Lake Park in Milwaukee

One of Milwaukee’s first parks and one of three Milwaukee parks to be designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the nation’s preeminent landscape architect. Olmsted’s belief in the restorative value of nature led him to design its spaces with a variety of natural terrains: open meadows, winding trails, wilder, more “mysterious” patches of undergrowth, and vistas overlooking the Lake Michigan shoreline. Several rugged ravines are among its most distinctive natural features. Intermittent streams flow through the Locust Street and Waterfall ravines.

 

Home to the North Point Lighthouse, a Milwaukee landmark and museum. Also home to the last remaining Indian mound in the city of Milwaukee.

 

Lake Park has a very active Friends group that hosts bird watching and other events throughout the year. The natural habitat and close proximity to the lake make this park one of the highest ranking ebird hotspots within Milwaukee County. The park is featured in the Lake Michigan Region of the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail.
The paved Oak Leaf Trail loops around the perimeter of Lake Park, winding from Lincoln Memorial Drive up to Lake Drive.

 

Its wide array of amenities include a golf course, playing fields and courts, playground, an outdoor stage, and Lake Park Bistro. The park also has an ice skating rink that is open during the winter months.

 

 

For Milwaukee County Parks trail map, click here.

For more information go to Lake Park Friends.

 

Story Links:

A guided–and illustrated–tour of Lake Park

Heidi Parkes: Artist in Residence in Lake Park

Julia Scheckel: Artist in Residence in Lake Park

 

Gallery (click to enlarge)