This State Park Situated On Wisconsin's Largest Lake Delivers Diverse Recreation And Incredible Limestone Cliffs

Wisconsin is one of the most popular summer and fall vacation destinations in the Midwest, and for good reason. With over 15,000 lakes and bordering two of the Great Lakes, there is plenty of outdoor recreation, swimming, and hiking available in the Badger State. However, the largest lake fully within Wisconsin's borders is Lake Winnebago, which just so happens to be one of the best Midwest summer vacation destinations. While there are many reasons that Lake Winnebago is a great vacation spot, one of the main ones is that it is a paradise for wind surfing, walleye fishing, and general adventure. While there, one of your adventures should include a visit to High Cliff State Park.

High Cliff State Park is a 45-minute drive from Green Bay and approximately an hour and 45 minutes away from Milwaukee, America's most affordable lake destination full of beaches, breweries, and bliss. This makes High Cliff State Park pretty easy to get to when starting in either of those Wisconsin cities. Once there, you will enter a paradise of limestone cliffs that are dotted with trails and view points as well as artifacts from the Native Americans who once considered this land sacred.

There are quite a few trails at High Cliff State Park. The standout one of these is the Red Bird Trail. Completing the Red Bird Trail just by itself is not a challenging task — it is relatively short with a length of 3.6 miles and can be covered in a little over an hour. While hiking this trail, you'll be exposed to views of Lake Winnebago, gigantic slabs of limestone, and the watchful eyes of Chief Red Bird's statue. One reviewer on Tripadvisor mentioned that, "The rock ledges were very cool and the views of Lake Winnebago were beautiful." Others also noted that this is a great destination in fall to get panoramic views of the lake when the leaves change color.

High Cliff State Park is also home to an expansive swimming area and boat launch. Visitors can enjoy the summer months kayaking and canoeing, with self-service kayak rentals available within the park. Lake Winnebago is also the perfect place for some fishing, if that's an activity you're angling towards. While a Wisconsin fishing license is mandatory, those possessing one will be treated with opportunities to catch fish like walleye and white bass.

As part of the Wisconsin state park system, there is an entrance fee to get into High Cliff State Park. Many locals purchase yearly park system passes. However, if you are only visiting for the day, the out-of-state day use fee is $16 while the out-of-state yearly pass is $38. You can get in-state prices if you arrive in a vehicle with a Wisconsin license plate. High Cliff State Park is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. all year round.

There is camping available within the park, although it has mixed reviews with some travelers loving their experience and others of the opinion that the sites were too close together. There are a total of 112 campsites available (of which, around 30 have electric hookups for trailers) as well as a cabin that can hold up to six people and is ADA accessible. Both the cabin and campsites can be reserved online. Sites with hookups for trailers cost around $40 per night, whereas tent sites cost $25 per night.