I don't even want to rate 5 stars as this is a HUGE hidden gem. We stay nearby in warrens every…read moresummer and always take a day trip to Lake Wazee. It is beautiful and nothing like it in the Midwest (well what I have found) if you are in the area or have time traveling through you must stop. A day pass is $5 and well worth it. We always pack lunch and just enjoy the day. The water is SO clean and the beach sand is amazingly soft. Almost ocean like. Bring your floaty, beach toys and sunscreen and have the best day ever! New showers, bathrooms and even concessions on the beach. I like that there is NO lifeguard and no one hawking you about 'rules' *it can drop off pretty fast so be cautious about that. Lake Wazee is the best!

Lake Wazee Park and beach is amazing for $5 a car it's well worth the price. We have spent the day…read moreat the beach and on the lake. The water is clean and you can actually see the fish swimming in the water. Deep enough to scuba dive. Nice enough to kayak on. The beach is clean. Snack shack and clean rest rooms. It has it all for a nice day on the beach!

stunning such a nice informational ride out there beautiful walk. Would recommend for all agesread more

This was a pretty cool and quick 20 minute walk to breeze through. Pretty and peaceful. Completely…read morepaved easy path.

Rabbit Rock is a good-sized rock formation near Big Flats Wisconsin, and one of many in this area…read more The parking lot has had some work done recently, so it's much nicer than it was before. Not quite as impressive as Roche-A-Cri, but still a fun (and free!) stop.

What a great park right off Hwy 13. You could easily pass this while driving on Hwy 13 though. Look…read morefor the sign and small parking lot. It's definitely worth the stop. There's lot of little routes to the top; some a little more adventurous than others; depending on your courage and activity level. The jutting rocks form a rabbit at the top. Some others have decided to decorate the rocks with other art too. There were lots of kids venturing around the formation peeking in to the cracks and hearing their voices echo in the caverns. There's lot of trees lining the rock trails to help you maneuver around. The weather was great for a hike to the top. Watch for leaves and pine needles, as these make the trails a little slick. This would be a great lookout place for sunsets and a picnic. There are tables at the parking lot area. I didn't see any bathrooms though. I don't think you need a park pass to use this park either. This was a perfect way to spend an hour! But the wayside is NOT open year round it's closed during the winter months. From the top of the rock you can see for mile including view of Roche-A-Cri Mound in the state park. It's about 60 feet high to the top.

Driving down Hwy 21just happened to spot this amazing Ship Rock wayside. The wayside said closed,…read morebut pulled in. No bathroom services or garbage containers. But over abundance of graffiti unfortunately. Climbed the rocky paths and if I had hiking shoes would have been more adventurous. But still very cool place.

Ship Rock Wayside is a small, but well maintained loop of relatively new concrete which circles the…read morerock formation. In all my visits over the years, including this one, there wasn't anyone else there at all. This formation isn't as large or well-visited as the larger Roche-A-Cri park and formation, and where it's situated out of the way on Highway 21, it's not exactly something one is likely to "stumble" upon. The park is small, and dominated by the rocks. There is a "path" of sorts that leads up the rock structure, but this is a rough climbing route, so scale the rock at your own risk. All the same, it's a striking formation with a certain duality to it- the colorful shades of weathered rock on top, and the even more colorful layers of spray paint the locals have applied over the years. If you want to see something out of the way, or have ever wanted to climb a big rock, Ship Rock is out there waiting for you.

We camped here on our road trip back to MN. It was a great experience! I was a little nervous given…read moreall the cuts to funding lately and stories of state parks not having enough staff to keep the parks clean and safe but that was not the case here. The staff were all very friendly and available to help throughout the weekend. There was running water, bathrooms, and showers available. We would definitely stay here again.

Black River State Forest is chock full o' awesome things to do!…read more You can bike, hike, snowshoe, ATV, ride horses, dive, swim, camp, paddle, fish, among many other options. The staff at the main office at the Castle Mound Campground are friendly and helpful regardless of where you may be camping or recreating. I frequently camp with my paddling groups at Castle Mound prior to paddling the Black River. The sites are well laid out, and if you reserve sites 12, 13, or 35, you are closest to both the outhouses and the wood house. Racks of wood are available for $3. Just load up the handy rack located next to the shelter, and deposit your $3 in the collection box. Each site has a fire ring with a cantilever grill grate. Be sure to bring some aluminum foil if you want to cook right on the grate! The showers located near the main office are fairly clean and easy to use compared to those at many other state parks. They have a good potable and non-potable water station you can hit on your way out for the day's activities. The group campsite at the north end of the State Forest is very spacious. They only allow a relatively small amount of people to camp there, considering the space could host a county fair. It used to be a horse camp. Now it hosts group sites with large pads for RVs and campers. The rangers we dealt with at this location were very friendly, and the one high school kid who was assisting was a great help in finding where to access some of the local trout streams (a challenge in this watershed because almost every stream is in a box canyon). The only drawback to camping at the group camp, the East Fork Campground, or the indoor group camp (which I want to try this winter) is that they are pretty far from the paddling locations we use. It's a hefty drive from the Interstate to the north end of the State Forest. If you're in the area and the timing is right, stop in at the Ho-Chunk Pow Wow which takes place on the northwest edge of the State Forest. It's quite an experience, and the announcer is hilarious: "We're doing the same thing tomorrow. The same... damn... thing."

It's ok. I'd stop again if I was passing through and needed a convenient place to spend the night…read more Pros: It's a small campground, and not busy, even over the recent summer weekend we stayed. The sites are spacious and offer a good amount of privacy. The man-made beach area is nice with great sand, and the swimming pond is great for kids or to take a refreshing dip (since there are no showers available). There is some nice easy hiking nearby, to the top of and near the bluffs. Cons: So close to the highway and train tracks. The trains run frequently and rattle you awake at night. We happened to be camping with kids who LOVE trains, so it turned out to be a bonus overall. The highway traffic noise is close and constant, although not too difficult to ignore. Also, no showers and pit toilets only.

Nice little 1.2 mile Camel Bluff trail. There are benches along the trail and it is a loop so you…read morecannot get lost. Lots of butter!flies and parking for 4 cars by the trail. Sign was slightly buried behind trees.

Totally loved this Wisconsin state park that is nestled right on the waterways of the Mississippi…read moreRiver overlooking the Minnesota bluffs and a great sunset. The town is super cute for a bite to eat but this park is just 15 minutes north of lacrosse and totally worth it. I wish we had more time to explore the trails but it is one of my favorite state parks with new paved roads and so much wildlife to see with trains passing by too. Great camping spot to go to once a year and worth the drive!

The highlight of this park is the hike up Brady's bluff. Not an easy climb but the views are worth…read moreit. We climbed from the north and descended to the south. This was a good choice on this sunny and hot day since there was shade going up the stairs from the north. We followed the river side path back to the nature center from where we started. Be warned there is a lot of poison ivy along the river path. If we had kayaks or canoes they also have a very nice route through the nearby bay. Camping is available as are some picnic areas. A solid state park experience.

Highly recommend, it is a quick 10 - 15 minute walk that is mostly shaded. You can find a little…read moremore about the local history and take some photos. There are a couple of picnic benches about 1-2 mins from the Ho-Chuck people sign if you want to have picnic near the Wisconsin River.

This was a great place to walk. It was short but scenic. The views of the Wisconsin River were…read morespectacular from the path. If you're in Wisconsin Dells, it's worth taking a stroll down this path.

About 30 miles west of Wisconsin Dells, prominently visible from I-90 in western Wisconsin, there…read moreis a truly remarkable rock formation that is a remnant from the last ice age. Get off at the Camp Douglas exit and you're right there. The surface of the stone, scalloped and weathered over the millennia where it has stood, has a charming appeal. It's rather easy to climb because of the many pockets and foot-holds. Lovers have scribed their names in the stone. Twisted, knotted tree roots weave a tangled web above-ground in the sandy soil where they grow. If you come in the morning, you can see the lingering mist before the sun is higher up in the sky. Truly a magical place on earth. It's not much to walk around it if you don't want to climb, but it is a rewarding stop if you're in the Dells area or heading west from the Dells. We return here every year on our way to Minnesota, just to experience the beauty that nature offers.

Take your time and walk the whole grounds. Each monument has a different outlook at different…read moreangles.

Wonderful park with spectacular views. I absolutely love this place . Will be back many timesread more