Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The vista from this sheer escarpment, known as
High Cliff State Park,
northeast of Lake
Winnebago is truly sublime. The cliff is actually the western edge of the Niagara Escarp-
ment, a jutting, blufflike dolomite rise stretching almost 1,000 miles to the east, through
Door County and beyond to Niagara Falls. From the top, almost 250 feet above the wa-
ters, you can see all of the Fox River Valley—Appleton, Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha, and
Kaukauna. Perhaps we should do as Chief Redbird of the Ojibwa did; he loved to sit on the
cliff and “listen” to the lake—his statue still does today.
High Cliff was founded on an old limestone quarrying and kiln operation. Extant ma-
teriel and former Western Lime and Cement Company structures still stand. Effigy mounds
(28-285feet long) foundalong trails originated from an unknown prehistoric Native Amer-
ican tribe.
Recreation
Southeast of Appleton approximately 12 miles,
High Cliff State Park
(920/989-1106, day
use6am-11pmdaily)maintainsbothaswimmingbeachandan85-slipmarina.Hikershave
seven miles of somewhat steep trails to choose from, and cross-country skiers have access
to four of those come winter. The
Lime-Kiln Trail
is just over two miles and runs from the
lime kiln ruins to the lake and then up the east side of the escarpment. The longest is the
Red Bird Trail,
mostly gentle and passing by the family campground.
Camping
The park's 1,200 acres have 112 fairly isolated campsites, most occupied early in the high
season. Reservations (888/947-2757,
wisconsinstateparks.reserveamerica.com
,
reservation
fee $10, non-residents $17 and up/night, daily admission $10) are a good idea.
Former President Jimmy Carter once said in a speech at the University of Wisconsin-
Oshkosh campus, “I have never seen a more beautiful, clean, and attractive place.” He was
referring to this Fox River Valley city of 55,000—the one with the weird name. Situated
on the western bight of Lake Winnebago and bisected by the Fox River, the city is often
associated, by both Wisconsinites and outsiders, with bizarre airplanes. The annual Exper-
imental Aircraft Association's Fly-In is the largest of its kind, a not-to-be-missed highlight
of itinerant edge-dwelling avionics.
