Kletzsch Park in Glendale

Activities: Birding, Canoeing/Kayaking, Cross-Country Skiing, Cycling, Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking, Running, Snowshoeing, Wildlife Viewing

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141 acres located on the Milwaukee River in Glendale. A stop on the Forked Aster Trail; hiking trails wind through grasslands, traverse oak-maple woodlands, and meander within a floodplain forest that hugs the river banks. The trails provide excellent views of diverse plant communities, especially in the spring and autumn. The paved Oak Leaf Trail also runs through the park connecting with the Milwaukee River Parkway to the north and the south.

Birders beware! This park can be addicting during spring and fall migration. Identified by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird.org program as a birding hotspot (164 species recorded to date), the park is also a stop on the Great Wisconsin / Oak Leaf Birding Trail.

The Kletzsch Park dam is very popular for fishing, especially during the seasonal salmon run. The river also offers opportunities for canoeing and kayaking, both upstream and downstream from the dam. The Milwaukee County Parks and the Wisconsin DNR are currently (Feb. 2019) considering a fish passage around the dam, and it’s an excellent time for citizens to become engaged and learn more about the this potential project. See story.

The area now known as Kletzsch Park was identified by pioneering cartographer Increase Lapham as “Indian Prairie.” He mapped and described Native American mounds and earthworks that were located here.

Amenities include an archery area, sand volleyball, soccer fields, disc golf, a sledding hill, softball diamonds, playground, reservable picnic areas and recreation buildings that are also available for events.

For Milwaukee County Parks map, click here.

Gallery (click to enlarge)