High Cliff State Park
RV Guide

Make sure you pack your fishing gear in the RV before heading to the park. There is nothing quite as peaceful as sitting out to catch a couple of fish in the dead of winter. The atmosphere is already so quiet and calming, and fishing is such a great way to let go and relax from a busy day. Putting camping and ice fishing together is like an outdoor retreat, but much cheaper. And much more satisfying if you catch enough fish to cook for dinner.

There is so much that you can do in the snow that doesn’t involve snowshoes, skis, or vehicles when you take a winter RV trip to this state park. You can simply start by rolling up a ball of snow. Add two more balls of snow, and then find some sticks for arms, and you’ve got yourself a cute little snowman. Get together with your family to build a whole family of snowmen, or wage war with an epic snowball fight.

Here at the park, there is a snowmobile trail that is three miles long and connects Lake Winnebago with the entire Calumet County snowmobile trail system. This snow trail is divided into six sections. You can begin your adventure in section three by High Cliff State Park or travel up to Highway KK and start in section one. Be sure to check the weather conditions before heading out, and make sure that the trail you want to go on is available - they open and close based on the weather in the county that they’re located in.

Don’t let the winter season get you down or stop you from exploring all the great trails here. Simply park your camper, strap on your snowshoes, grab a backpack or bag, and get out there. If you didn’t bring your own gear, you could rent a pair from the park. You can go snowshoeing on just about all of the trails, except the ones that are for skiing only. The 1.1-mile Butterfly Pond Trail starts at the Lower Cliff Road parking lot and takes you around Butterfly Pond.

Each year, the park takes certain trails and makes them good for skiing, as they keep them well-groomed for traditional skiing. These ski trails are perfect for anyone who is just starting out at skiing, as well as for those that consider themselves to be intermediate-skill-level skiers. The 0.6-mile Overlook Trail and 3.8-mile Red Bird Trail are both typically groomed for skiing. Skiing can be a great way to get out and enjoy the snow.

If you want to do some hunting or trapping while you are at High Cliff State Park, there are plenty of areas set aside just for that sport. Although many of the areas are open for the traditional nine-day deer hunting season in November, you will have to check with Wisconsin state hunting and trapping rules and regulations for more information. Also, make sure you wear your hunter orange vest or hat and use safe hunting practices at all times.

Don’t forget to pack your swim trunks and floaties in the camper before heading to High Cliff State Park. There’s no better way to enjoy the heat of summer than by jumping into the cool water. And here at High Cliff State Park, you can do just that in the swimming area. While the swimming area does not have lifeguards, it does have changing areas, showers, bathrooms with flush toilets, and open shelters for you to take advantage of.

If you want to take the boat out on the lake, you can do so at one of the four developed boat launches that are available for you to use here. You can also rent a slip and keep your boat here overnight if you wish to do so. If you’re coming to windsurf, kiteboard, or paddle, you can use the undeveloped boat launch to get into the water. Virtually limitless aquatic adventure awaits you when you take your camper to High Cliff State Park.

There are over eight miles of trails that you can take your horse out on during your motorhome excursion to High Cliff State Park. These trails loop the length of the park so that you can see most of it just by going out for a ride. You can also take your horse on the 7.5-mile bike and horse trail, which is open from May until November. This trail starts at the Family Campground Road parking lot and goes around the entire park. You will have to bring your own horses though because there are no horse rentals available at the park.

If you’ve brought your bike along with you on your RV road trip, you can ride it around the park on any of the park roads. This can be a great way to be eco-friendly during your stay. You can also ride your bike along the Red Bird Trail and the 7.5-mile bike and horse trail. The Red Bird Trail is a nearly four-mile loop that provides breathtaking views of Lake Winnebago as well as the Niagara Escarpment and Chief Redbird statue.

There are plenty of opportunities for hiking here at the park, with trails of all difficulty levels and lengths. One trail will take you up where you can see over a cliff, and from here, you’ll be able to look out and see various surrounding cities, including Appleton, Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha, and Kaukauna. It’ll be hard to find a better view than that! For history buffs, you'll enjoy a hike along the 0.6-mile Indian Mound Trail, where you can take a self-guided interpretive tour of effigy mounds that are thousands of years old.

If you have never heard of geocaching, you are not alone. Many people have no idea what it is. To explain it simply, it is like a global treasure hunt. All you need is a device with Wi-Fi and GPS, such as a cell phone, and you are in business. All of the Wisconsin State Parks participate in the geocaching program, and you can get the coordinates to several hidden caches in the park online. One of the treasures is hidden on the Lime Kiln Trail while others are located in other areas around the park.