State parks are likely to hit capacity on weekend
Visitation is up for year despite month of closure
Wisconsin’s state parks are more popular than ever this year, with visitation up 20% from Jan. 1 through June 1 compared with the same period last year. State trails are also seeing more use, and campground reservations are up.
That’s despite nearly 40 state parks being closed for a month and having capacity limits in place for the last two months, according to Missy VanLanduyt, recreations partnership section chief for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Annual parks sticker sales are on par with last year, she said, despite parks being free to visit for about a month, then many being closed for a month, and the fact that passes are available for purchase only by phone or online, and not at properties like they usually are. Sales of trail passes are up, despite those being available only over the phone. Day passes to parks are not available at all right now.
She said the DNR has not heard too many complaints about day passes not being available, at least from in-state residents. In terms of relatively safe entertainment options during a pandemic, $28 for a yearly sticker is not a bad deal.
“Who can even go out to Culver’s or a movie with that anymore? I think (the sticker) is a pretty accessible way to get out to those properties,” VanLanduyt said, noting that you don’t need anything special (beyond the sticker) to visit a park — you can just go and hike.
“In general, especially early on in the pandemic, I think we were seeing a lot of new people coming to the parks,” she said, noting that the DNR has been fielding more questions about parks and people seeking maps — a sign that people seem to be exploring parks they haven’t before.
Capacity limits
VanLanduyt said things have been going well overall since parks reopened on May 1 with capacity limits in place, which is why the DNR has been able to “dial up” parks reopening, with individual campsites reopening June 10 and group campsites set to open July 13.
The capacity limit for each park is generally 75% of what the property can normally hold, but that can vary by park and situation, she said. DNR staff have flexibility to close a park before hitting the 75% mark or keep it open past that if people are still able to maintain social distance throughout the property.
“It’s more about monitoring the overcrowding and ensuring the social distancing,” VanLanduyt said.
If it’s a 90-degree day and everyone is at the beach, for example, DNR staff might close the park to additional visitors before hitting the 75% mark. If it’s a gloomy day and people are spread out throughout a park, staff might allow capacity to exceed 75%.
Devil’s Lake, the state’s most popular park, has hit its capacity limit and been closed to additional visitors every weekend since May 1. VanLanduyt said Devil’s Lake has generally hit capacity around noon on weekends.
DNR staff are not operating on a one car in, one car out policy, she said. But once enough people have left a park, staff will reopen it. VanLanduyt said that generally has happened around 2 or 3 p.m. at Devil’s Lake.
The DNR is asking visitors to not walk into parks that are at capacity, since those limits and closures are in place to protect public health and safety.
“We are doing our best to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors to Devil’s Lake State Park,” DNR Chief Conservation Warden Casey Kruger said in a statement. “But we also need our visitors to do their part by not entering the property when a capacity closure is in place.”
Local municipalities have jurisdiction over roads around parks, so cars parked illegally could be subject to tickets and/or towing.
Visitors who have campground reservations are permitted to enter even if a park is at capacity, but they should be prepared to show reservation confirmation to staff. Since cellphone service isn’t guaranteed at all properties, it’s best to purchase your sticker and print out the receipt before you leave home.
Campsite reservations have been a hot commodity this year. While summer weekends are almost always booked full in Wisconsin, weekdays are filling up.
Same-day camping reservations are available at wisconsin.goingtocamp.com, but it’s best to make reservations earlier. Reservations are available 11 months in advance, and many regular campers make summer reservations then, especially for holiday weekends.
Other than Devil’s Lake, parks that have hit their capacities over the past two months include the Kettle Moraine State Forest’s Southern Unit, Lapham Peak, Pike Lake, Mirror Lake, High Cliff, Governor Dodge and Copper Falls.
VanLanduyt is advising people to visit on a weekday, or before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. She said she recently took her kids to Devil’s Lake at 4:30 p.m. on a Thursday, and they were able to safely hike and visit the beach.
VanLanduyt said if you get to a property and it is closed to additional visitors, you can most likely find another one to visit within a 15-minute drive.
“There’s some gem at every single one of our properties that people can find and enjoy and seek out,” VanLanduyt said.