Community Corner
Cliffside Park: A Lakeside Oasis for Man and Beast
Caledonia and Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant Patchers have two great county parks right in their backyard. Today, Cliffside. Tomorrow, Sanders.
Nestled along Lake Michigan in the northeastern corner of Racine County lies 233 acre Cliffside Park. Located at 7320 Michna Rd. the park boasts picnic areas, including two picnic shelters, and a 92 site campground for anything from tents to large RV’s. Water and electricity are available in the campground as are restrooms with showers.
The park provides room to run and play with playgrounds for younger children and baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields and basketball and tennis courts for the inner-child in the rest of us. For bicyclists, the Racine County Bike Path can be accessed with a short ride south to 6 Mile Rd.
North and east of the campground, there’s room for nature lovers to roam. With ample wildlife viewing opportunities and a beautiful spring wildflower display, there’s much to see and appreciate. While white-tailed deer, coyote, and raccoons patrol the forests and fields, hawks soar high over the grasslands and songbirds sing from the trees.
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Several trails divide the field and prairie areas to the north. The main trail bisects the area; brushy old-field habitat will be to the west and more open, prairie like area to the east. Walking this trail in the summer will give you opportunity to not only see butterflies and dragonflies flitting over the prairie wildflowers, but also numerous birds like yellow warbler, gray catbird, brown thrasher and clay-colored sparrow. While hiking the paths, don’t be surprised by the sight of a coyote or deer.
Following the trail to the north will put you on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. These bluffs run the length of the park and are not to be considered harmless. Formed by erosion they have the potential to collapse at any time potentially trapping a victim beneath tons of dirt. Give them respect and enjoy the view and lake breeze.
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The shoreline bears southeast from this point and forest hugs the lake. The woodlands here are carpeted with an amazing variety of native wildflowers including trillium, hepatica, golden seal, wood-betony and a host of others each presenting a unique color, texture and beauty to the park.
Birds like the eastern pewee, robin, wood thrush and red-eyed vireo sing from the treetops, their ventriliquial performance providing a tender, much appreciated boost to ones spirit.
A small creek winds through the bottom of ravines that shelter migrating birds from cold winds. Stately maple, elms and oaks form the canopy that cast the forest into beautiful quiet shadows.
Cliffside Park is a joy to visit and escape for a day or a week. The entrance is on Michna Road north of 6 Mile Road. Plan on a visit to this park where you can leave your anxieties behind and enjoy a shot of that needed “get back to nature” vitamin. Stand on the shores of the lake and let the winds heal you, the sound of the surf below soothe your worries.
What is your favorite thing about Cliffside Park?