Loved it! Please read and obey all posted regulations while enjoying your day at the beach. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe. Never Saw a Lion But there Are Shallow Caves. Your email address will not be published. Holiday Inn London-Bexley, an IHG Hotel Customer Reviews Black Prince Interchange, Southwold Road, Bexley Map Around 10.97 Km from Lion's Den Gorge. There is ample parking, full bathrooms, and picnic areas. It is an especially beautiful place in the spring and fall. beautiful views. The trail will take you thru the woods, along boardwalks and regular trails. This is one of the best kept secrets in SE WI. The views of the high bluffs from the beach are stunning. This beach has many jetties that go out into the water which are closed off however they make great foreground interest if you are coming here for photography! }); Dineo is a full-time mom and writer who was born in South Africa but now lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and their daughter. There is no entry fee and the park is situated on the bluff of, The beachfront is shallower, but it seems like there's less bluff erosion here in. Walk straight from the parking lot across the field and look for the staircase down to the lake among the trees. Low priority beaches are sampled at least once per week. This public access includes almost 0.7 miles of 90 to 100 foot high bluffs looking out onto Lake Michigan and a mixture of wetland / upland areas that provide diverse habitats for native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees that are useful for all types of wildlife, such as migratory birds, game birds and waterfowl, amphibians, and mammals. Experience 10 million gallons of awe-inspiring wonders in more than 60 habitats. You can park anywhere on the road (Lake Drive) and be a short walk to the main overlook. It has beach access along it's entire length, multiple hiking trails, and a great quarry lake that can be used for fishing, hiking, or general exploring. There are so many landscapes to see ranging from the beach to the bluffs and the wetland. We went under the bridge over the gorge, the trail led us to the stairways, and the big waves of Lake Michigan greeted us. Your email address will not be published. 511 High Bluff Dr, Grafton, WI 53024-9535, $$ - $$$ American Bar Vegetarian Friendly. It's basically flat the entire time except for the steps to the beach so it is great for anyone who wants to get outdoors. If you arent from Grafton or the neighboring areas, chances are you havent. This is a beautiful preserve on the lakefront, connected to a wetland complex owned by the USFWS. Many families havent been to the Lake Michigan shoreline and its not that far (and beautiful!). There is one paved path that will lead to the lake which is a quick 3-5 minute walk. Wisconsins tropical destination. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. I would never have expected that just outside of Milwaukee. 20 km. There is a wheel chair accessible trail. There are 3 waterfalls here, mostly under 5 ft high, see if you can find them all! We went there yesterday for an early morning hike and we got a front row seat of a very beautiful sight of the sun slowly rising over Lake Michigan on Easter Sunday. This park is a prototype for the planning and implementation of other "Nature Preserves" within the County park system that respects local ecology. Beautiful nature scenes. Lion's Den Gorge is a gorgeous nature preserve featuring a variety of unique nature scenes. The park includes massive bluffs, sand dunes, forests, creeks and bridges, hiking trails and stunning vistas of the Lake Michigan shoreline. There are over 2 miles of walking trails, which are easy to navigate and marked well. From the photos, I never would have guessed this is in Wisconsin. Parking and bathroom facilities are only located at the entrance to the park at High Bluff Drive. It's really cute! If you are visiting the Milwaukee area, I highly recommend a half day trip to Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve. To keep it free, we depend on donations from people like you. The goal of this authorized, lottery gun deer hunting and bow deer hunting is to effectively manage the deer herd and provide for the health of the unique, native vegetation on the Park properties. I kept thinking I was more ch further south when I was there, Beautiful.would love to visit this place.I blog on tourist spots in US toodo check it out, So beautiful! My sister-in-law and I went hiking there this morning. Sad it's been loved to death and poorly managed. formId: '5dd30158b710310026332e04', This is a very . There was evidence of recent bluff collapses at a couple of spots on the beach. High priority beaches are sampled at least five times per week. You can see them in action in our Under the Boardwalk presentation. Gun and bow deer hunting is offered each fall at Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve County Park. If you love crowds and dogs go for it, not my thing. These views are uncompromised in the area! adventures and follow local regulations. All just 30 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee, WI. It's a nice little park not too far off the interstate. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 45 min to complete. There are 3 waterfalls here, mostly under 5 ft high, see if you can find them all! Dogs must be on leashes at all times in the park. Poison ivy be carefull. Easy trails with scenic views and a few hidden spots off the beaten path. See Legal. Milwaukee Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. Lots of options for coffee or a meal, including Fiddleheads Coffee! There is one paved path that will lead to the lake which is a quick 3-5 minute walk. Great post! Lion's Den Gorge Natural Area. From the parking lot, go south toward the signs for Quarry lake. Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve is a great place for fishing, bird watching, hiking, and picnicking. Want to view more enchanting spots in Wisconsin? Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time. The park offers tremendous viewing and educational opportunities, including access to a Natural Area that has remained untouched since before the European settlement of Wisconsin. Find the travel option that best suits you. I went to college near Lake Ontario and that lake definitely didnt look this beautiful! Green means the beachs most recent test results met relevant water quality standards. You can park anywhere on the road (Lake Drive) and be a short walk to the main overlook. Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve is located about a half hour drive north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the town of Grafton. This trail is 2.1 mi long with an elevation gain of 147 ft. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); window.fd('form', { Leashed dogs are welcome at Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve, which represents one of the last stretches of undeveloped bluff land along the Lake Michigan shoreline, from Mequon up to Port Washington. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How many trails are in Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve. can be made for group events by visiting our. What a gorgeous area! Worth a visit especially to hang out on the beach area. What is the longest trail in Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve? What a gorgeous place! And also beautiful. Parking and bathroom facilities are only located at the entrance to the park at High Bluff Drive. Looking for a more strenuous hike? For the past 6years, she has been an ambassador for Hike it Baby, a non-profit organization that connects families with babies and young children to the outdoors and each other. I visited Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve in Grafton on a weekday morning in September and was surprised to see the parking lot almost full. Love Wisconsin? Sign in. Its hard to believe that prior to Ozaukee county purchasing the 73 acres in 2002, this land was privately owned. The main trail is the Lions Den Trail which is just under 2 miles long. Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve (Grafton) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. Lion's Den Gorge Natural Area. We depend on financial support from individuals and organizations to restore and protect access to water for all people. This is beautiful! From north- or southbound I-43, take exit 92 and head east on Hwy. So I scaled down the embankment down to the lake. I didnt either, I heard it was like a tropical paradise which is why I went but didnt believe how beautiful it would be til I saw it with my own eyes. The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts. Things to Do in Grafton Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve See all things to do Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve 5 106 reviews #1 of 6 things to do in Grafton Nature & Wildlife Areas Visit website Call Write a review About Features animals Learn more about animal welfare in tourism Used to be a nature preserve now it's a crowded trampled doggy park. I love the look of Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve. Visit Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve at 511 High Bluff Dr, Grafton, WI 53024. Open full screen to view more. Looks like a gorgeous hike. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. It has beach access along it's entire length, multiple hiking trails, and a great quarry lake that can be used for fishing, hiking, or general exploring. The geometric mean of 5 samples from a freshwater beach should not exceed 126 E. coli / 100 ml of water. Your photos are great. Dineos other passion is for writing children's pictures and she currently has 5 books in circulation. The trail starts right at the parking lot and there are two different paths you can take: Our time in the water in Madison was cut short this summer when we learned about bacteria issues. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The loop trail is about two miles long, but there are intermediate bypasses to facilitate shorter walks. The north end of the trail has a set of wooden stairs to descend to the beach. This couldnt be more the case than with Lions Den Gorge. It's beautiful, there are monarchs flying all around you, and it's an easy hike. Directions Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve safeguards 72 acres of Lake Michigan shoreline and bluffs 20 miles north of Milwaukee. They are posted when a single sample exceeds 235 E. coli / 100 ml or when the geometric mean of samples collected over a 30-day period exceeds 126 E. coli / 100 ml. Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve is not just any park you run into in Wisconsin its like a tropical destination in the Midwest.