • Escape To The Woods
    • Snapshots
    • Migration Song - The Magic of Bird Migration
    • Dog Days In The Park
    • Gift Ideas For The Nature Lover
    • Winter in Wisconsin
  • Let's Explore
    • Nature Trails >
      • 116th Street - Oak Leaf Trail - West Allis, WI
      • Bald Bluff Nature Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Belle Reynolds Nature Trail - Oakfield, WI
      • Black River Trails - Sheboygan, WI
      • Eagle Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Emma Carlin Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Glacial Drumlin State Trail - Lake Mills, WI
      • Ice Age Visitor Center Nature Trail - Campbellsport, WI
      • Kettle Moraine Low Prairie Natural Area - Eagle, WI
      • W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Milwaukee, WI
      • Kohl Park Hiking Trail - Milwaukee, WI
      • Paradise Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Rice Lake Nature Trail - Whitewater, WI
      • Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Seminary Woods - St. Francis, WI
      • Stony Ridge Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Stute Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Washington Avenue Nature Trail - Sheboygan, WI
      • White River State Trail - Elkhorn to Dover, WI
      • Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk - Delafield, WI
    • Local Parks >
      • Akakawaa Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Alt Bauer Park - Germantown, WI
      • Anclam Park - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • Astico County Park - Columbus, WI
      • Asylum Point Park & Lighthouse - Oshkosh, WI
      • Aurelian Springs Village Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Beckman Mill County Park - Beloit, WI
      • Big Hill Park - Beloit, WI
      • Biwer Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Bluhm Farm Park - Muskego, WI
      • Brown Deer Park - Brown Deer, WI
      • Calhoun Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Carlin-Weld Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Dorothy Carnes Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Carver-Roehl County Park - Clinton, WI
      • Case Eagle Park - Burlington, WI
      • Cave Point County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Cherney Maribel Caves County Park - Maribel, WI
      • Cliffside Park - Caledonia, WI
      • Copernicus Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Creekwood Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Cudahy Woods - Cudahy, WI
      • Dave's Falls County Park - Amberg, WI
      • Denoon Park - Muskego, WI
      • Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum - Brookfield, WI
      • Downtown Waupaca Parks - Waupaca, WI
      • Doyne Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Ellison Bay Bluff County Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Elm Grove Village Park - Elm Grove, WI
      • Endicott Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Estabrook Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Euclid Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Falk Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Firefighters Memorial Bluff - West Bend, WI
      • Frame Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Franklin Woods - Franklin, WI
      • Froemming Park - Franklin, WI
      • Frontier Park - Butler, WI
      • George K. Pinney County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI -
      • Glacier Hills County Park - Hubertus, WI
      • Goodman County Park, Strong Falls - Athelstane, WI Falls -
      • Grant Park - South Milwaukee
      • Greenfield Park - West Allis
      • Grobschmidt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hales Corners Park, Ben Hunt Prairie and Cabin, Seneca Hale Summer Kitchen, Cobb Park - Hales Corners, WI
      • Harnischfeger Park - Ixonia, WI
      • Hart Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hartbrook Park - Hartland, WI
      • Hartung Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hidden Lake Park - Brookfield, WI
      • High Grove Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Hika Bay Park - Cleveland, WI
      • Hobbs Woods Nature Area - Fond Du Lac, WI
      • Homestead Hollow County Park - Germantown, WI
      • Honey Creek Park - West Allis, WI
      • Hoyt Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Humboldt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Idle Isle Park - Muskego, WI
      • Indian Mounds County Park - Lake Koshkonong Effigy Mounds and Trail - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Indianhead Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Jackson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Jacobus Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Johnstone Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Kelly Lake Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Kiekhaefer Park - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Kinsey Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kocziuszko Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • H.C. Koepp Village Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • Konkel Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Korth Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Krueger Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kurth Park - Muskego, WI
      • Alan Kulwicki Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Ledge County Park - Horicon, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Grafton, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Lincoln Park - Glendale, WI
      • Lions Legend Park I & II - Franklin, WI
      • Lion's Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Lisbon Community Park - Hartland, WI
      • Lyons Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Magnolia Bluff County Park - Evansville, WI
      • Malone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Manchester Hill Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mangan Woods - Greendale, WI
      • Mary Knoll Park - Brookfield, WI
      • McCarty Park - West Allis, WI
      • Menominee River Park - Wausaukee, WI
      • Mitchell Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Monarch Trail / County Grounds Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Moorewood Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Moorland Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mound Zion Park - Brookfield, WI
      • John Muir Memorial County Park - Town of Buffalo, WI
      • Mukwonago Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Mush Ko Se Day Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Muskego Boardwalk Nature Trail - Muskego, WI
      • Muskego Park - Muskego, WI
      • Nashotah Park - Nashotah, WI
      • Natureland County Park - Whitewater, WI
      • New Berlin Historical Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Nitschke Mounds County Park - Burnett, WI
      • Nixon Park - Hartland, WI
      • North Point Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Oerding Park - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Petrifying Springs Park - Kenosha, WI
      • Picnic Point Park - Oshkosh, WI
      • Pleasant Valley Parks & Trails - Town of Cedarburg, WI
      • Pondview Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, WI
      • ProHealth Care Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Pulaski Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Quaas Creek Park - West Bend, WI
      • Regner Park - West Bend, WI
      • Richfield Historical Park - Richfield, WI
      • Ridge Run Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rivers Edge Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Riverside Park - Watertown, WI
      • Riverside Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rock River Heritage County Park - Janesville, WI
      • Rolling Meadows Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Rotary Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Sandy Knoll County Park - Town of Trenton, WI
      • Saveland Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schoen Laufen Park - Germantown, WI
      • Schoetz Park - Village of Hales Corners, WI
      • Schoolhouse Beach - Washington Island, WI
      • Scout Lake Park - Greendale, WI
      • Sheboygan Indian Mound Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Simmons Woods Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • South Shore Park - Bayview, WI
      • Spassland Park - Germantown, WI
      • Springs Park - Delavan, WI
      • Sunset Beach County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Swan Park - Beaver Dam, WI
      • Three Bridges Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Thunder Mountain Overlook Park - Crivitz, WI
      • Turtle Creek Parkway / Tiffany Bridge - Clinton, WI
      • Tyranena Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Valley View Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Veterans Memorial Park - Grafton, WI
      • Viking County Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Virmond Park - Mequon, WI
      • Warnimont Park - Cudahy, WI
      • Washington Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Weatherstone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Wequiock Falls Park - Green Bay, WI
      • Weston Antique Apple Orchard & Isabelle Weston Memorial Trail - New Berlin, WI
      • White River County Park - Walworth County
      • Whitnall Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wilson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI
      • Ken Windl Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wirth Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Xenobia Springs Park - Palmyra, WI
    • Nature Preserves >
      • Adam Birding Conservancy - Whitewater, WI
      • Badertscher Preserve - Muskego, WI
      • Joyce M. Baer & George J. Socha Conservancy - Marshall, WI
      • Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay, WI
      • Beulah Bluff Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Beulah Bog - East Troy, WI
      • Blue Heron Wildlife Sanctuary - Saukville, WI
      • Bratt Woods - Grafton, WI
      • Burlington School Forest - Burlington, WI
      • Calhoun Creek Prairie - New Berlin, WI
      • Cedarburg Bog - Saukville, WI
      • Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha, WI
      • Conservancy For Healing And Heritage - Franklin, WI
      • Robert O Cook Arboretum - Janesville, WI
      • Crooked Creek Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Crossroads At Big Creek - Sturgeon Bay
      • Deer Creek Sanctuary - New Berlin, WI
      • Delavan Memorial Arboretum - Delavan, WI
      • Donges Bay Gorge - Mequon, WI
      • Emerald Preserve - Oak Creek, WI
      • Engel Conservation Area - Muskego, WI
      • Faville Grove Sanctuary - Lake Mills, WI
      • Fellenz Woods - West Bend, WI
      • Flowing Well - Whitewater, WI
      • Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Forest Exploration Center - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Fox River Sanctuary - Waukesha, WI
      • John S. Garman Nature Preserve - Waterloo, WI
      • Garrison's Glen - Mequon, WI
      • Genesee Oak Opening and Fen - Mukwonago, North Prairie WI
      • Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods - Caledonia, WI
      • Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grasslyn Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Greenway Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grootemaat Nature Preserve - Greendale, WI
      • Hartland Marsh Preserve - Village of Hartland, WI
      • Hawthorn Glen - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum - Kenosha, WI
      • Heckrodt Wetland Reserve - Menasha, WI
      • Hermansen Woods - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Highland Woods - Mequon, WI
      • Hildebrand Nature Conservancy - Village of Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, WI
      • Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon, WI
      • Huiras Lake Natural Area - Fredonia, WI
      • Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - Williams Bay, WI
      • Kurtz Woods State Natural Area - Grafton, WI
      • Lac Lawrann Conservancy - West Bend, WI
      • Lakeshore Nature Preserve - Madison, WI
      • Ledge View Nature Center - Chilton, WI
      • Lion's Den Nature Preserve - Grafton, WI
      • Lois Jensen Nature Preserve - Delafield, WI
      • Lulu Lake Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • John Margis Jr. Wildlife Area - Burlington, WI
      • Maywood Environmental Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Jean McGraw Memorial Nature Preserve - Kenosha, WI
      • Mequon Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Mill House Native Plant Preserve - Village of Fontana, WI-
      • Moely Prairie - Prairie Du Sac, WI
      • Nature Hill Nature Center - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Ned Hollister Wetlands Conservancy - Delavan, WI
      • Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve - Eagle, WI
      • Nicholson Wildlife Refuge - Franksville, WI
      • Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area - Oakfield, WI
      • Oconomowoc River Conservancy Park - Merton, WI
      • Parry Spring - Dousman, WI
      • Pavcek Preserve - Hartford, WI
      • Petersen Island Woods Preserve - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy - Middleton, WI
      • Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Pope Farm Conservancy - Verona, WI
      • Price Park Conservancy - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pukaite Woods Nature Preserve / Mequon Rotary Park - Mequon, WI
      • Retzer Nature Center - Waukesha, WI
      • The Ridges Sanctuary - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • River Bend Nature Center - Racine, WI
      • Riveredge Nature Center - Saukville, WI
      • Helen Rohner Children's Fishing Park - Williams Bay, WI-
      • Saller Woods - Rochester, WI
      • Sanctuary Woods - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Sauk Creek Nature Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schmeekle Reserve - Stevens Point, WI
      • Seno Woodland Center - Burlington, WI
      • Spirit Lake Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Spruce Lake Bog - Campbellsport, WI
      • Joan Stevens Woods - Greenfield, WI
      • Stigler Nature Preserve - New Berlin, WI
      • Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat - Mequon, WI
      • UW-Waukesha Field Station - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Van der Brohe Arboretum - Two Rivers, WI
      • Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area - Mukwonago, WI
      • Vernon Wildlife Area - Waterford, WI
      • Wadewitz Nature Camp - Village of Rochester, WI
      • Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve - Burlington, WI
      • Wehr Nature Center - Franklin, WI
      • Whitnall School Forest - Greenfield, WI
      • Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve - Two Rivers, WI
      • Zeloski Marsh - Cambridge, WI
    • State Parks >
      • Aztalan State Park - Aztalan, WI
      • Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area - Sauk City, WI
      • Big Foot Beach State Park - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Bong State Recreation Area - Kansasville, WI
      • C. D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area - Kewaunee, WI
      • Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area - New Glarus, WI
      • Copper Culture State Park - Oconto, WI
      • Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI
      • Harrington Beach State Park - Belgium, WI
      • Hartman Creek State Park - Waupaca, WI
      • Havenwoods State Forest - Milwaukee, WI
      • High Cliff State Park - Sherwood, WI
      • Kohler-Andrae State Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • La Budde State Natural Area - Ice Age Trail Segment - Plymouth, WI
      • Lake Kegonsa State Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Lakeshore State Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Lapham Peak State Park - Delafield, WI
      • Lizard Mound State Park - Farmington, WI
      • Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area - Campbellsport, WI
      • Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago, WI
      • Natural Bridge State Park - North Freedom, WI
      • Newport State Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek, WI
      • Pike Lake State Park - Hartford, WI
      • Point Beach State Forest - Two Rivers, WI
      • Potawatomi State Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
    • Sculpture Gardens, Conservancies & Observatories >
      • Bobrowitz Sculpture Garden - Colgate, WI
      • Boerner Botanical Gardens - Hales Corners, WI
      • Nick Engelbert's Grandview - Hollandale, WI
      • Franconia Sculpture Park - Shafer, MN
      • The Garden Door - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Greendale Children's Garden - Greendale, WI
      • Harmony Arboretum & Gardens - Peshtigo, WI
      • Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture - West Bend, WI
      • Margie's Garden - Hales Corners, WI
      • Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy - Milwaukee, WI
      • Modine-Benstead Observatory - Union Grove, WI
      • New Life Lavender & Cherry Farm - Baraboo, WI
      • Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI
      • M. Schettl Sales - Sculpture and Oddities
      • Rotary Botanical Gardens - Janesville, WI
      • Sisson's Peony Garden - Rosendale, WI
      • Stavkirke - Washington Island, WI
      • Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Stevens Point, WI
      • James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden - Town of Wilson, WI
      • West Of The Lake Gardens - Manitowoc, WI
      • Yerkes Observatory - Williams Bay, WI
    • Cemeteries >
      • Calvary Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Forest Home Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Highland Memorial Park Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • La Belle Cemetery - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Mount Olivet Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Berlin Center Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • Oak Hill Cemetery - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Riverside Cemetery - Oshkosh, WI
      • St. Adalbert Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
  • Gardening for Wildlife
    • The Eco-Friendly Lawn
    • Welcome to the Firefly Show
    • Birdbaths in the Habitat
  • Detours, Links & More