Wisconsin State Parks, Ranked

Wisconsin has nearly 50 state parks, and saving the best for last is half the fun.

The "worst" Wisconsin state park is still better than most parks in most states, so think of this less as a takedown and more as a slow build toward the crown jewels.

We're starting with the small, the quiet, and the historically significant, and climbing all the way to the bluff-top views and waterfalls that put Wisconsin on the outdoor map. After years of weekend trips with kids, summer road trips, and shoulder-season escapes, here is one Milwaukee family's honest countdown.

44. Ojibwa State Park (Ojibwa). Largely undeveloped Northwoods land, mostly used as a Flambeau River access point and quiet picnic spot. A worthy stop if you're paddling, but not a destination on its own.

43. Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area (Menomonie). Not a full state park, but worth mentioning for the 60-foot observation tower with western Wisconsin views and excellent fall color.

42. Cross Plains State Park (Cross Plains). A newer, developing park west of Madison with Ice Age Trail access. Still building out facilities, but worth a stop if you're already chasing the trail.

41. Belmont Mound State Park (Belmont). A wooded mound with an observation tower near Wisconsin's first territorial capital. A short visit, but the surrounding First Capitol Historic Site rounds it out.

40. Straight Lake State Park (Luck). Backcountry hike-in only, with no developed amenities. For Ice Age Trail thru-hikers and people who want the woods to themselves.

39. Aztalan State Park (Lake Mills). An ancient Middle Mississippian village site with reconstructed palisades and platform mounds. More historical curiosity than recreation destination, but genuinely fascinating.

38. Rocky Arbor State Park (Wisconsin Dells). A quiet pine-and-sandstone retreat just minutes from the Dells chaos. Used mostly as overflow camping when Mirror Lake fills up, but a peaceful contrast to the waterpark scene.

37. Natural Bridge State Park (North Freedom). Home to the largest natural rock arch in Wisconsin and the Raddatz Rockshelter, with evidence of human habitation going back 12,000 years. Small but historically significant.

36. Tower Hill State Park (Spring Green). A historic shot tower built into a Wisconsin River bluff in the 1830s. Tiny, weird, full of history, and a perfect add-on to a Taliesin or American Players Theatre weekend.

35. Big Foot Beach State Park (Lake Geneva). A small park on the southeastern shore of Lake Geneva, with a swimming beach and the only campground in town. Not stunning, but the location is gold.

34. Nelson Dewey State Park (Cassville). Bluffs over the Mississippi at the southwestern corner of the state, next to Stonefield Historic Site. The recreated 1900s village adds a fun layer for families.

33. Lakeshore State Park (Milwaukee). Wisconsin's only urban state park, a 22-acre island park on the downtown Milwaukee lakefront. Mostly a paved trail and skyline views, but it's a quick lunchtime escape and a frequent stop on Hank Aaron State Trail rides.

32. New Glarus Woods State Park (New Glarus). Small park next to America's Little Switzerland and the Sugar River Trail. The Driftless hills, alpine-themed village, and trail biking make it punch above its weight.

31. Lake Kegonsa State Park (Stoughton). Madison's closest state park, with a swimming beach, oak woodland, and easy access to the Capital City. Convenient if not spectacular.

30. Merrick State Park (Fountain City). Mississippi River backwater paradise. The campsites are practically in the water, fishing is excellent, and the river views are underrated.

29. Brunet Island State Park (Cornell). An island park where the Chippewa and Fisher rivers meet. Quiet paddling, well-spaced campsites, and shaded trails.

28. Council Grounds State Park (Merrill). A pine-forested loop along the Wisconsin River, with a swimming beach and historic CCC-era buildings. A nice central Wisconsin overnight.

27. Mill Bluff State Park (Camp Douglas). A roadside surprise on I-94 where ancient sea stacks rise out of flat farmland, leftover from glacial Lake Wisconsin. Climb Mill Bluff in 20 minutes for a view that doesn't quit.

26. Roche-A-Cri State Park (Friendship). A 300-foot sandstone outcrop you can climb via staircase, with Native American petroglyphs at the base and panoramic views of central Wisconsin sand counties at the top.

25. Yellowstone Lake State Park (Blanchardville). Southwest Wisconsin's biggest fishing lake, surrounded by Driftless oak savanna. Less famous than Governor Dodge but legitimately beautiful.

24. Lake Wissota State Park (Chippewa Falls). A 6,300-acre flowage lake with sandy beaches, equestrian trails, and one of the better northern Wisconsin family campgrounds. The Leinenkugel's brewery in nearby Chippewa Falls doesn't hurt.

23. Hartman Creek State Park (Waupaca). Gateway to the Chain O' Lakes, with clear spring-fed waters, an easy-going family campground, and Ice Age Trail access.

22. Buckhorn State Park (Necedah). A peninsula reaching into Castle Rock Lake, with easy paddling, sandy beaches, and a backcountry camping vibe in central Wisconsin.

21. Potawatomi State Park (Sturgeon Bay). Door County's quieter park, with a tower offering Sturgeon Bay views and a forested feel that contrasts with the limestone-cliff drama of Peninsula and Newport. Good year-round, especially for snowshoeing.

20. Blue Mound State Park (Blue Mounds). The highest point in southern Wisconsin, with two observation towers, a swimming pool (rare in state parks), and access to Cave of the Mounds nearby.

19. Rock Island State Park (Washington Island). Two ferries to get there, no cars allowed, just walking trails, a stone boathouse castle, and 5,000 feet of shoreline. The most remote-feeling park in Wisconsin.

18. Harrington Beach State Park (Belgium). Milwaukee's closest beach park, with a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline, a beautiful quarry lake, and the Jim and Gwen Plunkett Observatory. An easy day trip from the city.

17. Perrot State Park (Trempealeau). Driftless bluffs rising 500 feet straight out of the Mississippi River backwaters. The hike up Brady's Bluff delivers a top-five view in the state, and the connecting Great River State Trail is built for biking.

16. Kohler-Andrae State Park (Sheboygan). Two miles of Lake Michigan sand dunes, an interdunal wetland boardwalk, and one of the easier beach-camping experiences in the state. Perfect halfway point between Milwaukee and Door County.

15. High Cliff State Park (Sherwood). The only state park on Lake Winnebago, perched atop the Niagara Escarpment. The observation tower, effigy mounds, and limestone quarry ruins add layers of history. Great for Fox Valley families.

14. Whitefish Dunes State Park (Sturgeon Bay). Door County's Lake Michigan side, anchored by the tallest sand dunes on the western shore of the lake. Old Baldy tops out at 93 feet, and Cave Point County Park next door is technically a separate property but feels like part of the experience.

13. Governor Dodge State Park (Dodgeville). Southwest Wisconsin's largest park, with two lakes, a hidden waterfall (Stephens Falls), bridle trails, and Driftless Area rolling hills. Excellent for first-time campers.

12. Amnicon Falls State Park (South Range). Four named waterfalls, a covered bridge over the root-beer-colored Amnicon River, and a tiny footprint that lets you see it all in an afternoon. A perfect pairing with Pattison just down the road.

11. Mirror Lake State Park (Baraboo). A narrow, no-wake lake bordered by sandstone cliffs and pines. Paddling here is genuinely meditative. The cabin built by Frank Lloyd Wright's apprentices is a fun bonus.

10. Big Bay State Park (Madeline Island). Take the ferry from Bayfield to Madeline Island and you'll find sandstone sea caves, a 1.5-mile sand beach, and a quiet boardwalk through a lagoon. Apostle Islands magic without the kayak required.

9. Rib Mountain State Park (Wausau). One of the oldest geologic formations on Earth and one of the highest points in Wisconsin. The summit views stretch for miles, and the quartzite outcroppings make for genuinely surprising scrambling. In winter, Granite Peak ski area shares the mountain.

8. Pattison State Park (Superior). Home to Big Manitou Falls, the tallest waterfall in Wisconsin at 165 feet. The Black River drops dramatically through a hemlock-shaded gorge, and Little Manitou Falls upstream is no slouch either.

7. Newport State Park (Ellison Bay). Door County's wild side and Wisconsin's only designated Dark Sky Park. No drive-in campsites, no flush toilets, just backcountry beach camping and miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. If you want stars and silence, this is the answer.

6. Interstate State Park (St. Croix Falls). Wisconsin's oldest state park sits at the dramatic Dalles of the St. Croix River, where lava cliffs plunge into a deep gorge. The Pothole Trail features glacial potholes carved straight into bedrock, including some of the deepest in the world.

5. Willow River State Park (Hudson). Western Wisconsin's gem. The 200-foot drop of Willow Falls is the showpiece, but the lake beach, well-maintained campsites, and easy access from the Twin Cities make this a year-round favorite.

4. Wyalusing State Park (Bagley). Where the Wisconsin meets the Mississippi, on 500-foot bluffs that feel almost Appalachian. Sunsets here are religious. The effigy mounds, river views, and Sentinel Ridge trail put it in elite company.

Wyalusing State Park

3. Copper Falls State Park (Mellen). Northwoods perfection. The Doughboys' Trail loops past Copper Falls, Brownstone Falls, and the deep gorge of the Bad River. Tannin-stained water tumbles through ancient lava flows, and the whole place feels older and wilder than most of southern Wisconsin.

2. Peninsula State Park (Fish Creek). Door County's headliner and one of the great American state parks. Eight miles of Green Bay shoreline, the Eagle Tower observation deck, a golf course, an outdoor amphitheater, sea caves, and some of the best family camping in the Midwest.

1. Devil's Lake State Park (Baraboo). The undisputed champion. Towering quartzite bluffs ring a 360-acre glacial lake, two beaches anchor the shoreline, and the East Bluff and West Bluff trails deliver the most dramatic hiking in the state. It's also the most visited park in Wisconsin, so go midweek or in shoulder season if you want to actually find parking.

A few honest notes. Rankings like this are arguments, not facts, and a Northwoods kid is going to make a different list than a Door County regular. Every park on this list has something going for it, even the ones at the bottom. Use this as a starting point for your own ranking.

Tips before you go. A Wisconsin State Park annual sticker pays for itself in about four visits. Reserve campsites at popular parks (Peninsula, Devil's Lake, Willow River, Kohler-Andrae) the moment the 11-month booking window opens. Shoulder season - late May, September, early October - is when these parks are at their absolute best.

Start at the bottom or skip straight to the top. Either way, you've got a lifetime of weekends ahead of you.