Three Secret Places In Racine County: Part One

Having spent much of my life discovering the wild areas of Racine County, I’ve been fortunate to explore some undisturbed natural areas where you can hike and not see a soul. Spend time at any of these places and you’ll not only be welcomed by the mosquitoes and deer flies, but by the solitude.

Wadewitz Nature Camp, located on Buena Park Rd. just southwest of Waterford is the tamest of the group. Nicely maintained trails are located here, so getting lost or picking up ticks shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll find the fields full of prairie flowers that attract numerous butterflies and other interesting insects and once you get to the woods, you’ll love the size of the trees and how much shade they provide! Walking one of the small loops would be perfect for a family with children, while the outside loop makes a great hike for the more adventurous.

Northwest of Waterford is Tichigan State Wildlife Area one of the most diverse natural areas in the county. To penetrate the most interesting section, I park either on Marsh Road and walk west, or just off of Hwy. 83 and walk east. Some trails here can be easily followed while others disappear before your very eyes. The most interesting feature of this area is the numerous springs that gush from the hills forming clear, cool streams flowing towards the Fox River. Sandhill cranes are common (as are ticks) and the area holds an exceptional variety of native wildflowers.

Also in the Waterford/Rochester area is Honey Creek State Wildlife area, with parking on County Hwy. W, just south of Rochester. Visitors here should familiarize themselves with the lay of the land before the trees leaf out. This area is not only large enough to get mixed up in, but the habitat is diverse, and with the unstable soils of the tamarack bog, they can even be somewhat dangerous.

Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow State Scientific Area lies in the inner regions of this park and offers northern bog habitat, uncommon in this part of the state. Only once was I able (or perhaps call it foolish enough) to penetrate this bog in the summer and found myself stepping from root to root, not too unlike hopping from rock to rock to cross a stream. In a bog environment like this, a misstep can literally put you waist deep in trouble. Wait for the ground to freeze before exploring the bog.

Honey Creek State Wildlife Area provides an excellent wildflower show with flowers I’ve not seen elsewhere in the county. In addition, the assortment of birds is surprising, including perhaps the counties best chance of hearing a calling whip-poor-will.

Summer is the time to seek out the solitude of these areas. Once mid-September rolls around, you’ll be sharing the State Wildlife Area’s with hunters targeting deer and small game. Until then, grab your bug spray, camera and binoculars and hit the trails!