Spring 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 spring, read on to find what the park has to offer in this unpredictable but very welcome time of year.
In some years winter lingers into May, while in others, it's gone soon after the calendar gets turned to March. Visitors to Mirror Lake State Park in spring might experience winter, spring, or even summer on their visits! Some things go by dates the calendar rather than the weather, though. The campgrounds open one by one as park workers get them ready for a new season of visitors, but if there is still snow on the ground, not much can be done. If the weather is beautiful, however, the campgrounds still wait for seasonal help and a specific calendar date to arrive before they open. But reservations are being made, and campers are thinking about coming.
Two other activities that are run by the calendar are spring hunting and inland waters fishing. For the month of April, there are areas of the park open to hunting, and you can see maps and dates for those here. The inland waters fishing season opens the first weekend in May after having closed in early March. Panfish can be caught year round, but break-up of the ice on the lake will dictate when ice fishing season ends and boats can be put in the water. With the open water, birds and animals start returning to the area. Waterfowl are seen in the marshes and on the lake, and as the temperatures rise, the early frogs start vocalizing their intentions. Small animals increase their activity, and migratory birds start appearing. Humans aren't the only ones who have been waiting for this time of year!
The trails see the last of the skiers, and as the snow disappears, the hikers take off snowshoes and pick up the pace as they walk in the woods and the open fields. The mountain bikers will have to wait until May 1 to ride on the trails allotted to them, but if it has been a wet spring, the trails stay closed longer to prevent any damage to them. Woodland ephemeral flowers poke through to provide a bit of color before fading away as the canopy overhead fills with green leaves. It may be too early for swimming at the beach, but a nice warm spring day can be perfect for a picnic in the park!
And don't forget... Spring is a great time to go geocaching. Caches are now easier to find and get to, but come prepared for any type of weather. And don't forget about the ticks... They are a sure sign of spring!
Spring 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.