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The ribbon cutting at the opening of the new braille trail at Havenwoods State Forest

Havenwoods State Forest opens Wisconsin’s first Braille Nature Trail!

October 26, 2026  |  Topics: Events, Places

By Eddee Daniel

“Foregoing generations beheld God and Nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe?”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

In his famous and influential essay, “Nature,” Emerson extolled the virtues of experiencing the natural world and all its wonders first hand rather than relying on the accounts of historical experts and adventurers. To oversimplify, he was saying basically, “Go outside; open all your senses and immerse yourself in nature!” Being a Transcendentalist, he also tended to equate a capitalized Nature with the divine.

Blind visitors, accompanied by their guide dogs, making their way along the new Braille Trail at the opening.
Blind visitors, accompanied by their guide dogs, making their way along the new Braille Trail at the opening.

As they felt their way along the sequence of signposts at the opening of the new Braille Trail at Havenwoods, the delight and enchantment that lit up the faces of blind visitors demonstrated the universality of Emerson’s exhortation. Why indeed should not those who do not have eyes to see also enjoy an original relation to the universe? That inclusivity is the spirit and motivation behind the design and installation of the new trail, the first of its kind in Wisconsin, dedicated to providing new opportunities to the blind and visually impaired for enjoying nature.

WI DNR Parks Director Steve Schmelzer tries out the new trail.
WI DNR Parks Director Steve Schmelzer tries out the new trail.

The opening ceremony took place on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Steve Schmelzer, the WI DNR Parks Director, was on hand for the occasion, along with a slew of organizations that serve the blind and visually impaired. The ribbon cutting and cake eating was followed by an opportunity for everyone, sighted or blind, to experience the trail firsthand. There were some delightful surprises along the way!

Signpost #6 explains that "Trails can be made with gravel. Granite (left) and limestone (right) are common stones used for gravel."
Signpost #6 explains that “Trails can be made with gravel. Granite (left) and limestone (right) are common stones used for gravel.”

The new Braille Trail is a .33-mile loop that begins right outside the Havenwoods Education Center and runs past a small prairie and through the adjacent woodland. The trail is still a work in progress; completion is planned for next spring. When completed, there will be a total of 197 signposts with braille text (in Unified English Braille) describing Havenwoods history, habitats, flora and fauna. In some cases, there are tactile elements such as reliefs of vegetation and small, full figure animal sculptures. For those who cannot read braille, like me, a brochure is provided to go along with the numbered posts, which transforms the whole thing into a more conventional, but very comprehensive, nature trail.

Signpost #179 reads, "Some plants have edible roots, like the bulb of the native Prairie Onion, which grows similar to green onions and chives found at the grocery store."
Signpost #179 reads, “Some plants have edible roots, like the bulb of the native Prairie Onion, which grows similar to green onions and chives found at the grocery store.”

The numbered posts are supplemented here and there with audio boxes. One at the outset provides an audio introduction to Havenwoods and the trail. Farther along you can hear the songs of birds common to Havenwoods. At another point along the way two planter boxes allow visitors, whether sighted or blind, to feel the textures of plants such as purple coneflowers with its fuzzy leaves and prickly seed heads, or crush a leaf of anise hyssop for its distinctive smell reminiscent of licorice.

A young visitor trying out the songbird audio box.
A young visitor trying out the Bird Song Audio Box.
Havenwoods Superintendent Angela Vickio demonstrates how to interact with the Pale Purple Coneflower raised planter box.
Havenwoods Superintendent Angela Vickio demonstrates how to interact with the Pale Purple Coneflower planter box.
Signpost #190, which accompanies the second raised planter box, reads, "Anise Hyssop has leaves that smell like black licorice when crushed. Bees love the tiny flowers that bloom in summer. A member of the mint family, this plant flowers in its first year of growth." As you can see, the flowers were still in bloom for the occasion!
Signpost #190, which accompanies the second raised planter box, reads, “Anise Hyssop has leaves that smell like black licorice when crushed. Bees love the tiny flowers that bloom in summer. A member of the mint family, this plant flowers in its first year of growth.” As you can see, the flowers were still in bloom for the occasion!

It was clear from the many people of all ages and abilities who made the trek around the loop that the new trail has much to offer for everyone, not just those with visual impairments. Children and adults alike were thrilled to rub their fingers across the reliefs and to wrap their whole hands around the sculptures of toad, turtle, and bald eagle.

“In the woods too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough, and at whatsoever period of life, is always a child. In the woods, is perpetual youth.” ~ Emerson

A mother and son enjoying one of the sculptural signposts together.
A mother and son enjoying one of the sculptural signposts together.

Surprisingly—or at least it was a surprise to me—manufacturing the components of the trail is being done entirely in house by the Havenwoods staff. Translation of the proposed text into braille and other support was done in consultation with a number of agencies, individuals and organizations, including Audio and Braille Literacy Enhancement, Milwaukee Public Museum, Olivia Cichowlas, Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago), Milwaukee Public Schools Specialized Services and the Wisconsin Department of Health Service’s Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired. But the Havenwoods staff has undertaken the often time intensive work of creating the silicone molds, pouring epoxy resin into them, then sanding down sharp edges and installing them on top of the posts.

Many of the signs were labor-intensive, involving the creation of silicone molds, pouring epoxy resin into them, then sanding down sharp edges and installing them on top of the posts.
Many of the signs were labor-intensive, involving the creation of silicone molds, pouring epoxy resin into them, then sanding down sharp edges and installing them on top of the posts.

For Havenwoods Superintendent Angela Vickio in particular the effort has been a labor of love. Much of the inspiration behind creating the braille trail came from her former role as a high school science teacher serving students who were blind.

Funding for the project supplies and staffing was made possible through support from the Ford Bronco Wild Fund, National Association of State Parks Directors, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation and Friends of Havenwoods State Forest. 

Whether or not you equate nature with the divine, I believe you’ll find that the new trail helps make Havenwoods, already a logical destination for urban nature lovers, a special place that nurtures the spirit.

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~ Emerson

The new trail in the woodland.
The new trail in the woodland.
A blind visitor reads the braille inscription.
A blind visitor reads the braille inscription.
A WISN News team was on hand to cover the opening ceremonies and the new trail.
A WISN News team was on hand to cover the opening ceremonies and the new trail.
A visitor feels the toad on Signpost #121, which compares toads to frogs, reading, "Toads also lay their eggs in water but have bumpy and dry skin compared to frogs."
A visitor feels the toad on Signpost #121, which compares toads to frogs, reading, “Toads also lay their eggs in water but have bumpy and dry skin compared to frogs.”
Signpost #124 reads, "Havenwoods has a variety of turtle species."
Signpost #124 reads, “Havenwoods has a variety of turtle species.”
The sculptural signposts were a draw for cell phone photographers.
The sculptural signposts were a draw for cell phone photographers.
A number of organizations that serve the blind and visually impaired put out displays for the opening ceremony.
A number of organizations that serve the blind and visually impaired put out displays for the opening ceremony.
The bald eagle station seems to be especially popular!

For more information about Havenwoods State Forest go to our Find-a-Park page.

Related stories:

Autumn Colors Hike at Havenwoods with Nearby Nature MKE

Two First Day hikes on New Year’s Day 2025

Middle schoolers descend upon Havenwoods State Forest

Havenwoods goes wild with two dance companies in outdoor performances!

“Lichen, Fungi, and Moss. Oh My!” at Havenwoods State Forest

Thanks go to Angela Vickio and the WI DNR for their press release and other information for this story.

Eddee Daniel, writer/photographer, is a board member of Preserve Our Parks, the Project Director of A Wealth of Nature, and editor of The Natural Realm blog.

The Natural Realm blog is part of A Wealth of Nature, which is a project of Preserve Our Parks.

About Preserve Our Parks

Preserve Our Parks, Inc. is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of parks and green spaces.  Our mission: To advocate for and promote Milwaukee area parks and open spaces and to strive to protect the tenets of Wisconsin’s Public Trust Doctrine. 

For more than 25 years, we have been a leader in advocating for the protection of Milwaukee County park lands, halting many proposals to develop, privatize, or sell local parkland and lakefront spaces.  More information about POP, including past accomplishments, is available at www.preserveourparks.org.

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