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Driftless Southwest state parks

27 places your sticker opens, and what to do at each.

The Driftless Southwest region has 27 Wisconsin State Park System properties: 14 state parks, 8 state trails, 3 recreation areas, 1 state forest and 1 wild river / flowage.

See them on the map

Things to do

  • Fall color: 26 of 27 places, best October
  • Hiking: 25 of 27 places, best May–June and September–October
  • Snowshoeing: 24 of 27 places, best January–February
  • Cross-country skiing: 21 of 27 places, best January–February
  • Hunting: 17 of 27 places, best November
  • Biking: 16 of 27 places, best May–June and September–October
  • Picnics & shelters: 13 of 27 places, best June–August
  • Camping: 12 of 27 places, best June–September
  • Snowmobiling: 12 of 27 places, best January–February
  • Boating & paddling: 11 of 27 places, best June–September

Good to know

Every property in Driftless Southwest

  • 400 State Trail (state trail): Wetlands, wildlife, sandstone bluffs, rolling croplands and pastures are just a few of the sights you can enjoy on the 400 State Trail as…
  • Badger State Trail (state trail): The Badger State Trail travels 40 miles between Madison and the Wisconsin-Illinois border while traversing farmlands, woods, rolling…
  • Belmont Mound State Park (state park): Belmont, from the French belle monte, means "beautiful mountain." The top of Belmont Mound is 1,400 feet above sea level, providing some…
  • Blue Mound State Park (state park): Perched atop the highest point in southern Wisconsin, Blue Mound State Park offers spectacular views and unique geological features. A…
  • Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area (state recreation area): Cadiz Springs is a day use area that provides picnicking, hiking, hunting, fishing and wildlife watching opportunities. Located in…
  • Coulee State Forest (state forest): The Coulee Experimental State Forest is a unique property in Wisconsin. This 3,000-acre forest is used for long-term forest watershed…
  • Cross Plains State Park (state park): Cross Plains State Park is located just west of Madison near the village of Cross Plains. This area contains an outstanding collection of…
  • Devil's Lake State Park (state park): Situated along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Devil's Lake State Park offers magnificent views from 500-foot quartzite bluffs…
  • Elroy-Sparta State Trail (state trail): Considered the first rail-to-trail in the United States, the Elroy-Sparta State Trail remains one of the most popular trails in the…
  • Fenley State Recreation Area (state recreation area): This 287-acre property located in Grant County is commonly known as Fenley State Recreation Area. The property consists of upland…
  • Governor Dodge State Park (state park): Governor Dodge State Park is one of the state's largest parks, with over 5,000 acres of steep hills, bluffs and deep valleys plus two…
  • Great Sauk State Trail (state trail): The Great Sauk State Trail parallels the Wisconsin River through the communities of Prairie du Sac and Sauk City, extending through the…
  • Hillsboro State Trail (state trail): This 4-mile, county operated trail connects the communities of Hillsboro and Union Center, while crossing wooded and agricultural lands…
  • Lower Wisconsin State Riverway (state riverway): The Lower Wisconsin is the longest free-flowing stretch of river in the Midwest. This 45,000-acre property extends along 92 miles of the…
  • Military Ridge State Trail (state trail): The 40-mile Military Ridge State Trail, in Iowa and Dane counties, connects Dodgeville and Madison by way of an 1855 military route…
  • Mirror Lake State Park (state park): Mirror Lake State Park is named for its centerpiece, a lake which often is so calm that not a ripple marks its surface. The lake reflects…
  • Mound View State Trail (state trail): This pleasant, gently-rolling trail in southwest Wisconsin connects the communities of Platteville and Belmont. Enjoy traveling along…
  • Natural Bridge State Park (state park): Natural Bridge State Park has a natural sandstone arch created by the eroding effects of wind and water. The bridge opening is 25 feet…
  • Nelson Dewey State Park (state park): Nelson Dewey State Park overlooks the Mississippi River from a 500-foot bluff. At this park combine your interest in history with your…
  • New Glarus Woods State Park (state park): New Glarus Woods State Park is a 435-acre state park offering camping, hiking, picnicking and snowshoeing just south of the city of New…
  • Pecatonica State Trail (state trail): Running 10 miles through the picturesque Bonner Branch valley, this county-operated trail links Belmont with the 47-mile Cheese Country…
  • Rocky Arbor State Park (state park): Rocky Arbor State Park is just 1.5 miles from Wisconsin Dells, offering seclusion from the busy vacation community with wooded campsites…
  • Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area (state recreation area): Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area was once designated as an army ammunition plant that operated during World War II, the Korean War and…
  • Tower Hill State Park (state park): Visitors can see how lead shot was made in the mid-1800s, hike bluff trails and enjoy river views at this park outside Spring Green. A…
  • Wildcat Mountain State Park (state park): Located on a ridge rising steeply above the Kickapoo River, Wildcat Mountain State Park offers camping for families, groups and horseback…
  • Wyalusing State Park (state park): At Wyalusing State Park, camp 500 feet above the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. One of Wisconsin's oldest state…
  • Yellowstone Lake State Park (state park): One of a few lakes in southwestern Wisconsin, 450-acre Yellowstone Lake State Park is a popular year-round recreation area that offers…

Other regions: Northwoods & Lake Superior · West & Central · Door County & Northeast · Madison & South Central · Milwaukee & Kettle Moraine.

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