Hartman Creek State Park‘s Dike Trail – a one-mile loop trail around Hartman Lake – had suffered significant deterioration caused by burrowing muskrats. This resulted in a hazardous trail surface with deep potholes and uneven terrain, made worse with rainfall and erosion.
“I met an older couple on the trail and they said they gave up walking the trail because it was so dangerous,” said Park Superintendent Jarrod Kehring in a Waupaca County News article.
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Friends of Hartman Creek State Park, along with grants from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and the Waupaca Area Community Foundation Fund, the trail has been resurfaced with a stable and user-friendly crushed limestone surface.
Each year, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program awards matching grants to state park friends groups specifically for projects like this one that improve facilities or expand recreational opportunities at state properties.
This new path is not only user-friendly for hikers but also can now cater to individuals using mobility aids. The renovated Dike Trail reconnects with the existing paved trail on the south shore and functions as a key link to other park attractions, including various hiking trails, a dedicated bike path, and the Pope Lake Hiking Trail.
Featured image by Amy Bayer, 2015.
