There are over 300 recorded bird species at Horicon Marsh, and many can be spotted while exploring the backwaters of the marsh. It is likely that you will see and hear many of them along your paddle. Horicon Marsh remains one of the best locations in the state for the endangered Forster’s tern and black tern. Their floating nests are one example of the awe- inspiring sights found on the marsh. The threatened great egret historically nested on the islands of the marsh can be seen today fishing in shallow waters. Another exciting sight is the white pelican, a once- scarce bird that began nesting in Wisconsin in the late 1990s. During the summer, nesting pelicans stick to the northern part of the marsh, while non-breeding adults are abundant throughout the marsh. Their nine-foot wingspan makes them the largest bird at Horicon Marsh. Bi rd Diversity R 2 To the south, you’ll see Fourmile Island State Natural Area. The telephone poles, which hold artificial nesting platforms, identify it. Historically, Fourmile Island supported the largest great blue heron rookery in Wisconsin. Despite our best intentions to protect these birds, natural problems caused their decline. At peak population, in the 1970s, as many as 4,000 adults and young inhabited the island. The high number of birds and their very acidic droppings changed the soil chemistry. This stressed the trees, causing many of them to succumb to disease. In the winter of 1992-93, biologists erected artificial nests. However, in May of 1998, a severe storm front swept across southern Wisconsin. With winds over 90 miles per hour, many trees were toppled, destroying most of the nests and killing the young. Today, great blue herons nest on Fourmile Island using the artificial platforms, but not in the numbers that it once held. F ourmile Island R 3 The long, straight path that you are currently paddling is the old main ditch created by dredging. In 1910, farmers began an effort to ditch and drain Horicon Marsh for agricultural production. The dredge, a large steam shovel on a barge, began at the north end of the marsh and took four years to dig the 14-mile main ditch. Lateral ditches were also dug to gather water, such as Clark’s Ditch and Burnett Ditch, which are also still intact. By 1916, all of the ditches were completed and it appeared the marsh would be converted into rich farmland. However, by the early 1920s, farmers came to realize the marsh’s limited potential for farming. The high water in late spring and heavy autumn rains made it too challenging to work the land. The marsh’s peat soils were difficult to drain, and farming plans quickly faded. While the marsh has been restored, and the basin re-flooded, the large scars of the ditches still remain and channel water through Horicon Marsh. Ditch and Drain R 5 To the west, you can see One Mile Island, an example of a glacial drumlin. Drumlins are created as the glaciers move forward, heaping up the land into a series of elongated hills. Horicon Marsh was born as a by-product of the great glaciers of the last Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago, and it lies in a region with the greatest concentration of drumlins in the world. As the climate warmed at the end of the Ice Age, the ice retreated in stages. Rocks, sand, gravel, and clay were deposited at its front each time it came to rest, leaving behind a mound called a moraine. Two such moraines were left behind across the southern and northern ends of the marsh, where the cities of Horicon and Waupun are today. The southern moraine acted as an earthen dam to block the glacial meltwater, creating a vast post-glacial lake. The lake eventually eroded through the southern moraine, creating the Rock River and draining the lake to become the marsh we see today. Glacial History R 6 As you approach the halfway point of your journey, you may notice that you’ve been paddling mainly amongst cattails. Horicon Marsh is a vastly altered wetland system from what the early settlers found nearly 150 years ago. The original marsh featured the east and west branches of the Rock River spreading over the basin as a braided stream system. River channels, open water, and oxbow lakes were contrasted with islands and peat lands to create a diverse wetland community. Early naturalists described the area dotted with lily pads, cranberry bogs, floating bogs, cattails, and sedge meadows. This mosaic of wetland types seemed to change and shift over time with drought and flood. Human impacts have left Horicon Marsh as a very homogenous wetland, primarily open water and cattails. However, there still exists a great diversity of bird, mammal, and insect species as a result of the adaptive management techniques that biologists employ. Water level manipulation and cattail burns are just a couple examples. A Changed Landscape R 4 The Greenhead Club, which you can see to the east of the boat landing, was established in 1903. It is the only private hunting club that remains on the Horicon Marsh. Waterfowl hunting peaked around the turn of the 20th century when people viewed ducks and geese as an infinite resource. Local hunters and businessmen from large cities like Chicago established many private hunting clubs around the marsh, which owned parts of the marsh for member-only hunting. Some even hired wardens to keep non-members out. These private clubs prohibited hunting during the spring migration and also established the first bag limits on the marsh--at 25 ducks per day! These rules were the first form of hunting conservation on the marsh. Unfortunately, unregulated market hunting to feed faraway cities decimated the waterfowl population within 25 short years. Many hunters and clubs left the area, looking for other more productive hunting grounds. Today, due to sound management and hunting regulations, waterfowl numbers have significantly recovered. Private Hunting Clubs R 1 Visit the Explorium at the Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center! Guests of Horicon Marsh’s Explorium can get a glimpse of life at Horicon Marsh thousands of years before European settlement. Visitors can view, listen to, touch, and even smell exhibits that document the changes to the marsh over time. Interested in learning more? Hunting club in late 1800s Artificial nesting platforms Thick cattails in Horicon Marsh (Jon Grainger) Black tern on nest (HT Photography) Aerial photo of main ditch today Horicon Marsh is the largest contiguous freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. Experiencing it from the water is one of the best ways to get to know this vast wetland and its wildlife. Know Before You Go: • Paddling is only allowed in the state portion of the marsh. The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge is closed to all boating. • April 1–Sept. 15: Fourmile Island & Cotton Island are closed to the public. • Avoid the dam near the City of Horicon. Strong currents make it dangerous to approach. • Wind strongly impacts the paddling conditions; please check the forecast before you go. Welcome to Horicon Marsh Paddling Trail Although the entire State Wildlife Area is open for paddling, the most popular option is the Paddling Trail. • The Paddling Trail is about 6.5 miles • You can put in at Green Head boat landing • You can take out at Nebraska Street or Chestnut Street boat landings • The black canoe points on the map are your guide to Horicon Marsh. At each point, stop and take a moment to read the information in this guide that corresponds to that area.
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There are over 300 recorded bird species at Horicon Marsh, and many can be spotted while exploring the backwaters of the marsh. It is likely that you will see and hear many of them along your paddle.
Horicon Marsh remains one of the best locations in the state for the endangered Forster’s tern and black tern. Their floating nests are one example of the awe-inspiring sights found on the marsh. The threatened great egret historically nested on the islands of the marsh can be seen today fishing in shallow waters.
Another exciting sight is the white pelican, a once-scarce bird that began nesting in Wisconsin in the late 1990s. During the summer, nesting pelicans stick to the northern part of the marsh, while non-breeding adults are abundant throughout the marsh. Their nine-foot wingspan makes them the largest bird at Horicon Marsh.
Bird DiversityR2
To the south, you’ll see Fourmile Island State Natural Area. The telephone poles, which hold artificial nesting platforms, identify it. Historically, Fourmile Island supported the largest great blue heron rookery in Wisconsin. Despite our best intentions to protect these birds, natural problems caused their decline.
At peak population, in the 1970s, as many as 4,000 adults and young inhabited the island. The high number of birds and their very acidic droppings changed the soil chemistry. This stressed the trees, causing many of them to succumb to disease. In the winter of 1992-93, biologists erected artificial nests.
However, in May of 1998, a severe storm front swept across southern Wisconsin. With winds over 90 miles per hour, many trees were toppled, destroying most of the nests and killing the young. Today, great blue herons nest on Fourmile Island using the artificial platforms, but not in the numbers that it once held.
Fourmile IslandR3
The long, straight path that you are currently paddling is the old main ditch created by dredging. In 1910, farmers began an effort to ditch and drain Horicon Marsh for agricultural production. The dredge, a large steam shovel on a barge, began at the north end of the marsh and took four years to dig the 14-mile main ditch. Lateral ditches were also dug togather water, such as Clark’s Ditch and Burnett Ditch,which are also still intact.
By 1916, all of the ditches were completed and it appeared the marsh would be converted into rich farmland. However, by the early 1920s, farmers came to realize the marsh’s limited potential for farming. The high water in late spring and heavy autumn rains made it too challenging to work the land. The marsh’s peat soils were difficult to drain, and farming plans quickly faded.
While the marsh has been restored, and the basin re-flooded, the large scars of the ditches still remain and channel water through Horicon Marsh.
Ditch and DrainR5
To the west, you can see One Mile Island, an example of a glacial drumlin. Drumlins are created as the glaciers move forward, heaping up the land into a series of elongated hills. Horicon Marsh was born as a by-product of the great glaciers of the last Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago, and it lies in a region with the greatest concentration of drumlins in the world.
As the climate warmed at the end of the Ice Age, the ice retreated in stages. Rocks, sand, gravel, and clay were deposited at its front each time it came to rest, leaving behind a mound called a moraine. Two such moraines were left behind across the southern and northern ends of the marsh, where the cities of Horicon and Waupun are today. The southern moraine acted as an earthen dam to block the glacial meltwater, creating a vast post-glacial lake. The lake eventually eroded through the southern moraine, creating the Rock River and draining the lake to become the marsh we see today.
Glacial HistoryR6
As you approach the halfway point of your journey, you may notice that you’ve been paddling mainly amongst cattails. Horicon Marsh is a vastly altered wetland system from what the early settlers found nearly 150 years ago. The original marsh featured the east and west branches of the Rock River spreading over the basin as a braided stream system. River channels, open water, and oxbow lakes were contrasted with islands and peat lands to create a diverse wetland community. Early naturalists described the area dotted with lily pads, cranberry bogs, floating bogs, cattails, and sedge meadows. This mosaic of wetland types seemed to change and shift over time with drought and flood.
Human impacts have left Horicon Marsh as a very homogenous wetland, primarily open water and cattails. However, there still exists a great diversity of bird, mammal, and insect species as a result of the adaptive management techniques that biologists employ. Water level manipulation and cattail burns are just a couple examples.
A Changed LandscapeR4
The Greenhead Club, which you can see to the east of the boat landing, was established in 1903. It is the only private hunting club that remains on the Horicon Marsh. Waterfowl hunting peaked around the turn of the 20th century when people viewed ducks and geese as an infinite resource.
Local hunters and businessmen from large cities like Chicago established many private hunting clubs around the marsh, which owned parts of the marsh for member-only hunting. Some even hired wardens to keep non-members out. These private clubs prohibited hunting during the spring migration and also established the first bag limits on the marsh--at 25 ducks per day! These rules were the first form of hunting conservation on the marsh.
Unfortunately, unregulated market hunting to feed faraway cities decimated the waterfowl population within 25 short years. Many hunters and clubs left the area, looking for other more productive hunting grounds. Today, due to sound management and hunting regulations, waterfowl numbers have significantly recovered.
Private Hunting ClubsR1
Visit the Explorium at the Horicon Marsh Education &
Visitor Center!Guests of Horicon Marsh’s Explorium can get a glimpse of life at Horicon Marsh thousands of years before European settlement. Visitors can view, listen to, touch, and even smell exhibits that document the changes to the marsh over time.
Interested in learning more?
Hunting club in late 1800s
Artificial nesting platforms
Thick cattails in Horicon Marsh (Jon Grainger)
Black tern on nest (HT Photography)
Aerial photo of main ditch today
Horicon Marsh is the largest contiguous freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. Experiencing it from the water is one of the best ways to get to know this vast wetland and its wildlife.
Know Before You Go:• Paddling is only allowed in the state portion of
the marsh. The Horicon National Wildlife Refugeis closed to all boating.
• April 1–Sept. 15: Fourmile Island & Cotton Islandare closed to the public.
• Avoid the dam near the City of Horicon. Strongcurrents make it dangerous to approach.
• Wind strongly impacts the paddling conditions;please check the forecast before you go.
Welcome to Horicon Marsh
Paddling TrailAlthough the entire State Wildlife Area is open for paddling, the most popular option is the Paddling Trail.
• The Paddling Trail is about 6.5 miles
• You can put in at Green Head boat landing
• You can take out at Nebraska Street orChestnut Street boat landings
• The black canoe points on the map are yourguide to Horicon Marsh. At each point, stopand take a moment to read the informationin this guide that corresponds to that area.
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Malzahns Bay
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Petit Road
Old H
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Tower Road
Teal Road
Burnett Ditch Road
Island Road
Wool Road
Bay View R
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Bird Road
East Street
ParkR
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Dunn Road
Morris R
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Nebraska Street
Schwar
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ChestnutStreet
Red Cedar Road
Beyer Road
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Prawatshke Road
2nd Street
Swan RoadSwan Road
Park Road
Prospect Road
Valley Street
Morris R
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Green Head Road
Bay View R
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Horicon Marsh Paddling Guide
26
28
28
33
1 2
3
4 5
6
MAYVILLE
Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center has parking, restrooms and watchable wildlife opportunities )
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Green Head Road
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Seering Rd
BURNETT
State Wildlife Area Boundary
Paddle Trail - 6.5 Miles
Parking Lot
Boat Ramp
Restrooms
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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides equal opportunity in its employment, programs, services, and functions under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have any questions, please write to Equal Opportunity Office, Department of Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. This publication can be made available in alternative formats (large print, Braille, audio tape, etc) upon request. Call (920) 387-7860 for more information.
PUB-WM-630- 2019
Paddling GuideHoricon Marsh State Wildlife Area
Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center
N 7725 Hwy. 28 Horicon, WI 53032
(920) 387-7889horiconmarsh.org
dnr.wi.gov keyword search “Horicon”
Hours:Weekdays 9am - 5pm
Weekends 10am - 5pmClosed on Major Holidays
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Turn in poachersCall the confidential DNR Violation Hotline
1-800-847-9367
Horicon Marsh is the largest contiguous freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. Experiencing it from the water is one of the best ways to get to know this vast wetland and its wildlife.
Know Before You Go:• Paddling is only allowed in the state portion of the
marsh. The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge isclosed to all boating.
• April 1–Sept. 15: Fourmile Island & Cotton Islandare closed to the public.
• Avoid the dam near the City of Horicon. Strongcurrents make it dangerous to approach.
• Wind strongly impacts the paddling conditions;please check the forecast before you go.
Welcome to Horicon Marsh
Paddling TrailAlthough the entire State Wildlife Area is open for paddling, the most popular option is the Paddling Trail.
• The Paddling Trail is about 6.5 miles
• You can put in at Green Head boat landing
• You can take out at Nebraska Street orChestnut Street boat landings
• The black canoe points on the map are yourguide to Horicon Marsh. At each point, stopand take a moment to read the information
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