The Wisconsin State Park System, a Pillar of Culture and Economy

The roots of Wisconsin’s state park system are perhaps the oldest in the country, dating back 125 years with the establishment of Interstate Park in 1900. While Wisconsin's wasn’t the first state park in the nation, just a few years later, it had one of the first park systems. “The first act passed by any State creating an agency charged with administration of all State parks and related areas was apparently that of Wisconsin which created a State Park Commission in 1907,” as the National Park Service chronicled in the 2004 book A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States.

Leaders and businesspeople saw the value in Wisconsin’s remarkable outdoors and the benefits that public recreation could provide. Landscape architect John Nolen was hired to help the State Park Commission define, justify and designate a state park system. In State Parks for Wisconsin, Nolen argued that natural landscapes were essential to human happiness, offering that state parks’ “main purpose is to refresh and strengthen and renew tired people, to fit them for the common round of daily life.” The report led to the subsequent creation of Peninsula State Park in 1909, Devil’s Lake State Park in 1911 and Wyalusing State Park in 1917.

But even before their creation, some state parks were already tourist destinations, and nearby communities benefited. In the late 1800s, H.H. Bennett’s photographs of the rock formations, cliffs and lake vistas made the Wisconsin Dells and Devil’s Lake popular as visitors shared his postcards and newspapers printed his images. Tourism became a major industry for the area.

Today, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has replaced the State Park Commission and oversees the Wisconsin State Park System, which includes 50 state parks, 44 state trails, 15 state forests and eight state river and resource areas. The park system provides abundant recreation activities for residents and visitors, but its benefits spread far beyond park boundaries helping to shape Wisconsin’s culture and support its economy.

True wonders in the late 19th century, and true wonders today, Wisconsin’s state parks continue attracting visitors to the state. Travel Wisconsin’s Wonders of Wisconsin campaign highlights unique places to warm the heart, thrill visitors and create lasting memories. It’s no wonder four of the first 10 are at state parks, including Devil’s Lake State Park and Peninsula State Park, which continue to stun visitors even after all these years. Rounding out the state parks of the Wonders of Wisconsin, Willow Falls at Willow River State Park (created in 1967) and Kohler-Andrae State Park (featured in the photo at the top of the newsletter, established in 1928) awe visitors with their natural features and sweeping vistas, whether it’s their first or fortieth visit.

State Parks Benefit Wisconsin’s Businesses

In 1909, Wisconsin’s economy was largely agricultural, investing deeply in manufacturing and mineral extraction. Today’s state parks have become economic hubs for the communities around them, bringing resources into the parks and providing resources outside the parks to serve visitors and residents.

Paddleboard & Nordic Specialists in Oconomowoc have offshoots of their flagship store at the Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit’s Ottawa Lake and the Kettle Moraine State Forest – Lapham Peak to rent seasonal equipment such as kayaks, paddleboards and skis. Adventure Outfitters, LLC, is a year-round gear shop in Waupaca. Just 10 miles down the road at Hartman Creek State Park, their outpost rents kayaks, paddleboards, Maui mats and bikes and sells concessions by the beach. At Nicolet Beach in Peninsula State Park, the Camp Store and Nicolet Beach Rentals are run by Vanessa McGowan and Jake Danen. They also coordinate with two food trucks, Kitty’s Coffee and Backbone Food Truck, that operate out of Nicolet Beach. In 2024, after running the entities at Nicolet Beach for several years, the couple opened a nearby retail store in Fish Creek, Blue Pine Door County.

Not all state park concessionaires have brick-and-mortar operations. The Surf Shack, LLC, has outposts at several state park properties, with kayak and paddleboard rentals available by the hour. In addition to the state parks, Surf Shack has 25 locations at city and county lakes across the state. Access to the rentals is all done online. Services like these provide access to more visitors and residents and generate income for entrepreneurs.

In addition to retail and rental operations, restaurants, bars, grocery stores, gas stations and lodging facilities often benefit from state park property visitation. The park visitor’s experience is further enhanced by nearby arts, boutiques and entertainment centers in adjacent communities.

When visitors get to the parks, they find activities catering to a variety of interests. Astronomy lovers have several options for engaging with the night sky in the state parks. The Lawrence L. Huser Astronomy Center at Wyalusing State Park contains several high-powered telescopes where the StarSplitters Astronomy Club provides free public astronomy programs from May through October. The Northern Cross Science Foundation sponsors telescope viewing at Harrington Beach State Park and the Kettle Moraine State Forest – Pike Lake Unit. Newport State Park capitalizes on the “astrotourism” trend, with its International Dark Sky Park designation and evening sky-gazing programs. Universe in the Park, a program of the UW-Madison Astronomy Department, travels across the state with a free 30–40-minute talk and slide show before setting up a telescope for participants to look up.

For art lovers, parks provide playful opportunities to connect with creativity. The Northern Sky Theater is a longtime resident of Peninsula State Park, hosting outdoor shows in the park. Summit Players Theatre takes its Shakespeare production on the road every summer with Shakespeare in the Park. In 2025, Love’s Labours Lost is featured at 17 state park properties. Each all-ages production includes a pre-show workshop on Shakespeare.

State park properties also serve as gathering spaces for surrounding communities. Schools, nonprofit organizations and businesses utilize the state park system for outings and events. Friends groups, that provide thousands of volunteer hours to help support the mission and activities of the park system, organize events, raise money and provide services like selling firewood or concessions, and often partner with businesses and groups invested in giving back to nearby parks. From hiring guiding services to volunteer workdays or “learn to” events, state parks are a convener of Wisconsinites.

Parks As Tourism Hubs

When John Nolen envisioned Wisconsin’s state park system in 1909, Wisconsin’s population was about 2.5 million. His report outlined the increasing population gain and how other states, particularly on the East Coast, had failed to protect land for public use. While Nolen’s plan called for state parks to be beautiful, sweeping and scenic, he also saw their competitive advantage in tourism, writing in 1909: “Wisconsin, surrounded by prairie States and States monotonous in topography, has in its beautiful and refreshing scenery and in its invigorating climate, resources that it can ill afford to neglect.”

Since Wisconsin started opening state parks, visiting them has continued to gain popularity, in terms of visitation and revenue generated. Attendance at Wisconsin state parks has been about 20 million each year since 2020. Visitors purchased over 500,000 vehicle admission stickers in 2023, compared to about 350,000 pre-pandemic – a 43% increase. Wisconsin’s state parks system receives state funding entirely through the sale of annual and daily passes, so as visitation increases, so does revenue. In 2023, the value of state park stickers, passes and camping fees was almost $35 million.

A 2013 report detailed the economic impacts of the Wisconsin State Park System. It found that visitors' average spending at state park properties ranged from $41 per day to over $90 per day (that’s $57 to $125 today when adjusting for inflation) which generated an impressive economic impact of over $1 billion. With a 42% growth in visitation since the report, the economic impact is undoubtedly much greater.

The National Association of State Park Directors also notes that state parks contribute to regional economies via lodging, guide services and equipment rentals, with parks serving as anchors to local economies in rural areas, providing jobs and sustaining small businesses.

In Wisconsin, many municipalities collect room taxes from lodging businesses, which benefit tourism entities like destination marketing organizations and tourism commissions. Room tax revenue is then spent on tourism promotion and development. State parks and forests can motivate travelers to visit rural areas, increasing their room tax revenue, which can go back into promoting the community as an outdoor recreation hub.

More Than Just Fresh Air

Trips to state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas provide more than opportunities to breathe fresh air and soak in Wisconsin’s beauty. The Wisconsin Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan highlights health, social and civic benefits of outdoor recreation in addition to the economic.

To encourage more people to enjoy Wisconsin’s state parks and trails, the Wisconsin DNR offers Free Fun Weekend on June 7–8. State park admission fees, fishing licenses and trail passes are waived. In collaboration with public libraries, the DNR also sponsors the Check Out Wisconsin State Parks At Your Library program, a collaboration between public libraries and parks. Anyone with a library card can check out a day pass to Wisconsin’s state parks.

As we celebrate 125 years of our parks, the Wisconsin State Park System continues to look to the future as it evolves, expands and adapts, making improvements and contributions that benefit Wisconsin and its communities. Here’s to many more years of public recreation, economic success and improved well-being for Wisconsin!