Wisconsin has a lot of natural areas to visit, and they all vary widely in what you can see and do there. But one of the more unique natural areas you can visit in the state is Horicon Marsh. It's a 33,000 acre wetland where you can hike, kayak, fish and see migrating birds.
Liz Herzmann is the DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Educator at the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center. She says the size of the marsh, at around 50 square miles, is what makes it a prime place for a diverse ecosystem.
"There's really nothing else like it in this state, and because it's so large, it has this amazing wealth of wildlife and plants and diversity. It's really a great opportunity for people to see a lot of species that are wetland specialists, that they may not be able to see in other places across the state," Herzmann explains.
During the spring and fall, visitors can observe migrating brids in the marsh.
"We've seen and documented over 300 species of birds throughout the years at Horicon Marsh. What I love about it is that each season you're going to see something different," Herzmann says.
She says there are some birds that live in the marsh year-round but that the marsh provides a great source of food, water and shelter for migrating birds throughout the spring and fall.
Horicon Marsh is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the contiguous United States. But Herzmann says, while the cattails are a food source for some animals at the marsh, they are actually trying to eliminate some of the plants in the marsh to make way for more native plant species.
"From a biologic standpoint, you want to have more than one species of plant. We want to have that diversity," Herzmann explains.
Blue Heron Landing offers boat tours at Horicon Marsh. Amanda Weibel with Travel Wisconsin explains it's a good way to take in the marsh and learn about it too.
"An expert guide is going to lead you on a sightseeing tour of the marsh so you're going to learn about the wildlife, the ecology, and the local history of the area," Weibel says. They also offer kayak and canoe rentals if folks prefer more solitude at the marsh.
Not far from the marsh is Dodge County Ledge Park. Weibel explains that it lies along the Niagara Escarpment, a unique geological feature that stretches for hundreds of miles along the remnants of an ancient sea. It starts in southeast Wisconsin and travels up through the state, through Door County, across Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and then into Canada.
"The escarpment is defined by these high rocky cliffs," Weibel explains. "You are going to find a cliff that rises up 50 feet at points. And there's this great hiking trail along the cliff that lets you take it in from a ton of different perspectives. You definitely want to make sure that you go to the top of the cliff for amazing views. You're going to get this panoramic look at Horicon Marsh, and this is going to be stunning any time of year, but especially as the leaves are starting to change colors," Weibel says.
Herzmann says if you visit the marsh in the fall, you'll want to come back again.
"We always tell people, you know, you may have seen a very small portion of Horicon Marsh when you visited, but we can guarantee that every single time you come, you will see something different."
