A recent Wisconsin Environment article takes readers inside Mirror Lake State Park, known for its calm, reflective water, sandstone cliffs, and easy, family-friendly trails. The story follows a September visit that highlights everything the park offers: accessible hikes like Echo Rock, nature programs led by dedicated DNR staff, youth activities, and even a venison cooking class through the DNR’s R3 program.
Looking ahead, Mirror Lake is set for major upgrades in 2026, including expanded parking, improved water access, and updates to several facilities. These improvements are made possible in part through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, which provides grants of up to $20,000 to Friends Groups of state parks, forests, and trails for facility improvements, habitat restoration, and recreational projects. These matching grants allow critical upgrades that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
These upcoming projects come at a time when Wisconsin’s state parks continue to face funding challenges. Park entrance fees help, but they’re not enough to sustain the level of care these places need. With Knowles-Nelson set to expire in 2026 and awaiting legislative renewal, the future of this funding, and the parks and friends groups that depend on it, remains uncertain.
Featured image by Maciej Ciupa, 2017
