Anyone that lives in Wisconsin couldn’t ignore the simple beauty of today.  The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and it was one of those days that invites you in.  My friend Kate and I were both in need of some time in the woods.  We both grew up in northern Wisconsin and we have this undying love for the beauty of nature.  We got up this morning and went about our daily routine.  We went to the store, exercised at the YMCA and stopped to pick up a few things.  We got back home around two and both realized that we weren’t ready to walk back indoors.  She suggested going to the park and it didn’t take much convincing for me to join her.  As soon as we entered the park we were captivated with our surroundings.  The summer is always nice, but the crispness of the air in a place so surreal is something that I can’t even put into words.  We walked around on the trails, took pictures and just enjoyed everything this day had to offer us.  The ice along the edge of the lake was something that I wanted to capture.  Let’s just say that this place healed us today.

Here’s a little history about one of the most popular things to see while at High Cliff State Park.

This once was the site of a thriving lime producing business known as the Western Lime and Cement Company.
This business’s production lasted approximately 100 years (From 1856 to 1956).  All that remain are the skeletons of three kilns.
The production was based upon quarried limestone (Niagara Dolostone) that was maneuvered down treacherous uneven trails by horse-drawn carts.  A pulley system later replaced the horses and made for more efficient transportation.  The limestone rock was then dropped into the tops of the kilns and after “baking”, was drawn out as a powder from the arched doors at the bottom.  The kilns were heated to a temperature of around 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit to turn out a white powdery substance known as “quick lime”.  Heaps of the waste lime are still present on the hill behind the old kilns.  Wood fueled the kilns until the supply of trees on the ledge was depleted, then coal was used.  “Quick lime” was barrelled and bagged in the Cooper’s Shop (a brick structure at the park’s entrance).  Product was then loaded on barges and rail cars for shipment across Wisconsin.  Good quality lime was used in plaster, cement, and for agricultural purposes. 

*I strongly suggest taking time out of your visit to High Cliff State Park to see this amazing part of history*

map of burial mounds

These historic mounds are located on Indian Mound Trail.
They are all that remain of the 27 mounds that once existed.  The mounds were destroyed by the quarry operation and other developments before the park’s creation in 1957.
Archaeologists speculate that people from the late Woodland Period (1,000 to 1,500 years ago) built the mounds over many years, maybe even hundreds of years.  Each individual mound likely had its own spiritual meaning.  For example, the panther is the most common and largest shape in the grouping of mounds and it is thought to have represented a water spirit.
Most of the mounds contain burial remains.  The mound builders buried their dead in the spring and summer when the ground was soft.  They buried the remains of those who died at the time of the mound construction as well as the bones of those who died over the winter. 
Modern descendants of the mound builders regard this area as a sacred ancestral burial-place and spiritual center.  The mounds are protected by state law. 
(source: High Cliff State park signs)

As I walked through these burial mounds, I felt submersed in the history behind these mounds and what they meant to this group of people.  I feel like it’s important to take the time and appreciate the great spiritual meaning that these animal shape mounds had at the time of their construction. 

This bench is located on the Lime Kiln Trail.  I wrote this poem while I was sitting,
enjoying the view.  It’s a great place to visit if you ever just need to be refreshed.

delicate steps on a path
flooded with leaves
lead me here…
and I think out loud
while I fall slowly to the bench
and look at the sky
to calm each fear
today I exist
in this perfect place
every single imperfection
making this day more beautiful
and I listen to the symphony
of this forest
reach out to me
and find me here
deep in the woods
I am able
to be completely content
because I know
it’s not so bad
in this moment
I am satisfied for a lifetime
and I’m amazed
by the ways
in this forest, this place
the chaos fades

It is the first day of autumn.
The leaves have started changing colors.
Red and gold painted leaves
are starting to fall from the trees.

What a great weekend to get to the park and take in the briskness of the changing season.

*I took this photo close to the lookout tower at the top of the hill*

trail entrance

I have hiked on all the trails at High Cliff State Park and none of them are as enjoyable for me as this.  It truly is nature at its best. 

The lime kiln trail is 2.3 miles.  It is open for hiking, dog walking and snowshoeing.

This trail begins at the lime kiln ruins.  You can park in the paved parking lot in front of the ruins (when entering the park take your first left and then turn right into the lot).  Or, you can add length to your hike and drive to the parking lot at the top of the hill where the lookout tower is located (when entering the park take your first left and follow the road uphill, then take a left and follow the road to the end parking lot).  If you chose to park at the top of the hill, there is a connecting hill that you can hike down to get to the lime kiln entrance. 

The lime kiln trail has two different routes (both leading to the top of the hill).  There is lower route that travels along the lake side.  It’s especially beautiful in the morning or early evening.  There are two benches on this route if you need to rest or just want to fill your eyes with the beauty of nature.  The other route is a little higher up on the hillside.  It begins left after the two brick walls.  This route offers bridges, steps and a more uneven terrain.  You can’t see the water as clear but it offers a deeper woods experience.  Either route provides details and truly can help clear your mind. 

Whenever I have a bad day at work or I feel stressed enough to break, this is the first place I go.  I’ve hiked it in the rain, in the snow, in the wind and on the hottest summer days.  I’ve faced spider webs, lake flies and mosquitoes.  But, each time I am reminded of how therapeutic it is to slow my day and take the time to breathe.

 Whatever the reason you decide to hike this trails, I hope that you enjoy the sights and sounds. 

The park mapwill provide further directional instruction (courtesy of the DNR)