Lapham Peak: A summer bouquet
July 23, 2018 | Topics: Places
By Eddee Daniel
There are many good reasons to head out to Lapham Peak. Although I’d been there many times before, I discovered a surprising new reason recently. New to me, that is. You see, I’d always gravitated to the hills and especially the tower, which rises 45 feet above the highest point in Waukesha County. Lovely 360º panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
But when I arrived this time I found the tower closed indefinitely pending repairs. Besides, I wanted to explore the unfamiliar prairie instead of the usual woodlands. What I found was stunning. Prairies awash in a diverse array of wildflowers.
Last summer I posted a photo essay in Milwaukee Magazine called Summer Bouquet in which I shared a selection of photos of wildflowers that I had taken throughout the summer in many parks all around the area. I won’t have to do that this summer. I found them all in one place!
Located just south of I-94 in Delafield, 1,233-foot Lapham Peak, named for the pioneering Wisconsin scientist, Increase Lapham, is the highest point in Waukesha County. Nestled in the heart of the glaciated topography of the Kettle Moraine, this popular park offers a wide range of recreational opportunities. These include 26 miles of trails, a Nature Center, three picnic areas, horseback riding trails, an amphitheater, and more.
Read more about this park on the Kettle Moraine State Forest – Lapham Peak Unit park page.
Photo Essay:
Balloon flowers.
Bergamot, aka bee balm.
Bird’s foot trefoil.
Pale bulrush.
Blue vervain.
Ripening black raspberries.
Prairie Path mountain bike trail in Schoeninger Savannah.
Echinacea, aka purple coneflower
Tiger swallowtail butterfly.
Milkweed.
Ice Age Trail boardwalk across wetland.
White sweet clover.
Purple prairie clover.
Paul Sandgren Recreational Trail with Milkweed.
Monarch caterpillar on milkweed.
Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks and the project director for A Wealth of Nature.