Tower Hill State Park
Tower Hill State Park is a 77-acre (31 ha) Wisconsin state park which contains the reconstructed Helena Shot Tower. This historic shot tower along with a quiet woodland and scenic river location brings visitors to Tower Hill State Park. Visitors can hike to the unique shot tower and melting house and view a film and displays on lead shot making from the 1800s. Just two men, using picks and crow bars, tunneled 120 feet down and 90 feet horizontally through the rock. The park lies within the Driftless Area, a region of the American Midwest that remained ice-free through three successive ice ages. The river has since shifted slightly, and a stream known as Mill Creek marks the northern boundary of the park. The Old Helena Cemetery is across the road from the park. The Helena Marsh Wildlife Area lies adjacent to the park.
Open mid-April to October. Visitors can enter several historical structures. Challenging bluff trails, panoramic views, camping (first-come, first-served), and canoeing and fishing on the Wisconsin River. The smelting house contains exhibits about the construction and use of the shot tower. Structures remaining from the Tower Hill Pleasure Company include the pavilion (now the park's picnic shelter), a gazebo, and the foundation of a barn. There are a number of places to launch a boat or canoe for a quiet day of fishing or paddling. There are two miles (3 km) of trails leading up to the tower and down to the riverbank, where visitors can enter the horizontal tunnel to the bottom of the shaft. There is a small campground with 15 campsites, drinking water, and pit toilets. Nearby attractions include Taliesin, the American Players Theatre, the House on the Rock, and Governor Dodge State Park.
Visit the park's restored shot tower and melting house, to see exhibits on lead shot making from the 1800s. Challenging bluff trails and panoramic views. Oh, and since you don't want to annoy Nature, be sure to check on the local fire danger level and any other restrictions at Tower Hill State Park Campground.
No Camping officially, nearby Campgrounds are Governor Dodge, Blue Mound State Park
Directions:
Tower Hill State Park in the City Of Spring Green, Iowa County (Southwest WI).