Autumn is a great time to visit Mirror Lake State Park!
Mirror Lake Park is open all four seasons of the year, so if you are visiting the area in autumn, read on to find what the park has to offer in this transitional and briefly stunning time of year.
What most people think of in autumn are the colors of the leaves. Leaf peeping is a popular activity, and since Mirror Lake SP has public roads running through its acreage, you can drive along those to see what you can see. You can also do that by foot or mountain bike on the many trails that have been developed in the park. As the weather cools down, the swimming beach becomes quiet, but the smooth water of the lake still beckons those who would venture out on to it in canoes and kayaks to explore the water and the shoreline curves and creek entries. Some fish might even be biting if you time your visit right.
But this is the time of year that fishing steps to the side for the hunters to test their skills. There are some areas of the park where hunting is allowed as early as mid-Septemeber, but most of the areas that are not highly developed can be hunted from November 15 to early January, during the scheduled times for the various hunting seasons. Check out the park website at the related link above for dates and locations on the maps/publications tab.
Fall is a good time to view wildlife. Migratory birds come through, and others may be heading south from their summer homes at the park. Watch for flocks of Canadian geese and sandhill cranes. Birders can hike the various habitats in the park to see what they can spot. The animals will be doing whatever it is each species does to prepare for the winter. With oak woods covering quite a bit of the park, acorns are in abundant supply for squirrels and other creatures to lay away stores for the winter.
And don't forget... Autumn is a great time to go geocaching. Just dress for the changing weather, and remember to wear your blaze orange if you will be in any areas during any hunting seasons.
Autumn is a great time to visit Mirror Lake State Park!
This cache is in an area of the park where hunting is allowed. Maps and dates for hunting in Mirror Lake SP can be found here: map If you choose to look for this cache during those times, wear appropriate blaze orange and be aware of your surroundings.
This cache is also along a cross-country ski trail. If there is snow on the ground and the trails are groomed, you MUST stay off the trail corridor entirely. Hike or snowshoe parallel to the trail in the trees or on the open land.... or find it while you are skiing!
The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to park manager Rebecca Green of the Wisconsin DNR and MIrror Lake State Park. Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all required information, then submit it to the land manager. The DNR Notification form and land manager information can be obtained by looking at this page on the WGA website.