Visitor & Education Center Fundraiser Update
Thanks to your ongoing support, our fundraising total for the future Visitor & Education Center has officially reached $1,886,777.73. We are incredibly grateful for every dollar contributed as we work toward building a vibrant space for environmental learning and community gatherings.
Making a Splash: Our First Kayak Clean-Up Event
The Friends of Lakeshore State Park recently hosted our very first kayak cleanup event, and it was a massive success!
A huge thank you to Forward Outdoor for providing deeply discounted kayak rentals for our crew. Our team of 20 passionate volunteers—including Seth Taft from the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks—paddled through the lagoon with a singular mission: to make the park waters as clean and pristine as possible. After collecting several trash bags full of litter, the team headed over to Veteran’s Memorial Beer Garden to celebrate their hard work.
Preparing for the USA Triathlon
This cleanup was crucial timing for the park lagoon, which hosted the spectacular USA Triathlon. The massive event drew over 4,500 athletes from all 50 states, including 54 inspiring para-athletes who competed in the Paratriathlon National Championships.
Despite a heavy thunderstorm during the event weekend, the USA Triathlon team executed their contingency plans perfectly, ensuring that every single race was completed safely. While the next two USA Triathlons are headed to Des Moines, Iowa, we are keeping our fingers crossed to welcome them back to Milwaukee in 2029!
Wildlife Watch: Sandpiper Sightings!
Our restored 22-acre shortgrass prairie continues to prove itself as a crucial haven along the Lake Michigan Flyway. Birdwatchers recently celebrated an exciting event in the park: the appearance of rare Buff-breasted Sandpipers! These beautiful shorebirds gave onlookers fantastic views as they moved through the inland grass fields to forage. They were joined by several migrating Black-bellied Plovers, reminding us just how important our local conservation efforts are for supporting native and migratory wildlife.
Why “Friendship” Matters at Milwaukee’s Urban Oasis
Lakeshore State Park is truly a unique gem—22 acres of thriving shortgrass prairie floating right on Lake Michigan, with the stunning Milwaukee skyline as a backdrop. Nestled next to Discovery World and Henry Maier Festival Park, it serves as Milwaukee’s only urban state park. It is a living, breathing sanctuary where monarch butterflies share the shoreline with runners, kayakers, anglers, and kite-flyers.
Whether you are mooring your boat at our 20-slip marina, exploring miles of paved, accessible trails, or participating in an educational nature walk, Lakeshore State Park offers front-row seats to the absolute best of the Great Lakes.
This beautiful space belongs to everyone, and it is entirely maintained through a dedicated partnership between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Friends of Lakeshore State Park.
How to Get Involved
- Plan Your Visit: Check out upcoming events and accessible activities.
- Support Local Conservation: Learn how you can back our youth education initiatives.
- Become a Friend: Join our community today to help preserve this sanctuary for future generations by visiting friendslsp.org or the official Wisconsin DNR site at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/lakeshore.