Parks + Recreation News & Events

Sandcastle Skills Winners!

Check out the winning Sandcastle Skills submissions (to the right or at the bottom of this page)! Both of these sandcastles are so fun and creative; thank you Michelle and Steve for participating, and congratulations on winning! Please contact us at (608) 355-4800 or parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov to claim your prize.

Great Sauk State Trail Update

Here's our latest Great Sauk State Trail update!

TAP Funding - North Freedom Segment

Sauk County successfully secured $320,000 in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding to launch a planning study for the Great Sauk State Trail's North Freedom Segment. Securing this competitive funding required a rigorous application highlighting the trail’s potential to enhance safety, spark economic growth, and unite communities.

The upcoming study, projected to begin in 2027, will evaluate detailed routing options through downtown North Freedom and along the alternate Shale’s Corners path. Building on deep-rooted community partnerships, the planning process will actively engage local residents, downtown businesses, and stakeholders to gather feedback on both the urban and rural stretches. Ultimately, this study will deliver a fully vetted, feasible project roadmap, positioning the North Freedom Segment for final engineering and construction. The map of these routing options is at the bottom of this page.

Gateway Park Construction

Construction has started on Gateway Park! Existing asphalt has been removed, electrical and water lines have been installed, and work continues on historic art panels.

ZTI & MSA Contracts

As of September 1, 2026, the ZTI contract remains at 90% completion. Construction administration by MSA is expensed as time & materials, which is estimated at approximately $75,000 over budget ($37,500 Sauk County responsibility).

Sandcastle Skills: Submissions Now Closed

The Sandcastle Skills event is now closed. Thank you to everyone who sent in their amazing sandcastles! Stay tuned for the winners to be announced on Friday, September 4!

Let's Talk Sauk!

Check out the Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Facebook page to learn about the “Let’s Talk Sauk” series! Each post will feature themes regarding the Sauk County Future’s Forged Comprehensive Plan, and a survey where you can leave your feedback!

Hemlock County Park Receives Generous Donation

We are incredibly grateful to share that John Paul Mueller, a resident of La Valle, has generously left $19,830.61 to Hemlock County Park to continue supporting the community after his passing.

John was a local author and was working on his 125th book at the time of his passing on April 4, 2024. He served his country in the Navy as a Sonar Technician and became an author after his discharge.

While no contribution can replace the loss of a loved one, Sauk County is deeply honored that John’s memory will live on through Hemlock County Park. This donation will help us enhance recreational opportunities and create lasting experiences such as the ones John encountered when he visited the park.

Monofilament Fishing Line Receptacle: Summer Oaks

Did you know that discarded monofilament fishing line takes up to 600 years to decompose in fresh water? Thankfully, it’s recyclable!

The Lake Wisconsin Alliance has kindly provided a receptacle to discard monofilament fishing line at the Summer Oaks Boat Landing! This will help keep swimmers, wildlife, and boat propellers safe from fishing line threats. Thank you to the Lake Wisconsin Alliance for providing this receptacle and for maintaining it!

For more information about recycling old fishing line, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website.

Event: Sandcastle Skills!

Have a day of play at the beach by participating in our Sandcastle Skills event!

Bring your buckets, shovels, and imagination to the beaches at White Mound County Park or Lake Redstone County Park to create an awesome sandcastle! Then, take pictures of your creation and send them to us for a chance to win a prize!

Enjoy the sun, have some fun, and get creative!

Official rules and details:

1. Eligibility: Open to all ages. One entry per person. 

2. Submission: Send pictures of your sandcastle to parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov, direct message on Facebook or Instagram, by mail to S7995 White Mound Drive, Hillpoint, WI 53937 or stop by our office during office hours. Typical office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM CST. 

3. Deadline: Photos must be submitted by August 31, 2026 at 1:00 PM CST. Winners will be announced on September 4, 2026.

4. Judging: Photos will be reviewed by Sauk County staff based on creativity.

5. Prize: There are two prizes total; one chosen at random and one chosen by Sauk County staff based on creativity. Winners will receive their choice of a children's prize, 2027 Sauk County annual sticker, White Mound County Park t-shirt or a Sauk County Parks + Recreation mug. Prizes must be claimed by December 31, 2026.

6. General conditions: Inappropriate or offensive content will not be accepted. Sauk County has the right to cancel or modify the event at any time. Entrants agree to the official rules and consent to Sauk County using their picture, name and likeness for publicity and promotion. This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, associated or administered by Facebook or Instagram.  No purchase necessary; however, there is an entrance fee required for motorized vehicles at White Mound County Park and Lake Redstone County Park. Void where prohibited.

7. Accessibility: Any person who has a qualifying disability that requires this event to be in an accessible location or format should contact Sauk County Parks and Recreation at 608-355-4800 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, exclusive of legal holidays, at least 48 hours in advance of participation in the event so that reasonable arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. Please call our office at 608-355-4800 with any questions.

Sasquatch Search WINNERS!

The Sasquatch Search at White Mound County Park is now complete! Congrats to our winners: Judy Gibson, Shirley McCluskey, and Michelle Stolte- check out their photos at the bottom of this page! Please call (608) 355-4800 or email parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov to claim your prize if you have not done so already. Thank you to everyone who joined in, and keep an eye out for Sasquatch at Hemlock County Park this fall!

Great Sauk State Trail Open House

You are invited to an exciting community planning and informational meeting focused on the future of the Great Sauk State Trail expansion!  

Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM, with a presentation at 6:30 PM
Location: Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, 230 4th Avenue, Baraboo, WI 53913

When completed, this world-class trail will connect Sauk County’s premier recreational areas, like Devil’s Lake State Park and the Wisconsin River, directly to our vibrant cities, villages, neighborhoods, and local businesses. This project belongs to the community, making your continued engagement vital to success. We need everyone—elected officials, business owners, residents, and trail enthusiasts from near and far—to help drive this vision forward!

We will kick off the evening with an open-floor workshop session, giving you the chance to chat with staff and explore interactive stations highlighting our recent milestones and upcoming trail projects. This will be followed by a presentation mapping out where we have been and where we are heading next, leading directly into an open Q&A session. Afterward, you will have a second opportunity to join our open-floor workshop to share feedback directly with our project planners.

Meeting Highlights:

• Learn about the continued work going into the Great Sauk State Trail project to realize a fully built trail.
• Engage with trail planning staff, elected officials, and others in attendance to share ideas and build momentum.
• Inform the project with your ideas, questions, and concerns in a meaningful way.  County staff genuinely want to hear from you!

Please reach out if you have any questions. We hope to see you there!

Guess How Many Event Closed

Congrats to David MacDonald for winning the Guess How Many event! A few people guessed 148 pine cones, and David was randomly selected from that group as the winner. David, please contact us at (608) 355-4800 or parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov to claim your pize. Thank you to all 220 participants for joining in! We fit a whopping 147 pine cones in the basket! Thank you to everyone who participated.

Event: Rock Painting

It's time to "rock" at White Mound County Park!

We are excited to introduce a new long-term event, which is a rock painting station inside of the Sauk County Parks and Recreation office. Put on your creative cap to paint a design on your rock, then place it on the path outside of the office for everyone to see!

This station will be available during office hours until September 18, 4:00 PM CST. Supplies, including rocks, will be provided. 

Rock on, everyone!

Check out our 2026 events!

Take a look at our 2026 events schedule at the bottom of this page! We have many new ones that we’re excited to share with you!

All details and rules will be posted on this page on the start date of each event. Please email parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov or call us at (608) 355-4800 with any questions.

Any person who has a qualifying disability that requires an event to be in an accessible location or format should contact Sauk County Parks and Recreation at 608-355-4800 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, exclusive of legal holidays, at least 48 hours in advance of participation in the event so that reasonable arrangements can be made to accommodate each request.

We look forward to seeing you!