Maple Prarie Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Maple Prairie Park is a 40-acre nature reserve located in central Wisconsin, just west of the town of Westfield.
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Summary
The park features a variety of habitats, including wetlands, prairie, and oak savanna, and is home to a diverse array of wildlife.
Visitors to Maple Prairie Park can enjoy a number of recreational activities, including hiking, bird-watching, nature photography, and more. The park is also a popular destination for educational field trips, with many local schools bringing students to learn about the area's natural history and ecology.
Some of the most notable points of interest in Maple Prairie Park include the park's extensive network of trails, which wind through the various habitats and offer visitors the chance to see a wide variety of plants and animals. Other notable attractions include the park's bird blind, which provides excellent views of many of the area's avian residents, and the park's interpretive center, which offers displays and exhibits that highlight the park's unique natural features.
Perhaps the most interesting fact about Maple Prairie Park is its status as a former dairy farm that was abandoned in the 1970s and left to return to its natural state. Today, the park is a shining example of the power of nature to reclaim and restore damaged ecosystems.
The best time of year to visit Maple Prairie Park depends on what you're interested in seeing. Spring and summer are great times to see wildflowers and migratory birds, while fall is a good time to see the changing colors of the park's trees and shrubs. Winter visitors can enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the park's trails.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Area Campgrounds
| Location | Reservations | Toilets |
|---|---|---|
Badger Prairie Park DCA
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Babcock County Park Campground
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Andersen Preserve DCA
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