Lake Kegonsa is the first Wisconsin State Park that my brother, forest ranger Brian, worked at. So I'd heard many good things. I was not prepared for just how lovely it actually was. The modest trails of Kegonsa are six in number, and most are relatively gentle – just under a mile or so tops. One of the most enjoyable, especially under the light of a near-full "Deer Moon" is the Prairie trail. It is one huge oval circle, interweaving with a smaller loop leading to the group camping area. Walking it on Sunday night, AJ Page and I were prompted to flop out on the grass. We breathed in the fresh clear air, feasting on the sight of the unobscured sky of bright stars. Mars was the shiniest its been in 10 years, rimmed with the faintest red in the night sky, and back-lit by the moon.
By the by, if you haven't already figured it out for yourselves, one of the best times to go camping is on a Sunday night. Everyone is leaving for the weekend, and when you awake Monday morning you will be free to linger in relative, if not complete privacy. And the weekend BEFORE Memorial Day, when everybody and their dogs go camping? Priceless.
According to the DNR website, Kegonsa (think Keh-gon-za) gets its unusual name from the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Indians who named the lake for its plentiful fishing. The entire park was once covered in glacial ice, and the old river valley is one that geologists believe was the "Ancient Wisconsin River."
I would highly recommend the most historic trail for a day hike, preferably in dappled sunlight, with a mild breeze kissing the back of your neck. The White Oak nature trail is a little over a mile long, and features several Indian burial mounds that you can see deep in the woods. Heed the signs and don't go climbing on them though, folks. Once you are emersed on the trail, it is clear to see why the natives considered this a sacred spot. Fields and fields of pale purple wildflowers stretched as far as the eye could see, on every area surrounding the path. As AJ quipped, you couldn't make a more appropriate Prince tribute. There was also a Pine Preservation area to enjoy, set up with tree branch teepees that looked like comfy critter condos. Shortly after this section, we did catch a glimpse of two white-tailed deer as they bounded away deeper into the purple flowers at our approach.
The scent of those purple flowers, coupled with the pines and fresh foliage were indeed a heady brew. I daresay AJ and I floated back to our site off that path on a happy little cloud. Lake Kegonsa State Park is open for you all year-round. Regular park stickers and overnight fees apply. For more detailed information, click here.
