Parks + Recreation News & Events

Free Fun Weekend - June 6 & 7

Good news, everyone! This weekend, June 6 & 7, is the Free Fun Weekend for all state parks in Wisconsin, and Sauk County Parks and Recreation decided to join in! This means you do not need a parking pass, trail pass, or fishing license at our parks and properties on these dates. For more information, see the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website.

Great Sauk State Trail - Mowing Operations

Great Sauk State Trail users: there will be mowing operations along the trail this week, and potentially next week as well. If you are on the trail during this time, please make sure to wait until the staff on site wave you through before passing by. This is to ensure the safety of the trail users and our staff. Thank you!

Paddlesport Rentals Available!

Happy summer, everyone! Don't forget that we have paddlesport rentals available at White Mound County Park!

All equipment is rented first-come, first-serve at an hourly rate. We have a pedal boat ($20), canoe ($15), double kayak ($15), two single kayaks ($10/each), and four paddle boards ($15/each).

Please visit us at the Sauk County Parks and Recreation office at White Mound County Park to rent equipment. For questions please give us a call at (608) 355-4800. We can't wait to see you on the water!

Great Sauk State Trail Update

Here’s an update regarding the Great Sauk State Trail and the construction of the Wisconsin River Recreation Bridge!

• Lights have been installed along the bridge, and concrete was poured on all spans.
• An annual inspection was conducted along the GSST. This inspection collects concerns or work recommended on various amenities, such as signs, benches, trees, etc. Staff will make repairs as necessary.
• Multiple trees were removed from the trail following recent severe storms.

Water Quality Advisory LIFTED - May 28, 2026

The blue-green algae advisory at White Mound Lake has been lifted as of Thursday, May 28, 2026, due to weather and wind overnight. The yellow deposits seen in the photo on the right is accumulated pollen, and staff will continue monitoring the lake. Visitors are encouraged to check back for updates throughout the season.

For more information about Blue-Green Algae, how to report an algal bloom, and current Sauk County Park Beach statuses, visit the Public Health Department page.

Water Quality Advisory - May 27, 2026

An advisory has been issued as of Wednesday, May 27 due to the detection of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) at White Mound Lake. Swimming, wading, and water contact are not advised until further notice. Pets should be kept out of the water.

The Sasquatch Search is Back On!

One of our favorite park users is BACK and hiding in the woods of White Mound County Park! 

If you find him, simply take a picture with him, send the picture to our office and be entered to win a prize. We'll have 3 winners total - one for the first person to submit their photo, one for the most creative photo and one drawn randomly. Official rules and details can be found below. Good luck!! 

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

2. Submission: Send pictures of you and Sasquatch 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. Prizes: There are 3 prizes total; one for the first person to submit a photo, one for the most creative photo, and one drawn randomly. Winners will receive their choice of a children's prize, one free hour of paddle sport rental for two people, a Sauk County Parks + Recreation mug or a 2026 Sauk County annual sticker. Prizes must be claimed by December 31, 2026.

4. Deadline: Photos must be submitted by June 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM CST. Winners will be announced on July 1, 2026.

5. 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. Void where prohibited.

6. 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.

Vote On Our 2027 Sticker Design!

We need YOUR help choosing one of these awesome designs to put on our 2027 park pass sticker!

All 5 designs are posted at the bottom of this page. Please vote for your favorite using the serial number at the bottom right corner of each design. To submit your vote, please email us at parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov or by calling 608-355-4800. Full rules and details about this contest is posted farther down on this page.

Thank you to the contestants who created these amazing sticker designs! Stay tuned to see who wins!

Poetry Path Contest WINNER!

Congrats to Adeline for winning the Poetry Path contest! Thank you to everyone who submitted a poem or simply enjoyed the event on the Willie Walsh Nature Trail, we enjoyed celebrating nature with you! Click through the images at the bottom of this page to see all of the wonderful poetry submissions.

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!

Event: Design Our 2027 Park Pass Sticker!

Design our 2027 park pass sticker! 

We're excited to invite our community to help shape the design of our 2027 Sauk County annual sticker. This sticker will help represent our parks and the users who love them, and this year, you can design it! 

Artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to participate. Whether you draw by hand, design digitally or paint your vision, we want to see what our parks inspire in you. 

We'll narrow down the designs to the top 5 based on creativity, originality and representation of Sauk County Parks + Recreation, but then we'll ask you to vote on the final design. The winning design will be featured on our official 2027 Sauk County annual sticker! 

Official rules and details:

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

2. Design Requirements: Design must be original artwork created by the entrant. Artwork should reflect themes of parks, nature, conservation and recreation, native to Sauk County. The design must fit into the blank square on the provided template - found below. The language and font on the provided cannot move or be altered besides color. Only 3 solid colors allowed. 

3. Submission: Submissions may be digital or hand-drawn. If digital, submissions must be emailed to parks.rec@saukcountywi.gov; acceptable file formats include JPG, PNG or PDF. If hand-drawn, submissions must be delivered to the Sauk County Parks + Recreation office at S7995 White Mound Drive, Hillpoint, WI 53937; Typical office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM CST; Entries must be able to be scanned or photographed clearly.

4. Deadline: All entries must be submitted by 4:00 PM CST on May 4, 2026. The winner will be announced after May 20, 2026.

5. Judging: Designs will be reviewed by Sauk County staff and narrowed down to the top 5. Judging criteria may include creativity, originality and representation of park, nature, conservation and/or recreation. Only one final design will be chosen by the general public via social media messages, comments, emails, votes cast at and over the phone to the Sauk County Parks + Recreation office.

6. Prize: One winning design will be featured on the 2027 Sauk County annual sticker. The winning artist will receive recognition on social media and the Sauk County website, a free 2027 Sauk County annual sticker and a $50 gift card to Sauk County Parks + Recreation. Prizes must be claimed by December 31, 2026.

7. Rights & Usage: By submitting a design, entrants grant Sauk County permission to use, reproduce and modify the artwork for promotional and official park purposes, including printing and digital use. By submitting a design, entrants understand that no copyright infringements have been made by their design. The artist will always be credited where possible.

8. General conditions: Inappropriate or offensive content will not be accepted. Sauk County reserves the right to make minor adjustments to the winning design. 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 design, name and likeness for publicity and promotion.  This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, associated or administered by Facebook or Instagram.  No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.