Milwaukee County Parks

Can you guess what year in the 90's these pictures were taken at Bradford Beach? ☀
Our team has been digitizing photos from the parks over the decades. If you were there or recognize anyone from the photos, send us a message! 📸

As Summer is winding down, our Aquatics facilities will soon be closing for the season ☀
The last day for Wilson Park Pool, Sheridan Pool, and Pelican Cove will be August 18th, 2024
Visit us at Pulaski and Noyes Pools this Fall! 🍂

Many spiderwebs can be found along the hiking trails during the month of August. One web weaver, Black and Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) can be found making their webs during this time 🕸
Females spin orb webs (spiral sticky threads suspended on non-sticky spokes) with a conspicuous white zigzag structure in the middle called the stabilimentum (which you can see in this photo where the spider is front and center).
What is the purpose of the stabilimentum? Arachnologists have long debated the purpose of the stabilimentum. The stabilimentum may, in truth, be a multi-purpose structure that serves several functions. These are the most commonly accepted theories on why spiders decorate their webs. One function could be providing the web with stability. Another is providing visibility so bigger creatures like birds do not fly into a web. Spider silk is an excellent reflector of ultraviolet light, leading some scientists to hypothesize the stabilimentum may function to lure prey. As you can see, there are many different theories, and these are just a few examples.
📸: Wehr Nature Center

Join us on August 14th, from 6-7 p.m., at the Kozy Community Center for the second of three in-person budget town hall meetings as we plan for the 2025 County Budget
Arrive early between 5-6 p.m. to visit the resource fair. There will be different vendors related to health, wellness, services, and more!
Learn more about the event, and sign up to attend, by visiting county.milwaukee.gov/budget2025

The McKinley Marina fishing cleaning station is complete with signage! 🎣
Want to know more about the project? Visit the project page at https://www.mkecountyparks.org/mckinley-marina-upgrade

Staff have been finding all kinds of caterpillars out in our natural areas! 🐛
Monarchs, black swallowtails, and plenty more.
Want to attract these lovelies to your garden? You can plant their host plants. Check out this page for a quick look at host plants for some Wisconsin butterflies:
https://www.prairienursery.com/.../host-plants-for.../

Join us on August 12th, from 6-7 p.m., at the Washington Park Senior Center for the first of three in-person budget town hall meetings as we plan for the 2025 County Budget
Arrive early between 5-6 p.m. to visit the resource fair. There will be different vendors related to health, wellness, services, and more!
Learn more about the event, and sign up to attend, by visiting county.milwaukee.gov/budget2025

Spend your Summer at a Milwaukee County Parks pool or splash pad! 🏊‍♀️
Before your visit, make sure to visit mkeswim.com to check the open status of our pools and splash pads
Please note that some of our locations close when the temperatures dip below 70 ☀

One species of beetle, the Goldenrod Solider Beetle is very visible this time of year 🔭
There many species of soldier beetles (family Cantharidae) in North America. These elongate insects have soft, flexible elytra (wing covers) and resemble fireflies, but do not have light-producing organs.
Goldenrod soldier beetle or Pennsylvania leatherwing (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) is one of the most common species of soldier beetle in the Midwest. These 5/8-inch long, orange beetles, with two prominent brown-black spots on the elytra (outer wing coverings), often are seen on goldenrod flowers – hence the common name – but they will also visit many other flowers, including yellow composites, Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), milkweed, rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) and other late-summer flowering plants.
Adults may be seen from July to September but are most abundant in August. They can be found in meadows, fields and in gardens. They feed primarily on pollen and nectar of flowers but may also eat small insects such as caterpillars, eggs and aphids.
📸: Wehr Nature Center

Have you seen the signs along the Milwaukee River?
The Parks AOC team has been out replacing old Fish Consumption and Soil Safety signs with fresh, new ones developed by the Waterway Restoration Partnership! Old signs are still out there, and we need your help finding them all - let us know if you find any at [email protected].
To read more about the Milwaukee River Floodplains Cleanup and more about the signs, visit https://www.mkecountyparks.org/parks-and-the-milwaukee-river-cleanup.

ArtBlaze is back at South Shore tonight! 🎉

Relax this Summer along the shoreline at Bradford Beach 🏖

Roads and parkways maintained by Milwaukee County Parks don't receive dedicated transportation funding. With 99 miles of hard surface trails and parkways, maintaining and replacing asphalt consumes half of the Milwaukee County Parks’ budget. When considering the construction cost, building trails is significantly more economical than repaving existing roads and parkways.
Learn More and share your feedback as to where you would like to see more parkway to trail conversions at https://www.mkecountyparks.org/trail-projects-campaign

Join County Executive David Crowley and the Milwaukee Parks Foundation and make a splash at Community Pool Day at Schulz Aquatic Center on August 9th!
Meet the lifeguards, learn about pool safety, and cheer on a rubber ducky race in the lazy river! 🦆
The first 100 guests will get free admission. Open swim will start at 11 a.m.

Maggie had to strike a pose with this ghost pipe she came across earlier in the season 👻
This eerie, translucent plant contains no chlorophyll - as evidenced by its lack of green - and thus can't photosynthesize. It must get it's nutrition by parasitizing other plants. Spooky!

Our Froemming pickleball courts have been open for one month! 🎉
Have you had a chance to play on them yet?
Rent a court at https://ow.ly/tIXK50SPYz8

Meet the Rusty Patched Bumblebee which is a Federally Endangered Species of bee that can be found within the state of Wisconsin and can even be seen in Milwaukee County 🐝
This is Wisconsin's only Endangered Species of bee (European Honeybees are not considered to be an Endangered Species).
Where is the rust on this bee? Good question. The bee that you see is actually a Rusty Patched Bumblebee Queen (queens that emerge in the Fall are technically called Gynes) and they do not have the rusty patch that gives this bee their name. Instead, they have two thick bands of yellow on their abdomen.
These gynes will mate and hibernate all winter long until spring.
These future queens are thought to hibernate near spring ephemeral flowers, gathering much needed nectar and pollen in order to start their nests.
📸: Wehr Nature Center

1984 was a huge year in the world of movies 🎥
Ghostbusters, Terminator, Sixteen Candles, Footloose, and Nightmare on Elm Street to name just a few. In between movie screenings, did you stop by the Mitchell Park Domes?
Our team has been digitizing photos from the parks over the decades. If you were there or recognize anyone from the photos, send us a message! 📸
#1984

Dangerous Dumping — Respect Our Waters Dangerous dumping, otherwise known as illicit discharge, is any substance other than stormwater that enters a storm drain, storm sewer, local waterway, or other regulated system. Examples include sanitary wastewater, effluent from septic tanks, spills from roadway accidents, and improper disposal o...

The McKinley Marina fish cleaning station is now open! 🐟
To learn more about what the project entailed, visit the project page https://www.mkecountyparks.org/mckinley-marina-upgrade

An exciting Parks highlight from the Air Show last weekend!
The Golden Knights presented our Parks Director, Guy Smith, with a baton they passed around during their flight ✈

The new Vogel Park Playground is officially open! 🎉
Thank you to everyone who attended our opening ceremony this morning. We can't wait for families to come and enjoy a day in the park 🌳

Enjoy your Summer along Lake Michigan at McKinley Beach 🏖

Where's the best place to nap in a prairie on a hot day when you're 4cm tall? On a prairie dock leaf of course!
The large leaves of this prairie plant are noticeably colder than the surrounding air on a scorching day. Why? Lengthy taproots draw cool water from deep underground cooling the leaves. Refreshing!

Join our County Executive David Crowley, County Supervisors, Directors, and local media for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Vogel Park Playground on Tuesday, July 30th, at 10 a.m. Free stickers and plenty of open play will be provided for all who attend!