The right park for you…

Dodge County and its communities operate a number of beautiful parks, offering a wide array of recreational activities, including camping, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, boating, cross-country skiing, mini-golf and disc golf. You’ll also find camping facilities, shelters and pavilions for family and group gatherings. Dodge County has a park to fit nearly every group’s needs. Call the park caretakers at 920-386-3700 for camping, hall and shelter reservations.

Visit Dodgeparks.com for more information about trails and park amenities.

Astico Park

Located three miles east of Columbus in west central Dodge County, Astico Park consists of 100 acres of woods and prairie on a bend of the Crawfish River bounded by the historic Danville Mill Pond. Families will enjoy Astico Castle Playground, large open playfields, electric and non-electric picnic shelters and restroom and shower facilities. The river shoreline provides excellent canoeing and fishing opportunities. At most times of the year, the current is light, which makes this an excellent place for families who would like to take children paddling. Hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing is encouraged with trails located on the Red Bud Bike Tour Route. Electric and non-electric campsites with firewood and artesian wells are also available. Historic bridges installed over the river connect trails on both sides and offer fishing and scenic viewing opportunities. Parking with an access to the path to the bridges is located along Highway T on the east side of the park.

Derge Park

Derge Park, in central Dodge County on the west central shore of Beaver Dam Lake, provides an excellent place to host group outings. The park also provides easy access for hunters and anglers. Facilities include a boat launch, piers, pathways, a shower/restroom building and a dump station. Other park amenities include electric campsites with pads, firewood, picnic areas, a group shelter and a large enclosed shelter building. Derge Park is open year-round for day use activities and is open from April through October for camping.

Harnischfeger Park

Harnischfeger Park, the newest Dodge County Park, is located on the Rock River in the southeastern corner of Dodge County. There is easy access to the 132 -acre park from Hwy O just west of the community of Ashippun. The park features nearly one mile of Rock River shoreline, including a canoe launch and shore fishing areas, a clubhouse building (with 100+ indoor capacity), canoe & kayak rentals, picnic shelters, barbecue pits, concession stand, mini-golf course, open playfields with one softball diamond, volleyball courts, basketball courts, incredible new playground, fitness trail, horseshoe pits and miles of hiking, equestrian and ski trails with varied topography and vegetation. The latest additions to the park are camping sites with electric and non-electric hookups with water included and an excellent 9- hole disc golf course. Harnischfeger Park is host to an annual Winterfest event the second Saturday in February and Fallfest in late September.

Ledge Park

Beautiful Ledge Park, located in north central Dodge County between Horicon and Mayville, covers 83 acres along the Niagara escarpment, which is a natural rock ledge that divides the park into upper and lower areas. The park offers a breathtaking overlook of Horicon Marsh and the surrounding countryside, expansive picnic areas and group shelters. Hiking trails wind along the ledge, between and over interesting and unique rock formations, and through heavily wooded areas. Ledge Park is open year-round for day use activities and is open from April through October for camping. The park features showers and flush toilet facilities.

Nitschke Mounds County Park

Nitschke Mounds Park, located adjacent to the Wild Goose State Trail, contains wooded and open areas, wetland and a pond with two continuously flowing natural springs. The park preserves the Nitschke Mound Group, which is one of the finest remaining examples of the Effigy Mound culture. This important pre-historic Native American cultural site is believed to have been constructed between 800 and 1200 AD by the Late Woodland Indians, otherwise known as the Effigy Mound Builders. The Nitschke Mounds are comprised of two mound groupings with a total of 62 effigy, conical and linear mounds. Nearly 40 of these mounds remain within the park. The largest mound in the group is a Panther Effigy that measures 209 feet in length. The park trails take you past the mounds, and interpretive signs educate you on the mystery of the mounds. You don’t want to miss this unique site. The annual Marsh Melodies Native American weekend event in spring includes an opportunity to watch and assist real archeology excavations led by professional archeologists as they seek to learn more about this mysterious, pre-historic culture.

Waupun County Park

Waupun County Park is located one-mile northwest of the City of Waupun, along County Highway MMM. The park contains a wooded 38-unit public campground, with electrical hookups, restrooms and showers. The large public swimming pool, open June through August, attracts about 30,000 user-visits per year. Other facilities include playground equipment, three open-air picnic shelters, one enclosed shelter, and a baseball field.