What's So Great about High Cliff State Park?

Well, besides the fact that WE are here.... heh heh.

While I was cleaning firepits and grills today (a camphost task) I decided to snap some pics of my favorite parts of the park!   Just so you can see what a great place this is....  

Wisconsin DNR Website on High Cliff State Park

The park is almost 1,300 acres located on the NE shore of Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin. High Cliff State Park is named for the large section of lime stone cliff that is part of the Niagara Escarpment.  The park is open year round. We have:

• 112 family campsites 32 of them with electric, the remainder rustic
• 8 large group campsites, with central open field area
• a handicapped cabin for rent
• 4 picnic areas and 2 dog friendly picnic areas (one with swimming access)
• beach house and large grass beachfront (no lifeguard)
• a 40ft lookout tower
• a big indoor pavillion with center fireplace, and numerous outdoor pavilions for rent
• a butterfly pond with handicap access trails and bridges
• a myriad of hiking, biking, horseback trails all over the park
• In the winter there is cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobile trails maintained in the park, as well as winter camping in the group sites. 
• historical site of an old lime kiln manufacturing operation
• General Store museum, and a nature center
• A 100+ slip marina 

  There is a LOT to see and do here.... but most of all it's the scenery!

Along one of the hiking trails

Yup, it's all about the cliffs! 

The HIGH Cliffs! 

View from the beach out towards the breakwater

Yup, this is Lake Winnebago

140,000 acres -  30 miles long by 10 miles wide

a very shallow lake of only average 15 feet deep, deepest 21 feet

One of the shelters available for rent for parties or picnics

overlooking the lake

The Marina has over 100 slips to rent and small concession stand

The boat ramp for access to the lake (fee charge)

Pet friendly picnic area with water access for water-loving dogs! 

 An elderly gent (who now passed away) used to make these Martin Houses

for the park, and they are used every year

 The Butterfly Pond

 (if you look from the air, it's shaped like one) 

Created by the efforts of The Friends of High Cliff.

It has a lovely walking trail around the perimeter with handicapped access 

The General Store Museum

with displays of how the people lived here in the 1800's working at the Lime Kilns.

Now it also hosts the Nature Center for the Park Naturalist

The Lime Kilns

Historic Ruins of an industry long gone past. 

The Beach Changing House and picnic grounds

 (with Steve working inside to get it ready for the season)

There is a LOT of lawn to mow in this park!  

Today, we only have one part time temp worker Kelsey, to help Steve mow ALL the lawn!!!!

Here is the 40ft lookout tower and the big pavilion in the upper park picnic area

Yup.. It's big! 

See how nice and green the grass is?  

I think it is from everyone 

who just HAS to spit down from the top!!!!

Here is Steveio's office and maintenance shop. 

Pretty impressive for just one guy, eh?

Yup, Steveio is the only full time maintenance worker for the whole park. 

He does get some temp summer workers to help with cleaning, lawn mowing and repairs.

The entire park is run by 4 full time people, and a few part time temp help in the summer.

But, basically, Steve is in charge of all the equipment, repairs, and maintenance.  

Then there are THE CLIFFS! 

It's wonderful to walk among them on the criss cross of trails all over, 

along the top edges, 

the bottom flat areas, 

and up and down between. 

 This is the handicapped cabin that can be rented out

with proper application at the office

This is one of my favorite paths to walk, 

it's along the east side of the campground.

In the fall, it's a blaze with oranges, yellows and reds.

Parts of the park are on old farmsteads, 

and the stone walls remain from the fields

As I walk around the park, the volunteer and staff mantra is:

"IF YOU SEE IT, YOU OWN IT" 

meaning any trash anyone sees, it MUST be picked up. 

Right now the trilliums are in bloom, 

and each white blossom looks like trash wrappers! 

Here is a map of the campground.... 

And a map of the entire park

(click to open in a new window to enlarge) 

After a long hard day of work, ranging from sign installation, cement finishing, inspections, gravel hauling, lawn mowing and handling a dozen phone calls....  Steveio didn't even have a chance for a lunch break.  Whew!  

While he is doing all of this, I am cleaning firepits, grills, assisting campers with information and picking up trash, dumping my ash buckets and of course, taking pictures! LOL

We tossed some burgers on the grill. some sweet corn in the microwave, and poured ourselves some liquid refreshment.

We love High Cliff State Park

Can't you tell? 

Candlelight Ski and Hike at High Cliff State Park

 This blog post is selected to be featured on 

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks blog website:

  http://friendswiparks.blogspot.com/

Steveio had to work at the park on the weekend (he is normally M-F 40 hr work week)  but it was well worth it!   The park has a great group of "Friends of High Cliff" organization that does a ton of work... all volunteer efforts to put on events and also take care of a lot of the improvements and needs in the park.  Their link:  http://friendsofhighcliff.org/

Steve started out the day attending their meeting and talking about some of the equipment needs in the park and what the long term goals are in the maintenance of the park.  With all the drastic cuts made by the governor again, things will be very tight on the budget and things will start to fall behind and get uncared for.  With organizations like The Friends of High Cliff, at least some things can be kept up to their original beauty, and improvements be made where necessary. 

The Friends group was busy with folks setting up for the annual Candlelight Ski and Hike for Saturday evening. People were grooming trails, setting up fundraising displays and a food booth for later in the pavilion for the tired, hungry and thirsty patrons.  Hundreds of people were expected to attend.  The weather wasn't the warmest (15 degrees) but in spite of the recent deep freezes, this weekend was almost tropical to our bodies and minds!  LOL I think people were getting cabin fever, so this warm up was enough to get them out of the house....  at least it was above zero! 

Steve and Ranger Jay had to put out over 100 kerosene filled lights on the trails and paths before dark, and light them as the darkness fell.  It took about an hour and a half just to light them all! 

They burn pretty hot, and melt the snow around the can in interesting shapes

and THIS is what the trails look like, criss crossing all over the park

for cross country skiers and snow shoe hikers.

Steve was able to come home for supper, but we went back to the park for the evening (Steve was not on the clock)  to enjoy the time in the pavilion.  Steve had gotten the fire going earlier in the day to warm up the building.   The camera was having a hard time focusing with a flash on the dimmed areas because it was seeing the smoke.  It wasn't as smokey as the pics make it look.....

As the fire burns, the copper or bronze metal chimney that soars way up to the roof, 

throws off enough heat to warm the entire room 

Here is Steve (his title is a Facilities Maintenance Specialist Advanced)  

In the summer he oversees an entire crew 

and helps coordinate all the volunteer efforts maintaining the park. 

But during the winter months he is the only one 

to do the maintenance and cleaning and most of the plowing. 

Standing along with Park Naturalist Cindy Mueller and Park Mamager Linda Guelig

 who is also the preforming the duties of the vacant Park Superintendent position.

The fire was going good.....  and warming everyone up

Of course, Steveio had to keep piling on the fireewood! 

The Friends of High Cliff had a nice food booth set up, with hot cocoa, hot cider, 

and some food and popcorn too!   I hope they made a lot of money! 

The Park Naturalist, Cindy had a table of fun stuff for the families to explore.  

Pelts to touch and a ground hog to talk about Groundhog Day coming on Sunday. 

Her display also featured information about the park,

and the snowshoe rental program

Quite a few people came into the pavilion to warm up, and enjoy the fire in the middle. 

A lot of families were in attendance.... 

I chatted with these folks a bit as they sat close to the fire and got rid of their chills.... 

Their zebra-donned daughter was plum tuckered out! 

I love the way the lights are dramatically aimed around the building at night.  

They highlight the limestone columns between the windows.  

I assume the stone is from the big limestone quarry in the park.

At one time the park was a limestone quarry 

and has preserved the historic big kilns used to cook it down to plaster and lime powder.

 We had rented this building for our family easter gathering last spring,

but that was in the day light and we didn't get this dramatic lighting effect.

Here is my blog post from that day:

Easter Weekend at High Cliff State Park

This is what the pavilion looks like during the day light:

We hung around late into the night.... and helped stow away all the stuff from the Friends food booth at the end of their sales.  Then one by one, the patron folks dispersed to their cars and trucks.... heading on home.  Ranger Jay and Volunteer Jim went out and extinguished all of the lights, so Steve got to stay inside warm and cozy by the fire with the rest of us!   We had some fun and laughter and enjoyment with the rest of the crew. 

Slowly the fire burned down----

and it was time to go home......