More commonly known for the golf course that shares the same name, Petrifying Springs park in Kenosha is a refuge of wilderness in the southeast Wisconsin industrial city. Featuring a set of trails that range from steep valley slopes to pleasant walks by the river to deep woods scampering, Petrifying Springs just might be the best hiking so close to the border.
The park, which is located right next door to the University of Wisconsin—Parkside, offers a wealth of hiking and running trails that translate nicely to cross-country skiing trails for the frigid Wisconsin winter.
Those trails vary from thickly forested coniferous walking trails to paths that criss-cross in a tangled web across a slow-moving river. While the paths can be tougher to navigate in the deeper woods where trails often cross the river with no bridge access, numerous falling trees offer a wealth of natural bridges to cross.
This sense of minor-league adventure is a welcome respite from many of the local county and state parks. Unlike Bong Recreation Area outside of Kenosha, these trails see far less maintenance, and while that may make the park less interesting for the less adventurous, it offers a kind of energetic and vigorous hiking that can be difficult to find south of Milwaukee.
As an added bonus for people hoping to hike with their dogs, Petrifying Springs also offers an oftentimes crowded dog park. Added amenities include several pavilions complete with tables and grills, volleyball courts, baseball fields, and—of course—the 18-hole golf course.
NOTE: For the 2012 season, pavilions will not be rented at Petrifying Springs. The park is being renovated in the coming year, and to avoid conflicts reservations are being put on hold. For more information, check here.
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