Governor Dodge State Park

About Governor Dodge State Park

Governor Dodge State Park is home to a variety of wildlife, from black-tailed deer to black bears, coyotes, owls, foxes and more. In the park, more than 150 bird species can be observed, as well as a wide range of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and other wildlife. A frequent park inhabitant is the big blue heron, one of the largest birds of prey in the world and a favorite of park visitors.

Red-tailed falcons, turkeys and vultures hover over the park's steep hills and valleys, and rats and elusive spotted woodpeckers can be heard in their natural habitat. Open fields and forest edges are a great place to spot wildlife in the early morning and late evening hours. When darkness falls on the parks, the nocturnal silence can be interrupted by several owls rushing back and forth, and occasionally by foxes.

Take your time during your visit to the park to observe and enjoy the diverse animal populations in action. The park's wildlife is on a daily basis and no fee is charged for this enlightening entertainment.

The park's picturesque hills and valleys provided shelter from the snow and cold for the first human inhabitants of the area, offering them refuge from a crowded city. As the glaciers retreated from their icy Canadian homes, people moved to the areas that are now Dodge State Park. Men and women set up winter camps in sandstone walls protected by rock overhangs.

As the weather warmed, they moved to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois to hunt bison and other game. Archaeological excavations in the park have shown that human settlements ranged from the earliest mobile homes to the current occupants of Dodge State Park. The lack of glaciers played a key role in determining white people's ability to reach the area. Large deposits of lead ore were found on the north and south sides of the National Park and in some of its valleys.

Miners from Europe came in the 1820s, and in the mid-19th century miners from all over Europe came with the help of the US Army and other government agencies.

As more and more miners arrived, a conflict broke out between the Ho-Chunks, who had originally worked in the mines, and the US army. One of the first finds was Jenkins Branch, located on the east side of Jenkins Creek, south of what is now Jenkinsville, North Carolina.

He was instrumental in establishing peace in the region and later named Dodge after the first governor of Wisconsin and a member of the US Senate.

The next wave of settlers came to farm the land, and hard-working family farmers and their children flocked to the park in the mid-to-late 19th century. Ridges and driftless areas once carried vast, sprawling prairies, but the treeless area covered little more than a few hundred hectares of grassland and was easy to cultivate due to the surrounding forest.

Over the years, the farms were sold to newly arrived immigrants and passed on from one generation to the next, from one generation to the next.

In 1948 Iowa County donated the Wisconsin estate to one of these farms, the Henry Larson Estate, and the first 160 acres formed the future Governor Dodge State Park. Ten years later, an earth dam was built at Mill Creek and a water basin was built at Cox Hollow Lake.

In 1966, a second earth dam was built to form Twin Valley Lake, and Governor Dodge now covers 5,270 acres. Over the years, the state bought neighboring farms to expand this sprawling giant, and the new park was on track to become one of the largest state parks in the United States, with more than 1,000 acres of land.

Over the years, new paths, waterfalls, picnic areas and other natural features have been built to make the park more pleasant.

The lead miners and their pickaxes have disappeared, but the farmers with their ploughs and their ploughs have not disappeared as they used to. The lead miner with the pickaxe is gone, his tools and equipment are no longer with him, so he has disappeared for many years.

The remains of these men and women are still found in the crumbled rock foundations of the old mines, but traces are hard to find as the country struggles to recover the wild and natural territory that it once was. Even if that changes, there remains a strong sense of pride in what is still in the park. Governor Dodge has enough space for a family of six, and more than 80% of the places have electricity.

There is no fee, but there is a $5 per night surcharge for electricity, which is $4 per night for the first night and $3 per day thereafter. There is an annual fee of $10 for one night, $15 for two nights and an additional $20 for three nights.

Reservations for campsites from May to October can be made by calling toll-free (888). A vehicle is required for vignettes, so campers must register in advance before taking their place.

There are eight campsites that can accommodate groups of 15 to 100 people per site and no fees are charged for this service. Each group has access to one of the eight campsites, as well as a picnic area, picnic table, water fountain and toilets.

Drinking water is provided at the intersection of the road and an additional portion costs $10 each, plus $20 per night. The group rate is $40 per night for 1 to 20 people, and for $1 per 20 people, the group rate is $30 per day or $50 for a group of 10 or more people.

Groups must register in advance to fill their seats and must register in person at the park office at least 24 hours before the event begins to fill their seats. A list of non-profit groups serving people with disabilities is available at www.

There are water pits and toilets in the parking lot, and on the west side of the park there are backpacker campsites, as well as a water pit on the east side. Camping, hiking, or camping in Governor Dodge State Park requires a minimum of two (2) days of hiking and a minimum of one (1) day of hiking.

The park has 11 regular campsites for horse campers, one (1) campsite for backpackers and two (2) backcountry campsites. The park is open to the public, but prior registration and DNR issuance are recommended.

There is no fee, but a $5 parking fee per vehicle and a $10 fee per person per day for campers in the hinterland.

From May 1st to November 15th, horse camps and trails are open, but vehicle stickers and hiking passes are required. Two small group places are available, according to the principle "first come, first served"; further information is available at the park office.

Bring your own articulated line if there is no connecting mast at your campsite; there is none in the park. For more information, please contact the Park Office at (855) 888-5555 for more details on parking and camping.

Limited food and camping supplies are available at the concession stands at Cox Hollow Beach, Twin Valley Campground and the Cox and Hollow campgrounds. Firewood is sold throughout the year, as are a variety of other natural and non-natural resources. Showers are available in the Twin Valley and Cox's Hollow buildings, but other needs can be met year-round.

Each campsite has a dump for unloading trailers and two washing machines in Dodgeville, as well as a car wash at the Twin Valley Campground.

Help to recycle the garbage you collected in the park: Recycling centers and dumpsters are located at each campsite, as well as in the parking lots of the Twin Valley Campground and Dodgeville Campground.

The beach is located near the lake, and there is a beach house on the beach, as well as a swimming pool, picnic area and picnic tables.

The beach is open from 6 am to 11 pm and there are lifeguards stationed in the area, as well as boat and canoe rentals. Boats and canoes can be rented for $5 per day or $10 per week for the summer months.

Cox Hollow and Twin Valley Lakes have launch pads, but electric motors are only allowed on these lakes. Boats and canoes can also be rented in spring and autumn for $5 per day or $10 per week in the summer months. Boat moorings are allowed in designated places, and electric motors are allowed only on part of the lake.

There are eight designated picnic areas, and picnic accommodations are available at the park's main picnic area as well as a number of other areas throughout the national park.

For information on reserving accommodation, please contact the parking office or your local parking attendant. Carry Carry program, which continues the tradition of Carry-Carry National Park in the United States.

In some areas, bins and recycling bins are available, but please bring a bag to carry waste and recyclables and do not bring bags.

This path is located on the east side of the park, near the intersection of State Park Drive and State Road 2. There are some steep ascents and descents on this trail, as well as other trails with steep gradients.

This route is primarily for beginners and advanced, with some steep climbs and descents and some steep descents and ascents.

This route allows riders to make a quick and easy transition from the main trail to the horse trail. The horse trails are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm unless otherwise stated. We also offer access to all the hiking trails in the National Park and the trail of the State Park Trail.

In the southeast corner of the park there is a snowmobile access road that connects to the State Park Trail and Lake Viewing Trail in the national park. This trail is suitable for riders,
snowmobilers and hikers and offers views of Lakeview Park, Lake Superior, the Great Smoky Mountains and the lake itself.

The 1.25 mile round trip starts at Cox Hollow Beach, a picnic spot, and ends at Lakeview Park. This path is wooded and offers views of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the Great Smoky Mountains and Lake Viewing Trail.

This path is considered to be advanced due to several steep gradients along the length. The Lost Canyon Hike / Ski Trail is a three-mile loop that starts at Cox Hollow Beach picnic area and ends at Lakeview Park. This route is intended for less experienced skiers who might want to start skiing from the first bridge on the opposite side. You have to take a first step with the second bridge before you start skiing.

It leads to the Lost Canyon Falls Trail, a 3-mile hiking / skiing trail with several steep climbs along the way. It is mostly wooded and is led by a trail at the end of the trail and a picnic area at Cox Hollow Beach.

This is a 6.8 mile loop that starts at Cox Hollow Beach picnic spot and winds its way to the Lost Canyon Falls Trail.

The trail follows the crest of Lost Canyon and leads to open meadows and wooded ridges, but is considered more difficult than the Mill Creek Trail due to its length and gradient. This path winds through meadows and wooded valleys and offers views of Twin Lakes State Park and Twin Lake Trail.

The route also offers cycling and hiking opportunities, along with the Military Ridge State Route, and most of the way is fairly flat, but there are still several steep climbs.

Hikers can stroll along the lakeside and enjoy the scenic views of Cox Hollow Lake, and nature markings suggest the area's wildlife, vegetation and ecology. On the hike you will encounter a variety of wildlife such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds of prey, insects and more.

Pets are not allowed on this route and the trail can only be reached via the Lost Property Trail on the south side of Cox Hollow Lake. There is a picturesque view of the waterfall, but you will have to take some steps to get access to the waterfalls.

At the southern end of Cox Hollow Lake, the White Oak Trail joins the Pine Cliff Nature Trail. Start on the wooded path at the top of the hill and continue for about 1.5 km along the path towards the south.

The nature trail takes hikers to a picnic spot at Enee Point and then back to the White Oak Trail. After a 1.5 km hike, hikers can return to Cox Hollow Beach via the Pine Cliff Nature Trail, the starting point for another 1.5 km of hikes.

The trail winds around the lake and offers picturesque views of the lakes and the valley below. During the hike you will find a picnic area at Enee Point and then along the Pine Cliff Nature Trail back to Cox Hollow Beach.

If you would like to learn more about the natural history of the State Park and its naturalistic programs, we invite you to participate. Naturalists lead guided hikes and present nature programmes every evening in the amphitheatre in the park. Examples of summer hikes include wildlife sounds, fossil hunting with children and a nature walk with a naturalist.

Parents and children can pick up their activities and books at the park office or view the weekly schedule at the naturalist's office. Governor Dodge offers a variety of educational activities for children and adults, as well as a wide range of adult activities.

The park entrance is located at the intersection of US Highway 18 and Highway 23 in Dodgeville, North Carolina. You can also take US Highway 18 South to Dodgetown and then drive north on Highway 23 to the parks. From there, take US Highway 18 north to the former Dodgeville and then south on the highway to Governor Dodge State Park.

You can also cycle or walk from one of the other parks in State Park to Governor Dodge State Park. From the parking lot at the entrance to the park, there are two bike paths, one on the north and another on the south side.