Choose where to spend your vacation days in Dodge County - on the lakes, trails, golf courses, in parks, or in the museums, restaurants, shops and bed and breakfasts.

Dodge County parks provide an array of recreational possibilities to fit any group’s needs. The parks have excellent trails for hiking, biking and cross country skiing. Astico, Derge and Harnischfeger parks have excellent shore-fishing opportunities and a boat launch is available at Derge Park. Camping is available at Astico, Ledge and Derge parks. Visitors to Nitschke Mounds Park can see 40 ancient effigy mounds. Those looking for spectacular scenery will appreciate the unusual rock outcroppings at Ledge Park. Visit  Dodge County’s fabulous parks.

Find numerous bodies of water for fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and swimming.

The extensive trail systems in Dodge County vary in length and year-round recreational activity usage, such as hiking, bicycling, auto tours, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ATV riding.

Dodge County’s museums provide education through demonstrations, exhibits and architecture. The arts are alive in Dodge County, where you can view performing or visual arts.

Splish, splashing around...

Pack your fishing gear any time of year and head to Dodge County for a variety of fishing, including walleye, bluegill, crappies, northern pike and catfish.

Beaver Dam Lake, the largest lake in Dodge County, is the location for a multitude of events and activities throughout the year. The 6,600 acre lake is shallow with a mud bottom, contains a name of small islands and more than 41 miles of shoreline. Public access is available at Derge, Edgewater, Water Works and Tahoe parks.

Fox Lake is one of the best walleye lakes in Wisconsin. The six islands enhance the lake’s hunting and fishing opportunities. Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet and nearly 18 miles of shoreline. Public access is available on the south end of the lake at Town and Riverside parks.

Water enthusiasts find Lake Sinissippi a haven for year-round activities. Fed by the Rock River, Lake Sinissippi features a surface area of 2,855 acres and is a favorite with boaters and water skiers. Access is available at ramps off Wildcat Drive, Lakeview Road and Arrowhead Trail.

The Upper Rock River Basin forms in Horicon Marsh where the East and West branches of the Rock River come together. The basin is bounded on the east by the Niagara escarpment and the eastern terminal moraine, formed by the Green Bay lobe during the last glaciated period in Wisconsin, which resulted in the extensive drumlin fields throughout Dodge County.

The largest water features in the basin are the Rock River, the Crawfish River, the Beaver Dam River, Horicon Marsh, Beaver Dam Lake, and Lake Sinissippi. Northern pike, panfish, catfish, and other species are to be found in the river and channels of the marsh.

The Department of Natural Resources has detected a virus affecting fish in the Lake Winnebago system called viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS for short.

The DNR reported that this virus is not harmful to humans and that it is completely safe to handle and eat fish caught in Wisconsin waters. It is important to note that VHS is a deadly virus to fish and spreads easily among a variety of fish populations. The DNR is actively responding to contain this threat and has issued the following recommendations that should be practiced on all Wisconsin waterways:

• Put your catch on ice and do not move live fish and unused bait minnows away from the landing or shore.
• Drain all water from bilges, bait buckets, live wells and other containers when leaving the landing or shore.
• Use live minnows purchased only from registered bait dealers in Wisconsin or catch it yourself in the same water you fish.
• Clean plants and debris from your boat before leaving the landing.

To learn more about VHS, visit dnr.wi.gov/fish/pages/vhs.html

Animals ahead...

People flock to Horicon Marsh, similar to geese, but on a quest to capture the birds, wildlife and scenic surrounding land on film or video. With such abundant populations of mammals, fish, birds, beavers and more, there is always something to watch, pursue, and learn about. Explore on your own or attend one of the free public naturalist programs.

Hunting opportunities for ducks, geese, deer, pheasant, turkey, and small game are abundant throughout state-owned lands and various public hunting grounds.

Moving down the trail...

Dodge County provides safe and scenic locations to enjoy the county’s beauty. Whether by foot, bicycle, horseback, or automobile, you’ll discover wonderful landscapes and breathtaking views.

Hiking

Numerous trails allow you to explore the land in and around the marsh. Horicon Habitat Hike is a 1.5 mile trail located at the end of N. Palmatory Street in Horicon. The trail will take you through woods, fields and into the marsh. Federal Trail consists of six miles of connecting trails within the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge off Highway 49. Hikers can option for the part of the trail that goes through the redhead nesting area, marshland, prairie area or cattail growth. The most popular section of the trails is a quarter mile wooden boardwalk where you float on the water and meander through the cattails in an area rich with migratory birds. Call the Trail Conditions Hotline: 920-386-3705

Bicycling

The Wild Goose Trail was developed on a former railroad grade and spans 32 miles skirting the western edge of the vast Horicon Marsh from Fond du Lac to Clyman Junction. The trail is surfaced with compacted limestone screenings and offers smooth riding. Additional bicycling is available on county roads around the perimeter of Horicon Marsh.

Horseback Riding

Dodge County welcomes horseback riding on a separate 14-mile pathway along the Wild Goose Trail between Highway 60 and Pautsch Road (about four miles north of Burnett). Trail terrain is generally easy riding; however, special caution is necessary in areas with steep side slopes, wet crossings and near highways and roads. The trail surface is grass, dirt and wood chips and winds through wooded and open areas in the right-of-way of the Wild Goose Trail. Horses are not allowed on the limestone-surfaced trail except at designated horse trail crossings.

Automobile Tours

Driving through Dodge County, no matter what season, can be a special treat for anyone. The beautiful countryside displays evidence of the glaciers that once covered the area. Several scenic overlooks around the marsh allow you to view the marsh’s different highlights, including the birds and animals that reside there. Follow the brown signs for the Horicon Marsh Parkway, an estimated 50-mile auto tour that encircles the Horicon Marsh, and follows state and county highways through Burnett, Kekoskee, Horicon, Mayville and Waupun.

The auto tour provides access to facilities and sites in and around the Horicon Marsh, including Horicon Department of Natural Resources Service Center on Highway 28 north of Horicon (920-387-7860) and Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center located on the northeast side of the Marsh on County Trunk Z
(920-387-2658).

The Parkway is easily accessible from U.S. Highway 151 or State Highway 41 by following State Highway 33 to access the south end of the Parkway or Highway 49 to access the north end of the Parkway.

Golfing

Dodge County’s courses will challenge any golfer, no matter what skill level. Enjoy reasonable rates at these well manicured courses: The Golf Club at Camelot in Lomira, Mayville Golf Course, Old Hickory Golf Club in Beaver Dam, and Rock River Hills Golf Course in Horicon.

Let it snow...

The winter months signal a new season of outdoor fun in Dodge County. Enjoy great views accessible by snowshoes, cross-country skis, ATVs or snowmobiles. Wild Goose State Trail and the network of trails throughout Dodge County are open all winter and guarantee plenty of adventure.

Snowmobile enthusiasts will find an interconnected system of more than 320 miles of groomed county snowmobile trails that traverse farm fields, woodlots, lowlands and Wild Goose State Trail. Trails provide easy access to trails systems in neighboring counties. Daily trail conditions are available at online, or call the Trail Conditions Hotline: 920-386-3705

Dodge County opens 20 miles of ATV trails from December 1 - March 31. The trails are primarily located on the surfaced areas of Wild Goose State Trail and the designated ATV trail routes through Burnett and East Waupun. The ATV trail runs from the parking lot at Hwy. 60 north to Hwy. 49.

The marsh provides fantastic opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Trails are not groomed but boundaries and terrain are endless.

Plenty of Indoor Fun...

While visiting Dodge County, plan to spend time indoors too. Numerous shopping options include antiques, crafts, home decorations, cheese and meat products, and spices and sauces.

Learn the fascinating tales of Dodge County’s history. Go back in time to one of the museums and historical societies that feature special collections and artifacts including Dodge Centre Museum, Dodge County Historical Museum, Fox Lake Historical Museum, Hollenstein Wagon and Carriage Factory Museum, Horicon Historical Society’s Satterlee Clark Home Museum, John Hustis House, Mayville Limestone School Museum, Old Village Hall Museum, Solomon Juneau House, and Waupun Heritage Museum

For additional museum and tour options, visit Honey Acres’ “Honey of a Museum” in Ashippun; Christopher Columbus Museum in Columbus; and Widmer’s Cheese Cellars in Theresa.

The Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts in Beaver Dam presents art exhibits and programs. Choose from several produtions throughout the year at Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre.