There are a lot of things that make Wisconsin’s newest state park unlike any other, including the fact that it was a state park once before. Lizard Mound State Park is a great Wisconsin state park that recently opened under state management, after a years-long stint as a county park. But no matter who mows the trails or puts up the signs here, there’s a long and sacred history that’s simply incredible. Here’s what you need to know about visiting Lizard Mound State Park.
This important site is located in Washington County, in the Town of Farmington. It’s only about 45 minutes from downtown Milwaukee.
The area was first established as a state Park in 1950. It was a state park for three decades until the state transferred the property to Washington County, and it became a county park. In recent years, officials determined the state was better equipped to manage the site, so it was transferred back, and it once again became a state park.
The park has effigy mounds that were created from between 800 and 1,500 years ago. It has 28 well preserved mounds, including a large mound resembling a lizard. The site likely once had more than 60 mounds.
You can explore the park via a trail that winds about a mile through the park. Interpretive signs provide information about the mounds, their history, and the native cultures that created them.
Don’t look for a lot of amenities in this park – plan to buy your concessions elsewhere. This is a sacred burial ground, and the state plans to preserve it as such, with little more than a trail and a few picnic tables. It’s incredible just as it is.
I’ve spent some of time in Washington County’s Parks, and this is one of the best. Learn more about Lizard Mound State Park on the state Department of Natural Resources website. Interested in exploring some more incredible places? Here are some other top attractions in Wisconsin.
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