Experience the Wild Side of Urban Milwaukee
Milwaukee County Parks cover 15,000 acres, and much of it is teeming with wildlife and native plants. Natural areas include prairie grasslands, woodlands, ephemeral wetlands, and, of course, beaches along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Birding Hotspots
In 2019, the Milwaukee County park system was designated as an Important Bird Area, one of only 2,700 sites in the United States. Milwaukee County is home to over 100 bird species and another 150 species migrate through the County. The Oak Leaf Birding Trail map provides a guide to hotspots. For those new to birding, Wehr Nature Center is the perfect place to pick up identification guides in the nature center and go on a bird walk.
Wildlife Watching
Parks are home to a wide range of wildlife, from white-tailed deer to prairie crayfish (pictured).
Beaches, Lagoons & Waterways
Watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan or keep an eye out for visiting ducks and waders at nine beaches in Milwaukee County Parks. Popular spots include Tietjen Beach in Fox Point, the secluded beach at the end of the Seven Bridges Trail, and Bradford Beach in downtown Milwaukee. Explore the Milwaukee River Greenway for great opportunities to watch wildlife.
Wehr Nature Center
Get up close and personal with native species by visiting the resident wildlife at Wehr Nature Center in Whitnall Park.
Forked Aster Nature Trails
About 30 trails offer the ideal way to explore the parks' natural areas, including maple woods, prairie grasslands and ephemeral wetlands. Use the soft trails to access the County's state-designated natural areas — Cudahy Nature Preserve and Warnimont Fens. Use the iNaturalist app to see and record recent wildlife sightings in the parks.
Protecting Our Natural Resources
Natural areas provide the last sanctuaries for plants, wildlife, fungi, etc. in a heavily urbanized county. Wisconsin native species populations have been reduced by over 90% in the last 150-years as the county has been urbanized. It is best conservation practice to preserve and protect what little is left.
Park and Parkway Ordinance Summary: Milwaukee County Ordinance 47 addresses destruction of property, protection of nature, removal or deposits of material, and penalties for violations.
Land Acknowledgement Statement: We respectfully acknowledge that the lands and waters encompassed by the Milwaukee County Park System are on the ancestral homeland of Indigenous People. We honor the ancestral owners and strive to be respectful stewards.
What to Do If You Find an Injured Animal
Do not attempt to capture any wild animal!
If you find an animal in distress, note its location and contact Wildlife Rehabilitation of the Wisconsin Humane Society at (414) 431-6204. For more information visit wihumane.org/wildlife.
If you find an injured animal on the trails of Wehr Nature Center, note the animal's location, take a photo, and report your discovery to a naturalist or the information desk in the Visitor Center.