Discover Washington: Glacial Landscapes, Parks and Museums

At Friess Lake, Glacier Hills County Park combines about 140 acres of mostly wooded land with roughly 1,200 feet of shoreline. The park lies on an interlobate moraine, formed when the Green Bay and Lake Michigan glacier lobes met and retreated. This glacial heritage is reflected in many of the landscapes across Washington County.

Parks and Trails in a Glacial Landscape

The parks differ significantly in their terrain and character. Homestead Hollow County Park covers about 105 acres of prairie, open grassland and woodland; historic barns recall the area’s agricultural past. Sandy Knoll County Park combines prairie and wooded areas across 257 acres of gently rolling, mostly flat terrain. At 68 acres, Ackerman’s Grove County Park is smaller; it sits on Little Cedar Lake and consists of hilly, wooded terrain. Amenities include a boat launch, a sandy beach, a lakeside picnic area and a short loop trail through the woods.

These differences can help you choose a destination: Sandy Knoll offers wide-open prairie and woodland across mostly flat terrain, while Ackerman’s Grove combines woods and hills with several lakeside amenities. Leonard J. Yahr County Park also has a beach on Erler Lake, picnic areas and a scenic trail; beach access is seasonal. Altogether, Washington County Parks encompasses six larger parks with numerous hiking trails, dog parks, beaches and special events.

For hikes through the Kettle Moraine, the Ice Age Trail is a notable landmark: its entire route through Washington County lies within the Kettle Moraine. Glacial ridges, drumlin hills, till plains and kames shape the landscape along the way. The 25-mile Eisenbahn State Trail follows a former railway line from West Bend through Kewaskum and Campbellsport to Eden. If you’re planning winter activities, the Pike Lake Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest has four miles groomed for classic cross-country skiing and skating. This is subject to snow and operating conditions.

Art, Technology and Regional History

The museums each offer a different focus. The Museum of Wisconsin Art’s permanent exhibition is on view year-round at MOWA | West Bend. The Wisconsin Automotive Museum showcases more than 120 classic vehicles and numerous automotive artifacts. These include the world’s largest assembled collection of Kissel luxury automobiles built in Hartford.

Historic buildings bring other chapters of the region’s story to life. Richfield Historical Park includes a restored 1870 grist mill with its original equipment and a 19th-century, six-bedroom house listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Dheinsville Settlement comprises three museums and pre-Civil War buildings, including the Wolf Haus, the 1862 Christ Church, the Bast Bell Museum and the Fire Hall. The historic buildings are open during events such as Maple Syrup Family Day, Art At the Mill, Thresheree & Harvest Festival, Blacksmith Day and Luminary Walk.

In Hartford, the Edward H. Wolf Schleisingerville to Slinger Historical Museum explores the local history of Slinger. Its offerings include a fully functioning theater organ, a model railroad club and more than 4,000 square feet of exhibit space. For another view of the region’s past, Washington County’s museums can be paired with traces of its agricultural, railroad and automotive history.

Visits and Seasonal Planning

Dheinsville Settlement hosts an annual Oktoberfest on the last weekend of September. Since specific event dates may vary from year to year, it’s worth checking the dates for your trip. Snow and operating conditions also determine whether cross-country skiing is available; beach access at Erler Lake is seasonal. This lets you plan around the activities that matter most during your stay.

For visitors interested in accessible amenities, the Pike Lake Unit offers accessible campsites, fishing and boarding piers, an accessible amphitheater, universal-access paths and fully accessible hiking trails. Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center offers more than 52,000 square feet of indoor space and over 1,000 on-site parking spaces.

For an encounter with farm animals, Magic Willow Alpacas welcomes groups, families and individuals to meet more than 30 alpacas and other animals. Nature, museums, historic buildings and these special offerings give your trip a range of possible focuses, without limiting you to just one way to experience Washington County.

Explore more destinations: West Bend, Germantown, Chippewa County, Price County, Winnebago, Bayfield County, Dodge County, Richland County.

For the broader travel overview: Wisconsin.