Kletzsch Park in Glendale

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. A fish passage around the dam was completed in 2023 (on private property on the east side of the river), allowing native fish to migrate upstream for the first time since the dam was built. The river also offers opportunities for canoeing and kayaking, both upstream and downstream from the dam.

 

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.

 

The mile-long River Glen Mountain Bike Trail runs through the park and connects with the Milwaukee River Parkway.  More info and trail map on the Metro Mountain Bikers website.

 

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.

 

Story links:

Why do we care about the sturgeon? (Fish passage, 2024)

Two Perspectives: Kletzsch Park River Access and Fish Passage Project (Dec 2019)

Competing views on Kletzsch Park project proposal (Jan 2019)

 

Gallery (click to enlarge)