In the heart of Wisconsin, there’s an incredible natural area that offers dramatic vistas and the chance to see unbelievable numbers of migratory birds. The Horicon Marsh is a wonder, a stopping place for scores of birds making their way north and south each year. It’s an easy place to explore, thanks to the Horicon Marsh Auto Tour, a route that travels around the edge of the marsh. Here’s where to find the route and where it will take you.
Horicon Marsh sprawls across Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties. It covers 32,000 acres and contains vast areas of cattail marsh.
The “Tour de Marsh” is a 50-mile route that completely rings the Horicon Marsh. It’s a beautiful driving route, and cyclists also take the tour.
The marsh was created by the last glacier in Wisconsin. Humans have inhabited the area for a long time – 12,000-year-old arrowheads have been found here. Still, it remains a very wild place. The road will take you near all of its beauty.
The route passes two huge tracts of public-owned land, the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge and the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area.
The route follows state and county highways as it passes through or near the communities of Horicon, Mayville, Waupun, Burnett, and the village of Kekoske, as well as a small driving loop on the north side of the marsh. Allow some time to take the tour– you’ll want to pull over to take in the views. There are also some nice walking trails to explore.
Every year millions of migratory birds pass through the marsh, including 200,000 Canada Geese. It’s an amazing sight – if you arrive at the right time, the sky is filled with geese and the sound of their honking is simply incredible.
While the largest flocks of birds can be seen during the spring and fall, the auto tour can be completed in any season. Learn more about the Horicon Marsh here. If you enjoy scenic auto tours, you might want to explore the incredible Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive.
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