Every state park in a week
Dad, sons are driving 2,800 miles for 78 sites
That’s the goal for a New Berlin dad and sons.
The rallying cry for the Johnson family vacation easily could be, “Quick, everyone, back in the minivan!”
There’s no time to waste when you set out to visit every single state park, forest and recreation area in Wisconsin in one week.
By the numbers, that’s 78 parks, forests and rec areas, including a bunch you’ve probably never heard of, and about 2,800 highway miles.
“The stops themselves are going to be hopefully quick and painless, where it’s just a stop in front of the sign, and then a trip to the ranger station to pick up a souvenir and a park map, and away we go,” said Tim Johnson, who is making the journey with his sons, Ben, 18, and Noah, 13.
Clearly, relaxation is not the goal here. If that’s what you’re seeking, one park and a hammock would be plenty.
This is more of a quest, the breakneck pursuit of more is better. And the clock is running. This might be the best value anyone has ever gotten from a $28 annual park sticker.
“We’re on the move,” Tim said. He and the boys left their New Berlin home Sunday morning and started by crossing the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest off their long list. Before the day was over they had traveled 400 miles across southern Wisconsin and visited the Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Big Foot Beach State Park, New Glarus Woods State Park, Governor Dodge State Park, Yellowstone Lake State Park and half a dozen others.
They spent that first night sleeping at home, and then started early Monday at Lakeshore State Park near the Summerfest grounds, then Havenwoods State Forest, Harrington Beach State Park and up into Door County where they planned to spend the night at one of the parks there.
For every park where they camp, they will do a hello-and-goodbye visit at a dozen others. The van is packed with a tent, screen tent, sleeping bags, tubs of food and supplies and campground cooking gear. But mostly gas. Lots of fillups of gas.
On Wednesday, the trio reaches the farthest point from home, Lake Superior and the ferry ride to Big Bay State Park on Madeline Island. Then they start heading south again toward the Dells, western Wisconsin and anything they missed the first day.
You can follow their journey on Facebook at 2018 Johnson’s Wisconsin State Park Adventure. Wave if you see their van decorated with signs that say the same thing.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because this same father and sons team has done two other Wisconsin challenges. In 2011, they visited every Wisconsin county in a week, snapping a photo at each courthouse to prove it.
And in 2016, they tried to hit every mini-golf course in the state, some 113 of them, and golfed at least one hole at each.
Tim is a restaurant waiter on vacation this week. Ben just finished his first year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Noah will be a high school freshman. It was the boys’ idea to go camping this summer and it turned into this pavement-pounding park pilgrimage.
“This trip is also a scouting trip for future camping weekends,” Tim said.
He has a daughter, Emma, away at college. And Tim’s wife, Jenny, has taken a you-guys-just-go approach to these trips as she enjoys the me-time at home.
The boys will be home soon enough. And the next weekend Jenny will join them for time with extended family at Mirror Lake State Park. That’s right — camping! Contact Jim Stingl at (414) 224-2017 or jstingl@jrn.com. Connect with my public page at Facebook.com/ Journalist.Jim.Stingl.