MILWAUKEE COUNTY

Evers closes 40 Wisconsin state parks, including Devil's Lake and Kettle Moraine State Forest, because of crowds

Ricardo Torres Laura Schulte Chelsey Lewis
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Gov. Tony Evers directed the state Department of Natural Resources to close 40 Wisconsin state parks, forests, recreational and state natural areas, most of them in southern Wisconsin, due to record attendance over the first two weeks of April.  

Evers said the closure is "due to unprecedented crowds, litter, vandalism and out of an abundance of caution to protect health and safety and help flatten the (coronavirus) curve."

The areas were planned to be closed at the end of the day Thursday and remain closed until further notice. 

Several of the parks being closed were experiencing record attendance for the month of April, according to the DNR, and include popular sites such as High Cliff in Calumet County, Lapham Peak in the Kettle Moraine State Park near Delafield and Devil's Lake in Baraboo.  

Between April 4 and 5, the DNR estimated High Cliff had more than 16,000 visitors, Lapham Peak had more than 11,000 visitors, Kohler-Andrae in Sheboygan had more than 8,000 visitors and Devil's Lake had nearly 8,000 visitors. 

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An estimated 3,639 visitors went to Harrington Beach in Ozaukee County last weekend, bringing the total to about 5,600 visitors this month, according to the DNR. Normally, about 9,695 visitors make their way to the park during all of April, according to an average of visits over the last 12 years. 

In an effort to minimize the spread of coronavirus at state parks and protect DNR staff, while still keeping properties open, the DNR waived entrance fees, closed state park offices, visitor centers, all nonessential buildings and all campgrounds on March 24. 

A man climbs a dune at Kohler-Andrae State Park in Sheboygan on Thursday. Gov. Tony Evers ordered the closing of 40 state parks beginning Thursday night until further notice.

DNR staff and wardens were still patrolling properties to make sure people were following social distance rules, but with record crowds and already limited staff, there were issues with visitors not packing their trash out of parks and not keeping 6 feet of distance between groups of people who don't live together. 

DNR Secretary Preston Cole said that while there are obvious health benefits to getting outside, the agency didn't want to put lives at risk. Evers expressed similar sentiments.

“I wanted to keep state parks open for the public to enjoy during this challenging time, which is why outdoor activity is listed as an essential activity under the Safer at Home order,” Evers said. “Unfortunately, growing difficulty with ensuring social distancing compliance, dwindling cleaning supplies and mounting trash are some of the challenges faced by our state parks staff. We have to address the growing public health and safety concern and protect Wisconsinites.”

Evers warned if the public does not follow social distancing guidelines and vandalizes property, more state parks may have to close. 

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“This decision was made the same way the governor has approached every decision in this public health emergency — with the goal of keeping people safe,” Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff said. “His bottom line is he’s going to do everything to keep people safe and healthy."

"When it became clear that a number of people weren't following the social distance guidelines, and when we were having a lot of difficulty in the parks for the DNR staff to keep them clean and safe, the decision became that if we can't have the parks open safely, we're going to have to close them,” she said.

“It’s definitely not a decision the governor made lightly,” she said, noting that the governor and first lady enjoy walking in our state parks themselves. 

For now, people can still do that in their own communities. And, hopefully, people can get back to doing that in state parks if we can flatten the curve, Baldauff said.

“The more people that stay home and take this seriously, the sooner we can get through this,” she said. 

Closed parks will be barricaded and staffed with wardens who can issue citations and arrest people who enter closed areas, according to Sarah Hoye, communications director for the DNR.

Here are the areas that are closed around the state:

Cheri Meyer of Milwaukee takes a walk Thursday at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee.

Southeast Wisconsin

  • Big Foot Beach State Park
  • Harrington Beach State Park
  • Havenwoods State Forest
  • Kohler-Andrae State Park
  • Kettle Moraine State Forest-Lapham Peak
  • Kettle Moraine State Forest-Loew Lake
  • Kettle Moraine State Forest-Mukwonago River
  • Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit
  • Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit
  • Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake
  • Lakeshore State Park
  • Richard Bong State Recreational Area

South-central Wisconsin

  • Aztalan State Park
  • Belmont Mound State Park
  • Blue Mound State Park
  • Cadiz Springs State Recreational Area
  • Capital Springs State Recreational Area
  • Cross Plains State Park
  • Devil’s Lake State Park
  • Fenley State Recreational Area
  • Governor Dodge State Park
  • Governor Nelson State Park
  • Lake Kegonsa State Park
  • Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
  • Mackenzie Center
  • Mirror Lake State Park
  • Natural Bridge State Park
  • Nelson Dewey State Park
  • New Glarus Woods State Park
  • Rocky Arbor State Park
  • Sauk Prairie State Recreational Area
  • Tower Hill State Park
  • Wyalusing State Park
  • Yellowstone Lake State Park
  • Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area
  • Pewits Nest State Natural Area
  • Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area
  • Dells of The Wisconsin River State Natural Area

Northeast Wisconsin

  • High Cliff State Park

Turkey hunting will still be allowed on those properties, including the Kettle Moraine State Forest. The 2020 spring turkey season is April 15 to May 26, with a youth turkey hunt April 11 and 12.

State trails outside of those areas, including the Glacial Drumlin and the Hank Aaron in southeast Wisconsin, and segments of the Ice Age Trail, remain open. Most state parks and forests north of Wisconsin Dells also remain open, but the DNR reiterated advice from public health officials that if people want to exercise outside, they should stay in their communities and still maintain social distance. 

Northern Wisconsin communities like Vilas and Door counties, where parks remain open, have asked visitors and second home-owners to stay in their primary residences since those communities have limited health care infrastructure and older populations.