Natural beauty can sometimes be found in unlikely places. That’s what I learned on a hike along Port Washington’s waterfront. An area that was once a place used by ships to unload coal for a power plant has a decidedly different energy today - it’s a Wisconsin nature sanctuary that’s teeming with life, home to birds, butterflies and wildflowers. It’s called the Port Washington Avian Sanctuary, and it’s a hidden gem worth seeking out.

You’ll find the sanctuary in Coal Dock Park, Port Washington’s newest park on Lake Michigan.

With its 1,500-foot promenade, 80-foot pedestrian bridge, and scenic views of the city skyline and Lake Michigan, the park is a great place to spend time on the waterfront. I parked my car in one of the park’s lots. There were plenty of spaces.

I crossed a small bridge on my way to the sanctuary.

It was a pretty spot, but even more beauty was waiting down the trail.

I soon found myself in the heart of the Port Washington Avian Sanctuary, a nearly five-acre habitat that’s teeming with wildlife.

It’s located on what was once the “South Dock.” The old soot-covered dock has been completely transformed.

Established in 2011 as part of a mitigation project associated with the Port Washington Generating Station, the sanctuary is home to a variety of habitats, including deep and shallow marshes, wet meadows, and prairies.

It’s hard to imagine this park in Port Washington as a coal dock. It’s become a key stop-off point for migratory birds traveling up the Lake Michigan shore.

I took the recreation trail through the sanctuary and saw something pretty in every direction.

You won’t find miles and miles of trails here, but it’s an easy place to spend some time.

It’s popular with bird watchers and photographers.

I paused for a bit on a fishing platform by the lake before heading back through the trails.

I’m looking forward to a return trip in a different season.

Have you had a chance to visit this Wisconsin nature sanctuary? Let us know in the comments. Make your Wisconsin travel plans on Booking.com;  here’s where to find more Wisconsin adventures.