Bong State Recreation Area

A smorgasbord of activities await visitors to this 4,515-acre recreation area in Kenosha County, 9 miles west of I-94 on Hwy. 142. This managed prairie contains 8.3 miles (13 km) of mountain bike trails. Also Swim, fish, picnic, camp, ride horses, study nature, cross-country ski, snowmobile, high power rocketry, dog sledding, falconry, ATV sports, land sailing, motorcycle and hunt.

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Just past the Wisconsin-Illinois border, Bong is one of the closest Wisconsin escapes for Chicagoland bikers. There is a wildlife preserve where great egrets, sandhill cranes, and great blue herons are known to nest.

Appropriate to its name, Richard Bong SRA offers an area where visitors may fly model airplanes, rockets, ultra-light aircraft, hang gliders, and hot air ballons. Richard Bong also has space to train both hunting and sled dogs, train falcons, ride all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and horses on trails, and hunt in season. All such activities take place in the special use zone or managed hunt areas. The park also has places to train dogs, train falcons, ride an ATV trail, go horseback riding, and hunt in season. Even warm someone’s heart with a visit to the park. Enjoy a candlelight hike, bonfires, music, fine desserts, warm drinks and a hayride with your special someone.

Richard Bong State Recreation Area has 41.1 miles of trails including - 16.3 miles of hiking trails, 14.7 miles of ungroomed cross-country ski trails, 13 miles of horse trails, 10.3 miles of off-road bike trails, 10.3 miles of trails for snowshoeing, 7.1 miles of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails, 1.6 miles of interpretive nature trails.

Fishing is available at several locations including Wolf Lake where one may snag northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, or pan fish. There's a handicapped pier near the swimming beach and a large dock located on a small pond adjacent to the visitor center. The pond is seasonally stocked with trout. Boating on Wolf Lake is restricted to electric motors only. There's also Wolf Lake (more of a large pond than a lake) where you can launch a canoe or kayak. Watch an eagle soar above Wolf Lake, listen to a Meadowlark's song or spy on Chickadees being fed...a day in the field is always fun and rewarding.

There are two family (regular) campgrounds with a total of 217 campsites, 54 of them with electric hookups. Six group campsites can accommodate 225 campers. Ice fishing on Wolf Lake, Wisconsin fishing license is required. A small sledding hill located on the road to Sunrise Campground. As a state recreation area allows you to hunt or fish any animal with an open season and a valid hunting license or fishing license. The park also has a designated training area for hunting dogs.

Nearby Cliffside Park is located in Caledonia next to the shores of Lake Michigan, is suitable for Recreational Vehicles (RVs) as well as tent-camping. Nearby 272-acre (110 ha) Big Foot Beach State Park on the shore of Geneva Lake is used primarily for swimming, camping, and fishing. The park has 5.5 miles of hiking trails through forest and open meadow. Most of the trails are relatively short and none are very strenuous.

Also don't forget to visit Wingspread - Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings in Racine, East Troy Electric Railroad Museum in East Troy, WI, Haines House Museum in Waukegan, IL, Kenosha Public Museum, Logic Puzzle Museum in Burlington, WI, Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, WI, Racine Art Museum, Racine Heritage Museum...

Map and Area Route Bong State Recreation Area
Friends of Richard Bong State Recreation Area
Private Campgrounds and Camping Reservations

Direction:
Bong State Recreation Area in the City of Kansasville - Racine County (Southeast WI).

Location

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