CHALLENGE 2022

Wisconsin currently has 66 state park units, covering more than 60,570 acres, 43 State Trails open to the public, covering more than 1,700 miles, and more than 6,000 campsites in the Wisconsin State Park System.

That’s a lot to choose from!

All of us have a favorite. Whether it’s a state park along the bluffs of the Mississippi River or along the shores of Lake Superior, or the Southern Kettle Morraine, or near the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Wisconsin has so many choices.

And, that is what the Wisconsin Friend’s Challenge for 2022 is all about - offering choices. We encourage families and individuals to expand their horizons. Find something new and wonderful. Experience Wisconsin’s great outdoors.

Start new traditions and memories.

The Wisconsin Friends Challenge for 2022 has over forty challenges. Challenges encompassing flora and fauna, camping, horseback riding, biking, photography, and a few more. This year, there are even challenges just for children.

The challenge is set to start March 22 - the Spring Equinox.

Wisconsin Friend’s Explore Challenge for 2022 has created an app, enabling our challenge seekers to search out nearby challenges easily. The app has special photography enhancements making it easy to create instant memories and share with others on social media if you wish.

All challenges need to be completed from March 22, 2022 through September 22, 2022, on WSPS (Wisconsin State Park System) properties (DNR park guide)

More Information

Friendly and Unique Places

Wisconsin is filled with a variety of fun-filled destinations that would make for the perfect family vacation. With such diverse regions and landscapes, the Dairy State has a lot to choose from when it comes to picking out the perfect trip. If you’re on the lookout for unique places to stay in Wisconsin for families, we’ve created the friendly and unique places that will make for a family vacation your kids will never forget.

Wisconsin currently has 49 state park units, covering more than 60,570 acres, 44 State Trails open to the public, covering more than 1,700 miles, and more than 6,000 campsites in the Wisconsin State Park System.

All of us have a favorite. Whether it’s a state park along the bluffs of the Mississippi River or along the shores of Lake Superior, or the Southern Kettle Morraine, or near the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Wisconsin has so many choices.

Each month, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Friendly and Unique places will introduce a trail, a state park, a forest, or a recreation area that may become a family favorite.

Pattison State Park -

Friendly and Unique State Park

Pattison State Park features the highest waterfalls in Wisconsin and the fourth highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. Big Manitou Falls is 165 feet high and Twin Little Manitou Falls is 31 feet high. This 1,400-acre park also has a lake with a beach, a nature center, camping, and scenic hiking trails.
Pattison State Park has 59 regular (family) campsites, 18 of them with electric hookups and three backpack sites.
There is a sanitary dumping station but no sewer or water hookups. Showers and flush toilets are available during the summer. Pets are welcome in Wisconsin State Parks but must be on a leash and under control at all times.

Activities and amenities

Nature center: The Gitche Gumee Nature Center features exhibits about the park's cultural and natural history, including its wildlife and geology. Guided nature walks are offered, and children's nature exploration backpacks are also available.
Swimming: The park has a 300-foot (91 m) sand beach on Interfalls Lake.
Trails: The park's 9 miles (14 km) of hiking trails include trails that are used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Beaver Slide Nature Trail is 2 miles long and circles Interfalls Lake. Logging Camp Trail is 4.7 miles long from which some of the remains of Pattison's old logging camp by the Black River, can be seen.
Camping: The park has 59 family campsites, 18 of them with electric hookups, and 3 backpack sites.

Friendly and Unique Places

by Admin on June 24, 2022

Friendly and Unique Places Wisconsin is filled with a variety of fun-filled destinations that would make for the perfect family vacation. Wi...

Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Photo 2022 Photo Contest

Ends: Labor Day, 2022, midnight

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks (FWSP) invites all interested individuals to enter their favorite state park, forest, trail, or recreation area photo in our annual photography competition. Winners will be featured in the 2023 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Calendar, released in the Fall of 2022.

There are so many opportunities to enjoy the Wisconsin state parks during all four seasons. We are looking for photo entries that include beautiful scenery along with people recreating and enjoying activities like hiking, picnicking, cross country skiing, kayaking/canoeing, horseback riding, biking, and exploring.

WHO MAY ENTER:

Submissions are accepted from amateur photographers ages 14 and over. Professional photographers who earn more than half of their income taking pictures are not eligible. The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks board members will determine winners’ eligibility. Employees of the Wisconsin Department of

Natural Resources and board members of the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.

WHAT TO ENTER:

Photos must be submitted in high resolution (at least 300 DPI).
Photographs must have been shot within the past three years.
Photographs must portray a specific Wisconsin State Park, Forest, or Trail and cannot include illegal activities (i.e. camping in an unauthorized area). We are looking for photos that show scenes from the parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas. Wildlife photos will not score as high as people enjoying activities submissions.
Cropped photos are eligible, horizontal images are preferred. Photos that appear unnatural will not be considered.
An entrant must hold all rights to a photograph. For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must secure a model release from the subject and include this with the submission.
Photographs previously published or pending publication, or photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s copyright, are not eligible.
You may submit one photograph per season and up to 4 total entries. We do not accept more than one contestant per email address.

BY ENTERING A PHOTO YOU ARE VERIFYING:

• The image is your own;

• The photo has not been altered beyond standard optimization;

• The photo is not subject to any third party agreements;

• And no laws were violated in obtaining the photo.

Photos should accurately reflect the original image. Photos that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization (cropping, color, contrast, etc.) will be disqualified. This includes the digital addition or deletion of objects in the photos. Photo eligibility is the sole discretion of the contest judges. Photos may originate in any form but must be submitted electronically. A high-resolution image must be submitted. If a high-resolution photo cannot be provided, the entry will be disqualified. Photos may also be watermarked if desired when uploaded to the contest page, however: the watermark should be inconspicuous enough not to interfere with the judging of the photo and a clean, watermark-free

a version of the photo must be available at FWSP’s request. If a watermark-free version cannot be provided, the entry will be disqualified. Please do not include photographs that display people who are identifiable.

HOW TO ENTER:

Internet access is required to participate in the contest. Participants must review the full rules

before entering any photos. Photos must be submitted electronically via the Friends of Wisconsin state parks website FWSP.org. There is no entry fee to participate. No more than four(4) photos may be entered by any one person. See the website FWSP.org for instructions.

To submit your photos go to FWSP.org

Visit FWSP.org and click on the photo contest page.
Follow the instructions on the contest page.

All photos uploaded to the FWSP contest page should have:

The season. (Spring, Summer, Fall, and winter)
The state park, forest, or trail name where the photo was taken.
Name of Photographer. (first and last)
Photographer’s Address. (Street, City, ZIP)
Phone #.
Email Address.
Friends group affiliation, if any.

This information will be required to submit the photos at the FWSP.org Contest Page. This information is needed so that FWSP can,

properly credit contest photos when utilized in promotional media, and
notify winners.

Click here to enter your photo

JUDGING:

FWSP will review each photograph received and will accept only those entries that meet the official requirements outlined in these rules. A panel of FWSP board members and staff will review accepted entries and select the winning photos. Selected photos are not official winners until high resolution, watermark-free versions are provided to FWSP. If such a version cannot be provided, an alternate winner will be selected. The decisions of FWSP and the contest judges are final.

WINNERS:

Winners will be notified in September 2022. Winning photos will appear in the 2023 FWSP calendar,

tentatively set to release in the Fall of 2022.

YOUR RIGHTS:

By participating in the contest, you hereby grant FWSP unlimited, non-exclusive, irrevocable

permission to publish and reproduce your image in media including but not limited to the website,

and promotional materials into perpetuity. You retain all other applicable ownership rights to the

photo. FWSP agrees to properly credit photographers whenever their photos are used. FWSP reserves

the right to exclude any photo from the contest.

Patricia Loosen
Executive Director Friends of Wisconsin State Parks
patricia.loosen@fwsp.org
608-264-8994

FRIENDS OF WISCONSIN STATE PARKS 2022 PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

by Admin on June 23, 2022

Friends of Wisconsin State Parks Photo 2022 Photo Contest Ends: Labor Day, 2022, midnight The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks (FWSP) invite...

2022 Gift Packages:

“Gifts that keep on giving – Give the Gift of Recreation!”

Welcome to The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks online store for 2022. Ordering online makes shopping very easy. Orders are processed and shipped within 1-2 business days via USPS.
The 2022 state park vehicle admission stickers and trail passes make great gifts. They are gifts that can be used every day, all year long, all around the state at our beautiful Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.
The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks online store uses PayPal. You can shop with or without a PayPal account. It's easy: CLICK HERE TO SHOP

2022 FWSP Online Store - Buy Stickers here!

by Admin on June 22, 2022

2022 Gift Packages: “ Gifts that keep on giving – Give the Gift of Recreation! ” Welcome to The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks online...

FWSP depends on the generosity of donors for the funds required to carry out its mission of preserving, protecting, promoting and enhancing Wisconsin State Parks, Trails, Forests and Recreation Areas.
ln collaboration with over 80 local Friend's chapters, we seek to enrich the park experience for the millions of people who visit each year and to ensure that millions more will be able to enjoy Wisconsin's natural treasures in the future.
Each year, FWSP sponsors Work*Play*Earth Day events across the park system that draw hundreds of volunteers who remove invasive species, clean up campgrounds, plant trees, build benches and help with other essential projects.
We also educate lawmakers and citizens on issues that impact their parks. And each year, we support local Friends groups by providing funds for education-related activities such as hiring park naturalists, developing interpretive exhibits, hosting wildlife demonstrations and outdoor skill training sessions, and improving key infrastructure in our parks.
We are continually seeking to grow our capacity to positively impact Wisconsin parks. if you or your business would be interested in partnering with FWSP, please contact us.

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is pleased to offer the following options to make a contribution:

Option 1:
Mail cash or check directly to Friends of Wisconsin State Parks

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks kindly requests that donations are sent to the following address. Send to:
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks
P.O. Box 2271
Madison, WI 53701

Option2:
Print a Form, complete it, and mail along with a check.
Click on this (Link) to download and print a PDF.

Option 3:
Make a donation via PayPal (Link)

Option 4: Stocks

Email or call
Patricia Loosen
Executive Director FWSP
Patricia.Loosen@fwsp.org
608-294-0810
or
Mail Inquiry to:
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks
P.O. Box 2271
Madison, WI 53701

Support Your Parks

by Admin on June 21, 2022

FWSP depends on the generosity of donors for the funds required to carry out its mission of preserving, protecting, promoti...

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks mission is:

Preserving, Promoting, Protecting, and Enhancing Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.

FWSP is the official umbrella organization of the Friends groups for state parks, trails, forests, and recreation areas in Wisconsin. Friends of Wisconsin State Parks supports the work of 51 local Friends chapters around the state representing over 3750 individual members and the work that they do at the park, forest, trail, or recreation areas that they are associated with.

Our organization is made up of volunteers and people like you who have a love of our state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas and a desire to support their recreational, environmental, and economic value. Members of our organization promote the mission of the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks to preserve and protect our parks’ natural resources and to provide recreational opportunities for all.

The FWSP and the local groups work on projects and events at the state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas around the state that enhance the property and provide enjoyment for the many visitors each year. Our friends work to protect our natural resources and preserve Wisconsin's unique natural treasures for future generations.

In addition, FWSP carries out its mission through these examples:

Preserve
FWSP sponsors the annual Work*Play*Earth Day projects around the state in April each year — volunteers and Friends members complete projects and clean up at state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.

Protect
FWSP advocates on state park system issues in an effort to protect Wisconsin’s beautiful state park, forest, trail, and recreation area properties. FWSP also hosts Friends Summit meetings around the state so that local Friends chapters are informed and supported in their local area.

Promote
FWSP funds projects and issues grants to local Friends chapters for educational programs and interpretive projects around the state at parks, forests, trails and recreation areas for visitors to enjoy. FWSP hosts an annual Photo contest to promote recreation at state park system properties.

Enhance
FWSP funds Tree and Flower projects at park offices and high visibility areas for the enjoyment of park visitors around the state. Friends chapters also use grant funding for projects that enhance parks, forests, and trails.

About FWSP

by Admin on June 20, 2022

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks mission is: Preserving, Promoting, Protecting, and Enhancing Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, a...

Since its inception in 1996, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks has worked with state park, forest, trail, and recreation area Friends Groups to improve state lands experience for the millions of people who visit each year and to ensure that millions more will be able to enjoy Wisconsin’s natural beauty in the future.

Click the map to enlarge. (Courtesy of WI DNR)

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of conservation, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks was created to preserve, protect, promote and enhance Wisconsin’s state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is a non-profit umbrella organization supporting over 80+ friends groups around the state. FWSP provides technical support, sponsors events such as Work*Play*Earth Day, an annual Volunteer Jamboree, a photography contest, and Gold Seal and HERO awards. It also provides grant opportunities for state parks.

Are you a member of a Friend's Group? The FWSP newsletter - Friend to Friend - is all about our friends. Click here to sign up for the newsletter for Friends.

Every year friends groups provide thousands of volunteer hours to help support the mission and activities of more than 70 Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas. Friends members: serve as campground hosts, visitor center hosts, naturalists, and nature center hosts, adopt a trail volunteer, and assist with other special projects at the property;
raise money to purchase playground equipment, interpretive displays, signs, shelters, kiosks, educational materials, and more;
organize annual park cleanups and regular trail work days;
plan and help with special events including Candlelight nights, Community campfires, festivals/concerts, educational programs, and other special events;
provide and assist with concessions; and assist with the construction of trails, shelters and accessible cabins, birdhouses, and more.