18-525: Whitefish Dunes State Park is a 867-acre (351 ha) state park of Wisconsin on the eastern shore of the Door Peninsula . This day-use park preserves the most substantial sand dunes on the western shore of Lake Michigan . The remains of eight successive prehistoric Native American villages are on the National Register of Historic Places as Whitefish Dunes-Bay View Site . Cave Point County Park
36-474: A group settling there from A.D. 800-900, and the Oneota , who arrived around A.D. 900. In the early 1800s, fishing camps were established in the area, including one by New Englander James Pearson Clark. Maritime trade began to grow. Recreational activities at Whitefish Dunes include hiking, fishing, canoeing, boating, and swimming. There are several picnic tables located throughout the park and shelters to rent. During
54-488: A state park. In 1899, the legislature approved the purchase of Interstate State Park and it was established on September 20, 1900. Architect John Nolen was hired in 1907 to draft a feasibility plan for a Wisconsin State Parks System and State Parks for Wisconsin was released later that year. The report was the guideline used to set up the state park system. It recommended the creation of four state parks: Dells of
72-537: Is an enclave inside the state park, allowing visitors free foot access to the state park by the shoreline trail connecting the parks. From 100 B.C. to the later 1800s there is evidence of early settlers. The North Bay people occupied the area from 100 B.C. to A.D. 300, leaving pottery in the dunes. Their descendants, the Heins Creek people, then occupied the area. In the Late Woodland period , there were two occupations:
90-689: The Ice Age National Scientific Reserve , while the Wyalusing Hardwood Forest in Wyalusing State Park is a National Natural Landmark . Two Wisconsin state parks contain National Historic Landmarks , both of which are Native American archaeological sites: Aztalan and Copper Culture . 15 state parks contain a total of 23 separate listings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). These are
108-469: The Pottawatomie Lighthouse , Rock Island Historic District, Thordarson Estate Historic District, and a water tower. Wisconsin became the first state to have a state park in 1878 when it formed "The State Park". The park consisted of 760 square miles (2,000 km ) in northern Wisconsin (most of present-day Vilas County ). The state owned 50,631 acres (205 km ), which was less than 10% of
126-1213: The Seth Peterson Cottage in Mirror Lake State Park , the Raddatz Rockshelter at Natural Bridge State Park , Stonefield partially within Nelson Dewey State Park , Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park , the Roche-a-Cri Petroglyphs in Roche-a-Cri State Park , the shot tower in Tower Hill State Park , Whitefish Dunes-Bay View Site in Whitefish Dunes State Park , Wyalusing State Park Mounds Archaeological District in Wyalusing State Park, and four listings in Rock Island State Park :
144-741: The Wisconsin River, Devil's Lake , Door County's Fish Creek (now Peninsula State Park ) and the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers (now Wyalusing State Park ). Three became state parks, and the fourth became Dells Natural Area in 2005. A State Conservation Commission was formed in 1915 by combining the State Park Board, the State Board of Forestry, the Fisheries Commission, and
162-495: The dunes, including frogs, painted turtles, salamanders, and snakes. Whitefish Dunes State Natural Area , a 230-acre (93 ha) area within the state park, protects rare species of plants such as the prairie sand-reed grass and the dune thistle . When the fine sands are exposed, the wind begins to remove them. The tallest dunes are stabilized by vegetation. There are also areas of active dunes, these are smaller in stature and probably will not grow very tall. Erosion by water of
180-530: The park. The Black trail is 2.5 miles (4 km) long through the woods with rock exposure. The Brachipod trail is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long with fossils and nature views. The Clark Lake Spur trail is .7 miles (1.1 km) long. The Green trail is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long. There are also the Red, Red Pine, Whitefish Creek Spur, and Yellow trails. Mammals that inhabit the park include rabbits, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and woodchucks. Reptiles and amphibians inhabit
198-411: The shoreline occurs in sandy areas along the lake. There are especially high lake levels at the peak of the 11-year cycle. High waters can combine with storm-driven waves for increased erosion. Vast amounts of sand are eroded from the shoreline and dunes during these periods of high lake levels. As the waters begin to recede, the expanse of beach exposed increases, and the fine sand particles are exposed to
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#1732848801852216-618: The state Game Warden Department. List of Wisconsin state forests A Wisconsin state forest is an area of forest in the U.S. state of Wisconsin managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 's Division of Forestry. They are managed for outdoor recreation, watershed and habitat preservation, and sustainable forestry . The various units total 471,329 acres (1,907 km ), although many contain extensive private inholdings . Wisconsin's state forests are often co-listed with Wisconsin's state park system , which
234-552: The total area. There were few residents in the area. Lumber barons were powerful in the area, and they purchased 2/3 of the state's land at $ 8 per acre. This defeated the purpose of the parks for it didn't save the land from the ax. In 1895, the state legislature created an act which authorized the state governor to examine some land in Polk County at the Dalles of the St. Croix River to become
252-425: The two previously mentioned National Historic Landmarks, plus Lake Farms Archaeological District at Capital Springs State Recreation Area , Copper Falls State Park , six individual buildings at Heritage Hill State Historical Park ( Baird Law Office , Cotton House , Fort Howard Hospital , Fort Howard Officers' Quarters , Fort Howard Ward Building , and Tank Cottage ), High Cliff Mounds at High Cliff State Park ,
270-417: The winds and the process of dune-building begins anew. Several fossils were found at the dunes from sediment at the bottom of the water. Fossil sea shells and coral reefs can be seen today at the dunes. The wind and water constantly change and reform the dunes. The wind forces the sand to drop and form a pile, also known as a sand dune. Not many plants make it in the sand dune but the marram grass can survive
288-548: The winds and water of the dunes. The park includes an esker . List of Wisconsin state parks A Wisconsin state park is an area of land in the U.S. state of Wisconsin preserved by the state for its natural, historic, or other resources. The state park system in Wisconsin includes both state parks and state recreation areas. Wisconsin currently has 51 state park units, covering more than 60,570 acres (245.1 km ) in state parks and state recreation areas. Each unit
306-410: The winter there is skiing and snowshoeing. The Whitefish Dunes Nature Center features exhibits about the ecology, geology and cultural history of the park. The center is open year-round. There are programs offered for children and adults to learn about the park's natural history and cultural history. Naturalists are available to answer questions as well as give tours. There are multiple trails within
324-587: Was created by an act of the Wisconsin Legislature and is maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources , Division of Parks and Recreation. The Division of Forestry manages a further 471,329 acres (1,907.40 km ) in Wisconsin's state forests . Several Wisconsin state parks contain resources that have been recognized on a national level. Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area , Devil's Lake State Park , and Interstate State Park are units of
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