Horicon Marsh
A Wisconsin Jewel
You will find this national and state wildlife refuge three hours north west of Chicago. It is the largest continental marsh in the United States. It is an ideal location to observe a great variety of migratory birds or just stretch the legs of the little ones while walking through beautiful scenery.
Hiking Trails
Open yearly, the trails and boardwalks are well maintained and an easy walk. You may choose from short walks to lengthy ones. Summer or winter, there are outdoors activities to be done on this beautiful marsh, from paddling to snowshoeing to wildlife photography.
Dogs are allowed on a leash, although if you are going bird watching, you might have more success without a dog. There are water fowls of all sorts and in great number, but our favorite was the sandhill crane. This shy bird has such an interesting call!
Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center
It is designed to get children involved in learning and discovering facts about the marsh. It provides pamphlets for scavenger hunts, word search puzzles, and flashcards on animals, birds and insects. The Explorium is a gallery recreating how the area would have been like thousands of years ago. The fees are $6 for general admission per person, $4 for students. Don’t forget to get a picture taken with the giant, wrought-iron mammoth by the Visitor Center! To visit their web site, click here.
While You Are in the Area
If you like cheese, you are in for a treat! Just a few miles away, in the town of Mayville, is the Old Fashioned Cheese factory. It might not look impressive from the outside but the inside is well worth checking out! You can sample before you buy from their huge selection of cheese from local source as well as from elsewhere in Wisconsin and coming from as far as the UK!
Sometimes, veering off of the beaten path leads to discovering small jewels that are worth the detour!
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