tl;dr A gorgeous 8.8 acre park filled with history, giant shade trees, the gentle pleasant sound of…read morewater as it moves along in the Bark River, a crazy unique wooden playground themed after a fort, multiple war memorials, huge shade trees, and a bathroom with drinking fountain. The playground is titled 'Fort Cushing' and is an all wood structure, with primarily a mulch surface and a few minor spots with a rubber surface. Within the playground there are separated areas for the little kids side and the big kids side. The little kids side is fairly small, and consists of two slides, a sandpit, and a few swings. Safety note, the baby swings are crazy high off of the ground since the mulch has been worn down so much, so make sure your kiddo is secured as it would be a huge drop. The big kids side has a variety of slides, bridges, monkey bars, giant tires to climb through as well as a tire swing, and more. Note: The drop off of the covered twist slide also has a huge drop at the end from the worn down mulch. It's definitely a unique playground but if you have little kids you can't trust yet on their own you'll definitely have to be flexible and fast to get through it all. There is a huge open area filled with mature shade trees, a tall monument dedicated to the three Cushing Brothers, as well as an obelisk, and a few other memorials. The park is also situated along the Glacial Drumlin Trail. Oh, and dogs are allowed here! Plus, they have bags available for cleanup. If you're in the area, this park is definitely worth the stop!

Went here because it was listed as one of the best playgrounds in the MKE metro, and it is indeed…read morethat. All wood, and lots of twists and turns, but fenced in so you can't lose the kids too easily.good amount of parking, but nice bike/walking access through the Lake Country and Ice Age trails. Clean bathrooms. Nice view of the Bark River. Definitely worth a trip out here, plus Delafield is a cute town.

Great playground with 2 sections for different ages (2-5 and 5+). A good amount of parking and very…read morescenic with the lake nearby and ample number of trees. We had a lovely fall morning here with our toddler

While going to the sausage hause I noticed a cool looking park over looking a frozen lake right…read moreacross the street so I had to check it out. This was a pretty nice looking park and I thought that this would make for a nice place to cook out or a picnic. There is a play area and a covered space with tables and rest rooms. There is built in fire pits with chimneys on the roof so you might be able to grill in them. There is plenty of Green space over looking the lake with two parking lots. This is a popular place because plenty of people were around walking the dogs or just walking around. The locals seem to gravitate here and I can see why because it's a nice place. I don't usually review public spaces but I thought I would let people know that this is a cool place out of the Milwaukee area as a destination for a family cook out or what ever. I actually spent about 25 minutes just taking in the winter beauty and I can only imagine how nice it is when everything is green again.

Much quieter and safer than other parks in Ozaukee county. Kids that go there are always polite and…read morerespectful.

We stopped on a Sunday for the free park weekend (first weekend in June). It wasn't too busy by…read more10am and there was plenty of parking by the welcome center. We stopped there first knowing we wanted to do the quarry trail and we were pleasantly surprised by a Friends of Harrington pancake breakfast! The volunteers were nice and extremely welcoming! We enjoyed the quarry trail and also did some of the beach trail. Looks like a great family friendly area with a nice sandy beach for warm weather days. Cannot wait to go back! Might try one of their events or just check out the other trails. Easy and well-maintained trails with beautiful views. Definitely recommend!

We made a last-minute stop at Harrington Beach on an unseasonably warm day at the end of September,…read moreand it turned into the best surprise. Our grandkids went straight into the water--clothes and all--and played in the sand for hours. The sand was lovely, the water was clear, and we even spent time out on the sandbar. It made for very happy little people, and it felt like we were hanging on to summer just a bit longer.

Took the pups here to go paddle boarding…read more Arrived around 8am so still fairly early, it was a little confusing where to park for the beach. The beach parking is the same as the boat launch parking (large lot) there is then a path that will take you down to the beach about .25 mile walk. Not horrible but good to note! We asked the park staff and were informed if the pups are swimming they can be off leash on the sand to go in and out of the water but otherwise their leashes need to be on (which was no problem) Bathrooms located near the water and up by the parking nice and clean. Really only downfall was the labeling of parking for the beach and then access to get there, we only figured it out after driving in circles and finding a park staff member. However now we know! Also there is not an easy way to get into the water (walk in style) with a paddle board, since they only have docks to drop down from so a little challenging with the pups, but otherwise it might be easier if you are going with a kayak. They do also have kayak rentals located in the boat launch area. Will definitely return

It's really nice for 4th of July fireworks. You can bring a small grill or they have a few…read morepermanent ones if you get there early enough. There are also a number of picnic tables but they also are claimed quickly. The beach is small but never crowded and is a nice sandy beach. The swimming area is adequate, but very rocky. Therefore, I recommend bringing shoes if you are going to walk in the water. There used to be a lifeguard, but as of 2019, there wasn't one for the fireworks. They also have a playground area that is decent but I noticed there was a step that was cracked and I'm not sure how well it's managed. The bathrooms have been under some level of repair for the last 5 years, often a toilet, sink, shower, or urinal. Nothing major, but noticeably annoying. However, they are usually stocked though I've rarely seen staff here to restock. That said, there are showers to rinse and they have a second area in each stall to change or hold dry clothes.

Beautiful state park with plenty of trails to hike on with different difficulties! I've been here…read moreplenty of times with the latest in mid December 2025 with winter conditions during mid day. We went cross country skiing with rentals from Nordic Specialists located in the Evergreen Shelter next to the Evergreen lodge. Entry is with a fee or free with your purchase annual WI State parks pass. Not too far from the city, this place has the solitude and nature getaway not too far from the city. Xski rentals were $30 for classic ski that came with shoes poles and skis for two hours. It's also nice in the summer for getting a hike in whether you want a short one or a challenging long hike. There's also an observatory tower you can hike up flights of stairs for a nice view! The evergreen lodge is new and spacious to stay warm during the winter or cool in the shade in the off-winter time.

What a perfect day for an autumn hike on the Ice Age Trail! We stumbled upon this trailhead while…read moreon our way to Holy Hill and the famous Skeletons site, and decided to stop to enjoy the fall colors. We stuck to the White Trail, which makes a nice loop back to the parking lot. The trail is easy to access, well-marked, and mostly gentle, making it a great option for a leisurely stroll or a family outing. The scenery was absolutely stunning--so many trees showing vibrant autumn colors, and plenty of spots to stop and take it all in. We especially appreciated how peaceful and quiet the trail was, even on a beautiful fall day. Perfect for a short hike if you're passing through the area, or for anyone looking to enjoy some seasonal nature without tackling anything too strenuous. Highly recommend checking it out if you're nearby!

Very nice short paved hike and unique historic site. Paradise Springs is a natural spring, with 500…read moregallon per hour output. There's a nice interpretive booklet that helps explain numbered highlights. There's a cool decaying building over the springs, which was purely ornamental, the springs works whether its covered or not. The Petit (Pabst) family owned the property and put in a lot of features like a circular wading pool, a gazebo. The springs were bottled and sold until the 1960s, and another owner ran water powered electric in the early 1900s; the first house with electricity in the area. The pond is stocked w/Brook Trout for catch and release only. And across the way there's an old homestead from the 1860s which is in great condition. This is a nice short hike with lots to learn about.

Short and quick hike with my toddlers this morning. They liked picking up pine cones, exploring…read morethe old stone building and looking into the clear water. Saw a few trout swimming too!

This park is very large. It has the usual park shelter, bathrooms, slides, and swings (also a cool…read morezipline perfect for little kids) and tons of green space. The city puts in a couple of ice rinks in the winter and there are several music events during the summer. It is a great park. Oh, and it has two parking lots, one on each side (you can approach from Hwy N or North Street).

We were driving from Madison to Kopps in Brookfield and decided to stop by this forest since we've…read morepassed it so many times. We parked at the south unit, where there's plenty of parking, and set out on the trail during the first week of September. Be prepared for mosquitoes; definitely bring repellent and consider wearing dark-colored clothing. The trails are generally well maintained, though some areas have taller shrubs. We saw a couple of Indian springs. Overall, it's a fairly easy and enjoyable hike.

The Kettle Moraine State Forest (southern unit) encompasses a few campgrounds, many hiking trails,…read moreOttawa Lake, and is home to two of the best mountain biking trails in the State. Easily accessible from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, it feels remote without being too far from the closest cities. I've camped in the Pinewoods Campground here for many falls- and biked both the Emma Carlin and John Muir Trails. The mountain biking is great, but (as a novice) I always bump the given difficulty levels up a notch. Medium is Difficult, etc. Ottawa Lake campgrounds is good for families who want direct access to the Lake. The Lake has a beach, a fishing pier, a dog pier, kayak/canoe launch. Pinewoods sites are actually really secluded. True to name, they're amongst towering pines. The facilities are cleaned once a day. Scuppernong Trail is a great system of a few hikes amongst the pines, and the Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail is an easy hike with bubbling springs, that the family will love.