On a cool overcast Friday afternoon my faithful co-explorer and I arrived at Tendrick Nature Park…read moreready to explore the area. Location 3919 Co Hwy O, Saukville, WI 53080 Size 122 acres. Description Prairie/Wetland. When you enter, you are greeted by vast rolling hills of greenery. A cute little Gazebo sits at the entrance to the hiking area. A pond it directly in front of the path. We began meandering our why through. Once you get a little farther on the trail you come upon a huge hill filled to the brim with wildflowers. Every color you can imagine. Flanked on the west side are lush trees. Tons of biodiversity. We continued on to the boardwalk area. It takes you through the swamp which is actually very beautiful. It's like a painting. Alas, my faithful co-explorer, Vixen did not understand that swamps were not solid ground and plunged herself into it. The remainder of the walk was free of her shenanigans. The paths are easy to follow and walk. I could spend hours here, just appreciating all the beauty. Be Aware Had a touch of trouble finding the place. The park is split up into two sites and it's difficult to make out on the maps. The first park has archery and kayak/canoe launch and no trails for walking that I could see. I circled the park three times before I left and was able to locate the second park a bit up the road on the opposite side as the first site. Also, they describe the walking paths as a boardwalk. Yes, there is a boardwalk in the deepest parts of the swamp, however, getting to the boardwalk you will need to transverse very wet, soggy ground. I would highly recommend waterproofing your shoes if you don't want sopping wet feet. The actual path was a bit difficult to find. It isn't marked. So you start following a concrete path that leads you around a small pond. After wandering around I detoured off the concrete path to the east towards what looked like it might be a trail. Bingo. Dog Friendly? Yep, Vixen was with me leading the charge! Please keep dogs on a leash. This is not a dog park. Points of Interest My main reason for going is to enjoy all the flora. While there we found Coneflowers, Black Eyed Susans, Bergamot, Milk Vetch, Highbush Cranberries, False Sunflowers, Turtlehead flowers, Jewelweed, Partridge Pea and a HUGE old Oak. Additionally, this park has disc golf, volleyball, archery, and a canoe launch. Vixens Thoughts Two paws up. Swamps are confusing. I didn't like it. The rest of the walk was A-OK. Lots of sniffs. Only one Gila Monster. (She's a big ole chicken, she thinks frogs are Gila Monsters to be fearful of.

Right on the Interurban Bike Trail. This trail is also a good walking trail (bring the dog)…read more Parking is available in the Grafton swimming pool lot on N. Green Bay Road.

A great place to hike some challenging hills and be in a beautiful spot filled with natural beauty.read more

Lots of recently downed timber here, making it a little more interesting. Assume much of this was…read moredue to high winds some time during the last year or so. The trails are well-marked with easily understandable signage. A couple of benches along the route and an easy half hour hike.

Tiny little historical place of Wisconsin.. there is a picnic table here relax and enjoy a place…read moreIrish immigrants stopped and spent the night by stage coach from Creem bay ( before Cederburg was settled ) to travels to Milwaukee

really nice, trail is good. pretty sights. a fun time close to home. please check it outread more

This is a beautiful land preserve located just outside of Fredonia Wi. The Ozaukee Washington land…read moretrust oversees this preserve. Parking is limited with just two spots right off of clover valley road next to the trail head sign but you can park along the side of the road. The trail to the top of the hill leads you to a old house remains. Just the foundation remains but it is a really interesting find. There is also the remains of a larger building, possibly a barn at one time. The structure does have some graffiti And we seem to find beer bottles there every time we visit. A hot spot for the local teenagers I'm sure. The trail leads you along a huge grassland area where you can easily spot turkey vultures, Hawks and other large birds hunting for small game. Once you reach the end of the grassland area the trail splits and you can either go up to your left or down to your right. If you choose the upward trail you will hike up and down a trail that winds down from the hilltop into the forest, finishing at the plank walk and looping back to the opposite trail. There is a bench area along this trail. If you choose the downward trail it will take you directly to a plank walk down to Huiras lake. There is a small Pier that goes out onto the lake so you can observe the otters that swim there, or watch the ducks. I am unsure how the fishing is at this lake. There is no boat access from the land preserve. This is a nice place to walk your dog, or to take your family on a nature walk. I have brought my cub scouts here to do bird counts, it's not well traveled and because it isn't you can really enjoy the solitude while there.

The power plant on the lakefront near the Port Washington Marina switched from coal to natural gas…read morein 2004. The former coal docks have now been converted and are part of a nice park. There are paved paths along the lake, a boardwalk, picnic tables, several benches, bike parking and a red metal roofed pavilion. The pavilion has a spiral staircase reminiscent of the staircases you may find in lighthouses, and from the pavilion overlook you can see two lights: the art deco Port Washington Breakwater Light and Port Washington Lighthouse, which has been restored and now houses a museum. There are just a few steps to get to the top of the pavilion overlook, and once up there you will be sheltered from the elements and can have a good look at the lake and the lights. In the park you will also find a replica of the Wisconsin Pillar from the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.

This park is so much better than mountains of coal! Would highly recommend!!!read more

The Ozaukee Master Gardeners included the garden on their annual Garden Crawl earlier this month…read more It's an amazing place in West Bend across the street from the local Legion Post. I'm at the Legion every month and I never knew this beautiful garden was so close. All the times I arrived early and sat in the car! Oy vey! This is an amazing garden maintained by volunteers. I walked it with my friend and my service dog. So much beauty in one place put me in a peaceful spirit for the evening. There are memorial rocks and a few sculptures but the most gorgeous flora you've ever seen. I just wanted to sit on a bench and think of an the beautiful things I've encountered in life. The place is a mood shifter!!! Drop in and enjoy a moment (or two) of peace!

The Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture is its own destination within the beautiful Regner Park. the…read moreLabyrinth Garden is a single circular 1/2 mile path, made for meditation and reflection. Perennials and annuals dot the path and are maintained by volunteers, helping the community slow down and connect through gardening. Remembrance stones line the path and grounds and support the funding of the garden. A low bench in the garden and benches outside of the garden encourage slowed down reflection. A large impressive dragonfly sculpture serves as a nice focal point. Nearby parking makes the garden easily accessible. The Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture is a destination in West Bend!

When you decide to see the James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden, be sure to double check your…read moremap. It's located in a residential neighborhood, south of Sheboygan, that is off the beaten path. The first thing you see is a log fence along Evergreen Road. In the trompe-l'œil sculpture, you'll find a Native American family, a momma bear climbing a tree and her two cubs playing in a tree. Park your car in the lot off Evergreen Road and walk back up to the road to take a closer look at the fence. The amount of detail that James Tellen put into his work is evident in the logs. You'll find a Native American family, a momma bear about to climb a tree, and her cubs playing on the tree top. Near the large sculpted tree (go ahead and stick your head in the large opening!) you'll find a box with an information sheet that describes the sculptures you'll be seeing as you walk the path into the woods. Where did this all come from? James Tellen worked in a Sheboygan furniture factory where he painted stripes and other details on the products. When not working, he studied painting under local artisans and later worked with other media. During the depression, production slowdowns gave him time to pursue his artwork. This log cottage and land, south of town, was a family refuge and became a place for him to pursue his artwork. During the winter, he would work on sculpting heads in the basement of his home. In Spring and Summer, he attached the heads to armatures that supported his concrete sculptures. Tellen died in 1957, leaving a legacy of 30 such sculptures at the family cottage. The Kohler Foundation acquired the sculpture garden in 1988 and in 2001, the collection was gifted to the John Michael Kohler Art Center. The Tellen environment is the first addition to the JMKAC collection that is off premises. (The JMKAC is in downtown Sheboygan.) A sculpture of a young Abraham Lincoln, splitting a log, shows Tellen's incredible dedication to detail. It is reminiscent of Clarence Shaler's "Lincoln the Dreamer" sculpture on the campus of Ripon College. Tellen tried to depict everyday people, and the young Lincoln is represented as an everyday neighbor rather than as the statesman that we all remember. The Tellen collection is open dawn to dusk daily. It is one the art environments restored by the Kohler Foundation and listed as part of Wandering Wisconsin. I have reviewed some of these sites on Yelp, too. https://www.jmkac.org/exhibitions/wandering-wisconsin.html

Nice walk through the woods. Interesting in a kitschy way. Go back to the roadhouse a half mile…read moreback down the road for some good drinks.