15 Things To Do In Sauk County Before Summer Ends

We don’t vacation to get away from where we live, but to experience a new part of the planet we live on; here in Wisconsin, across the country, or across the pond. And those memories will last a lifetime. (As you get older, you know this is so!)

With that connection in mind, here are our top things to do before summer ends. Yes, there’s more we could add, but let’s save those for fall.

1. Take a night ride on the Merrimac Ferry

There’s nothing quite like standing on the Merrimac Ferry on a warm summer night with a cooling breeze in your face, the hum of the ferry engine, and the last light of day slipping over the Baraboo Hills.

2. Visit The Painted Forest

Ernest Hüpeden was a German immigrant who arrived in Wisconsin in the late 1800s with a gift for painting and a strong dislike for war. After a tough start in life, including years of wrongful imprisonment, he made his way to Sauk County, trading paintings for meals and shelter. In 1897, he began his most remarkable work in the tiny town of Valton. Not only do you get a beautiful overview of the Sauk County landscape on the drive, but seeing the works of Hüpeden, however you view them, is a truly unique experience.

3. Sit on Baraboo’s Downtown Square

If you really want to capture the vibe of Baraboo, just find a bench on the historic courthouse square and sit. Take a coffee, or mineral water, or whatever. Take a snack. But just find a bench and sit. Observe. The light, the mood, and the buzz (or total lack thereof) all change depending on the time of day or the season. So maybe do it a few times, but to get the real feel of Baraboo, you gotta sit at the heart.

4. Find an elephant, but not just any elephant

While you’re on the square in Downtown Baraboo, see if you can find the Circus Memorial Wall, located on the courthouse square side of the 100 block on 4th Ave. There, you’ll find elephants—and a bit of history as well.

5. Bike or hike the 400 State Trail

Take the trail from LaValle to Wonewoc and back. Or, for something much shorter, just walk the 400 from the LaValle trail parking lot to North Dutch Hollow Road and back. You’ll take in one of the nicest parts of the trail in less than an hour on a flat, easy stroll.

6. Collect a souvenir

Many of us like to bring home a little something from the places we visit. T-shirts, jewelry, stickers, maybe a snow globe. But if you want to connect a little deeper, go arts and nature. Take a leaf. (It’s OK, we have lots.) In fact, take a leaf from each park or place you visit, then go old-school and build a scrapbook of your nature travels. Want to go classy? Purchase a piece of local art. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should connect you to your experience. Art is a powerful connector. I’ll drop some ideas at the end. (Also realizing we need a simple directory of local artists… Something to work on!)

7. Cross the 90th Meridian in Reedsburg

The 90th meridian marker is a pink quartzite monument that sits in the middle of East Main Street (Highway 33), which you’ll pass just by driving into downtown. Keep an eye out. It’s a little educational, a little geographical, and just nerdy fun.

8. Watch a sunset from an iconic Sauk County location

We’d recommend the top of Devil’s Lake’s East Bluff. If you need to keep your feet on the ground, head to the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area on its northern side. You can either bike in on the Great Sauk State Trail and watch from the trail or drive in. (Bonus, the driving option will take years off your shocks as well.)

9. Visit Man Mound

This historic, cultural, and archaeological site is rare and important. For some people, just placing your feet there and thinking about time stretching back to when it was first created—that’s enough. Either way, it’s worth seeing.

10. Find the best Bloody Mary in the county

Summer’s almost over, but there’s still time to do the research! Any recommendations?

11. Go see the Forevertron

Once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen something you won’t forget.

12. Walk the Spring Green Preserve

This dry, sandy prairie is home to a rare ecosystem. Look for prickly pear cactus, and if you’re lucky, you could see a few native lizards. There are only four species in Wisconsin. Even if you don’t spot one, the plants and solitude are worth the trip.

13. Drink from an artesian well

An artesian well is a natural spring where water flows to the surface on its own, thanks to underground pressure. No pump needed, just cold, clean groundwater. We have two you can visit at no cost: one in Rock Springs across from Ableman’s Gorge State Natural Area, and one along the 400 State Trail in Wonewoc.

14. Take a Dells boat tour

If you really want to soak in what first drew people to the Dells, there’s only one way to do it: get on the water. We’d recommend an evening tour, but however you do it, this is the best way to see the Dells as it once was.

15. Watch pelicans at the dam in Sauk

People are still surprised when we mention pelicans. (I can remember when they weren’t here at all.) The dam in Sauk Prairie is the best place to see them, along with bald eagles and other water birds.

Final thoughts

If you’ve noticed, this list is all about touch points, emotional moments, nature, art, and connection. Each of these recommendations offers an experience that you won’t pick up in our area any other way. And in the end, I believe these are the kinds of moments that will help stick in your memories of Sauk County.

Yeah, we didn’t give you a map for everything. Researching and finding these places is definitely part of the experience!

In a few weeks, we’ll come back with our fall experiences. Stay tuned.

Links to get you started…

• The Painted Forest
• 400 State Trail
• Spring Green Preserve
• Forevertron
• Great Sauk State Trail
• Man Mound National Historic Landmark
• Downtown Baraboo

Discover Local Artists

• Blue Bear Studio
• Anne Horus Fine Art
• Helen’s Daughter’s Studio
• Little Eagle Arts Foundation
• Blank Canvas Arts
• Skillet Creek Photography