FOX 11 covered the recent dedication of the restored waterfall area and replacement stairs along the Lime Kiln Trail, a project the Friends of High Cliff State Park made possible through a Knowles-Nelson Stewardship grant and community fundraising.
The 1.7-mile trail runs along the Lake Winnebago shoreline beneath the Niagara Escarpment and passes a 125-acre State Natural Area that supports rare plant and animal communities. The restoration, which began in 2022, addressed long-standing safety, accessibility, and deferred maintenance issues, completing the waterfall improvements and replacing the mid and upper trail stairs.
In addition to the Knowles-Nelson grant, the project received funding from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and Community First Credit Union, which will help carry the restoration into its next phases.
“Having the support from donors and community partners to improve the visitor experience for over 700,000 park users each year is wonderful,” said Gary Vaughan, president of the Friends of High Cliff State Park board of directors.
This High Cliff State Park project is one of many made possible by the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Each year, $500,000 from the program is set aside for grants to Friends Groups to improve recreation facilities, build new amenities, and restore habitat across Wisconsin’s state parks, forests, and trails.
Featured photo by WLUK, 2026
