We've all seen it on a
map and you can't miss it.
Lake Winnebago is
the largest inland lake
in all of Wisconsin.
And today, we're exploring
the three counties
that surround that lake.
So start your engines
and your campfires,
as we welcome you
to these endless shores
on Discovered Wisconsin.
Hello and welcome to
Discover Wisconsin.
♩♩♩♩
Our first stop on our three
county tour is Oshkosh, home
to EAA
Air Ventures Annual Air
Show and Fly In.
Oshkosh is no stranger
to a good time,
and it's the perfect place
to start getting
acquainted with the area.
The Lake Winnebago ecosystem
consists of Lake
Winnebago, of course,
and the Upper River
Lakes of Lake
Butte Des Morts,
Lake Winneconne
and Lake Poygan.
And those endless shores
provide
so many opportunities
for family
friendly adventures.
And right
here in Oshkosh lies
the perfect example,
the Menominee Park & Zoo.
This place is such
a destination.
A lot of times
you just go to a park
or you just go to a zoo
and you don't fill
an entire day.
This place can fill
an entire day.
This zoo is really special.
It's right in the middle
of Menominee Park,
which is right
by Lake Winnebago.
One thing that I think
makes it really special
is that it is a free zoo.
Anybody
and everybody can come
and enjoy this place.
Free ninety nine,
does it
get any better than that?
So one of the things
that stands out to me
is the beautiful backdrop
of Lake Winnebago.
And not only do you
have the activity
of coming to the zoo,
you have all sorts
of other activities.
In this park specifically,
we have an awesome
playground right
across from the zoo
where you can see
the view of the lake.
We also have a beach.
So that area, it's
nice sand.
You can bring the family,
they can swim in the lake.
The atmosphere is
really cool because you feel
like you're
walking into a park
and there just happens
to be
really awesome animals. Yes.
Can you show
me some of the animals.
Yes, absolutely.
So who do we have here?
This is Kiana.
She is our
Blue-and-Gold Macaw.
She's pretty famous
here at the zoo.
She a little ham.
She's a little
bit of a showoff.
She tells everybody
goodbye as they walk past
and she'll yell it out.
She goes goodbye.
Is there a way
we can get her to
say goodbye?
Probably not when
she's on my arm.
Yes, she definitely
has a mind of her own.
We're lucky to have her.
OK, so this is a skunk
that I can pet.
You sure can.
Normally,
I would be freaked out.
But look at that
little face.
Plot twist.
Turns out skunks
are super friendly
and adorable.
I love that little thing.
Seriously, the little nose
and the little tongue.
Stop it.
Menominee Park and Zoo
is a fantastic place
to bring your family
for a fun day
full of activities.
Of course, the park isn't
the only place in town
to take advantage
of the ample
water accessibility.
Oshkosh is the perfect place
to enjoy a stroll
down the river walk.
Not to mention a great place
to dock your boat for a bite
to eat
and a little entertainment
with some fantastic
waterfront dining
opportunities.
But if your idea
of relaxation requires
a little more
peace and quiet, then
a stop at Terrell's
Island could be just
what you're after.
Just west of Oshkosh
and between
the town of Winneconne
and the city of Omro,
Terrell's Island is a
sprawling wetland
conservation project
that offers a hiking trail
unlike anything I've
ever experienced before.
Terrell's Island
is an island created
for recreation and wildlife
preservation
of the wetlands.
So not only is this place
a wetland conservatory, it's
also an incredible place
to spend time out in nature.
Just clear your mind.
Spend time with either
friends and family,
your furry friends,
or even just be by yourself
and have some peace
and quiet.
As an avid biker,
I loved
taking my bike out here,
and it was really a
special atmosphere
because you're
biking through trees
and then all of a sudden
the trees just disappear
and you're completely
surrounded by water.
It's so cool.
I think it's different
than other trails
because you have
water on both sides.
It's not paved.
So you have a little
bit of nature yourself
walking over things
and seeing different things.
You really never
know what wildlife
you might see next.
There are a ton of
pelicans, so many birds.
The calm water makes it easy
to see the fish in general.
There's a ton of wildlife
and it's really
hard to describe.
But this place is so
calm and beautiful.
And really, you're
just going to have to
come out and see
it for yourself.
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After the break,
we head just down the road
to Fond du Lac County
for more from Wisconsin's
endless Shores.
One of the best things about
the very short trip
from Oshkosh to Fond du
Lac is the relaxing drive
along Lake Winnebago,
and knowing where I'm headed
makes it that much better.
I know
I mentioned that
it was short, but it's worth
pointing out again
that the trip from downtown
Oshkosh to the heart of Fond
du Lac
is an extremely quick
20 mile drive
right down the shore.
My first stop in
Fond du Lac
County was the Thelma
Sadoff Center for the Arts.
This fully modern
gathering
place is considered
the cornerstone of the arts
and entertainment district
in downtown Fond
du Lac, not to mention
one of Wisconsin's
Premiere art galleries.
I don't think you
would come to Fond du Lac
and expect to see something
so amazing as Thelma.
And that's why
it is such a gem
and so important
to our community.
And tell me about
the exhibits that
Thelma has to offer.
Thelma brings in artists
from all over the world.
We've had artists
from Paris, Italy,
all over the country,
of course, California
and New York.
We bring in sculpture.
We bring in two
dimensional art.
We bring in various
kinds of medium.
So Thelma is a
multipurpose center.
In addition to art exhibits,
what else do you
guys have to offer?
Oh, we offer concerts
from intimate gatherings
in our Great Hall
with two hundred
fifty to full street
concerts
with up to 5000 people.
We have a film series,
a literary series,
including a book club,
just a wide
variety of art choices
for the Fond
du Lac community.
And I noticed in your logo
you have a very interesting
a it's almost as
though it's unfinished.
That is very astute.
It's important that we have
that unfinished A..
It means there's
always going to be more
to do, more to see
and more reasons
to come back to Thelma.
We're never
going to be done.
As much as Thelma represents
the heart of Fond
du Lac's Art
and Entertainment
District, Lakeside Park
does the same for Parks
and Recreation.
From a modern,
accessible playground
and classic carnival rides
to a lighthouse just perfect
for a quick Instagram post.
Lakeside Park is a
great place
to get back to nature
without leaving the city.
The reason
why people in Fond du Lac
and the Lake Winnebago
region love Lakeside
Park is it's a great place
to just hang out
with the family, picnic.
It's just a super charming
destination for locals
and for visitors alike.
The carousel, the train,
the playground,
there's a lot of options.
I didn't know
I was kayaking today,
but it's perfect
because I get to
skip arme day.
If you are
feeling brave, you
can absolutely go
out on Lake Winnebago.
But I was playing it
a little safer,
stayed on the channel, which
still had a lot of water,
way to explore
a lot of beautiful scenery.
And it was calm.
I was in nature,
but yet in a city
which was really great.
But if you only want
to be in nature,
our next stop might
be perfect for you.
The Horicon Marsh
is this amazing part
in nature.
Almost thirty
three thousand acres.
It is a wetlands of
international importance
and a beautiful treasure
here
in the state of Wisconsin.
A lot of Wisconsinites
and Midwesterners don't know
this is in our backyard.
So what would they
be surprised to learn
about this place?
Probably the size of it.
It is the largest freshwater
cattail marsh in
the United States.
We have over 300
different species of birds
that do come here
during the year at
different times.
And it's just
a wonderful place
to go out and experience
nature and wildlife.
And of course,
one of the stops
they can make is here
at the Nature Center.
What is there to do and see
at the Nature Center?
Marsh Haven Nature
Center is a nonprofit
nature center.
So we're not
part of the state
or the federal government.
And inside our building,
we do have museum
displays on the history
and wildlife of the
Horicon Marsh Area.
We have a kids' room
for kids and families
to learn together.
And then we're kind of known
for our animal ambassadors.
So we do have a variety of
animals inside
and that we also use for
educational programing, too.
So you're saying families
can start
at the nature center, learn
about what
they're about to go see,
and then go see it?
Definitely make it
a whole day.
There's so much to see here
at the Horicon Marsh.
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Coming up, Josh feels the
need for speed
and Calumet County.
Discover, Wisconsin
will be right back.
Welcome back to the endless
shores of Wisconsin.
Here on discover Wisconsin.
The third county
that surrounds Lake
Winnebago is Calumet County.
Small towns may dot the east
side of Lake Winnebago,
but if you think that means
everything slows
down over here,
you've never been to
Gravity Park, USA.
Three words
I'd use to describe
this place - fun, noisy,
fast and adrenaline,
that's four words.
That's four words.
We got cars
zipping around the track.
They're just sliding.
I don't know how they don't
always bang into each other,
but somehow
they usually don't.
If it's thrills, you're
looking for Gravity Park,
USA in Chilton
definitely delivers.
From motocross and quads
to the always popular stock
cars, these races
attract a
crowd every weekend.
What attracts spectators
who come here to
watch the races?
It's good racing here.
It's short track.
Yeah. I mean, tight corners.
They make for some good
passing and good racing.
OK, so I don't know hardly
anything about racing.
What is it about this
track in particular
that's special
for Gravity Park
compared to other tracks?
The track layout is
what's really nice.
You go down the straightaway
and the adrenaline and the
and the wind
blowing in your face.
It's fun.
When people come here,
they seem like it.
There's no question
fans like it.
Which explains why
they keep coming back race
after race and year
after year.
Most important part
that I love about
it is seeing the kids
and the fun that the
families are having.
We've had kids
that were here,
I should say, that were 4
and now 20 years later,
they have kids
and bringing their kids.
That's pretty cool to see.
And there's a lot
going on over here.
There is never a dull moment
if you just look for it.
My next stop in Chilton
was just as exciting
as a night at the track, but
a little quieter.
The cave tours Ledge
View Nature Center offer
a unique experience
not to be missed.
Ledge view is a hundred and
five acre park and
interpretive center.
We have about three miles
of hiking trails here.
We have a 60 foot
observation tower
and the caves,
which we're in right now.
So I had no idea
these caves were here
and they're amazing.
But what makes these caves
in particular so special?
Well, here at Ledge View
we have wild caves.
So there are other caves
that you can visit
that have walkways
and electric light.
We have none of that.
You've got to bring
your own flashlight.
Get ready to get dirty.
Let's do this.
I've been on tours before,
all kinds of
different tours.
But this is very different
because you're down
there in the caves
with a flashlight
in your hand.
It's not lit along the way.
So if you turn off
your flashlight,
it's going to be
pitch black.
It can be a little scary.
But that's the excitement
is that you're in a wild
cave kind of squeezing
your way through.
There's places
where you're crawling
and you might
have a few inches
over your head as you're
crawling on your stomach.
But then there's also these
other parts of the cave
that are huge and you're
standing and walking around
and looking up 20, 30 feet
above your head in
this massive cave.
I can't wait
to bring my kids here
because they're going
to just get lost.
And that's good for them,
right?
After Ledge View,
the crew and I made our way
to Calumet County Park,
which offers a great
camping experience
and a great view.
What sets this campground
apart from other campgrounds
is that we are so close
to Lake Winnebago.
I know some of the
sites are right there.
You can almost fish
from your campsite
or it's a short walk
down to the water's edge.
So it's really nice
that way for people.
And it was
really nice for us
because just like
Robin said, our campsite
was right on the water.
And despite
a little drizzle,
it was still an unbelievable
setting
for a relaxing campfire,
probably.
I bet when you saw
the woodchopping, he thought
that guy knows how
to build a fire.
I get so many comments
about how terrible
I am at lighting a fire.
I almost passed out.
They didn't
really catch that
because I
tried to keep it pro,
but I almost passed out
trying to like blow some air
into those burning embers.
But it seemed to work.
We pulled it off.
My family loves to camp
and we've camped
quite a few places
around Wisconsin.
But I can tell you
this, I'm certain
we have
never camped anywhere
that had a view like this
over Lake Winnebago.
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Up next,
our tour of
the endless shores
of Wisconsin continues
and the state's biggest
lake takes center stage.
Stay tuned.
We're back
exploring the Lake
Winnebago ecosystem
here on Discover Wisconsin.
One thing that connects
all three of these counties
is the beauty of the land
that surrounds
Lake Winnebago.
And our next stop
is arguably
one of the most beautiful
in all of Wisconsin.
We are at High Cliff State
Park on the shores
of Lake Winnebago.
We're known for our
cliff formations.
People love to hike here.
The ability to see
cliffs close up
that are four hundred
and thirty
million years old.
Not only is this a
great place to hike,
but these cliffs
are part of a rock formation
called the
Niagara Escarpment,
and they've played
a major role in shaping
the entire region.
There would be no
Lake Winnebago.
There would be no Fond
du Lac, no Oshkosh,
no Neenah, Menasha
or Appleton, or Green Bay
if it wasn't for
the Niagara Escarpment.
The water would flow
directly east
towards Lake Michigan.
But because
of this rock cliff,
it has to
float to the north.
These cliffs are
the whole reason
that the lake even exists,
that this whole region
exists, really.
And when you're up there
in the tower looking out,
take it in the view,
it's really quite a sight
to see.
So after enjoying the truly
breathtaking view,
it was time to take a look
at the Niagara Escarpment
up close and personal.
This is about the
bottom of the hard
dolomite Cliff at
the top of the escarpment,
and it's sitting
on soft shales here
and it compresses
these shales.
That's what results in these
big tilting blocks
that eventually
fall down the slope.
This is an enormous block,
it's at least 100
feet long and 30 or
so feet wide
and 30 feet high.
There's one
big piece of dolomite
that's going to eventually
fall down on the cliff.
Well, I think we're safe
because that tree's
holding it up.
Yeah, it probably
doesn't move
a lot currently.
What's amazing to me is that
this place exists
just right
here in Wisconsin.
This is my first time
ever being here.
It's just amazing.
But really learning
about how the cliff
formations came to be
has really added
to the whole experience.
And this whole place
has just been
totally awe inspiring.
As much as High Cliff
State Park sets
the Lake Winnebago area
apart from anywhere else
in Wisconsin, Sturgeon
spearing sets the Lake
Winnebago area apart
from anywhere else, period.
The Winnebago system
Sturgeon spearing
is the largest
recreational harvest's
of Lake
Sturgeon in the world.
So you get people
coming from all over
to check out
not only the fishery,
but there's the spectating
of fish coming in
to the registration
stations.
There's going to
there's numerous
festivals located
around the area that
you can go partake in.
And each of these festivals
events are supporting
not only sturgeon spearing,
but sturgeon as a species.
So no matter
if you're
a fisherman traveling
or from the area or
if you're someone that just
wants to come
check out the fish,
there's something to do.
Sturgeon spearing
on Lake Winnebago has become
a massive annual event.
But it comes
from a tradition
that dates back centuries.
The idea of harvesting
lake sturgeon through
the ice was kind of taught
to early European settlers
from the Native
American tribes.
The European settlers
continue to harvest fish
throughout most of
the 1800s,
not only speaering,
but hook and line, various
different methods.
Not only is it a major draw
to the area
in the winter months,
but it also brings
local residents together
as a shared,
unique experience.
The three counties here
surrounding Lake Winnebago,
they really share
this social unity
around Sturgeon Spearing.
Come February,
the local residents
in these counties,
they get excited.
So whether you're from point
A to point B around the lake
or if you're not
even from around the lake,
you can walk in and
meet any spearer
and share in these stories
and traditions regardless
of where you're from.
And it's the culture
around the area that I think
really holds that together.
As we
discovered, the communities
that surround Wisconsin's
biggest lake are big on fun,
art, nature and adventure.
The shores of Lake
Winnebago are a getaway
definitely worth exploring.
So come experience
the endless shores
of Wisconsin.
♩♩♩♩