Amnicon Falls State Park features a series of delightful waterfalls and rapids along the Amnicon River. You can view them from a covered foot bridge or trails along the river, or-if you're sure-footed-from the rocky shore of the river. The park is a place to picnic, camp, walk in the woods and learn about the Douglas Fault, the geological formation that created the falls. Amnicon Falls State Park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
County and State Park
The special charm of the area had long brought visitors to the falls. In 1932, Douglas County purchased 60 acres of land and received another 65 acres as a gift from the Bardons and Bardon Park was established.
In the 1930s the Town of Amnicon took over operation of the park in cooperation with the county. During this period, much of the development was accomplished by the Works Program Administration (WPA). By the mid-1950s the Town of Amnicon had purchased land adjacent to Bardon Park that totaled 522 acres. By 1959 the park had become so popular and maintenance costs became such a load, the town suggested that they and the county consider transferring ownership to the state.
In 1961 Douglas County donated the original 125 acres of Bardon Park plus an additional 40 acres to the state of Wisconsin. In 1965 the Town of Amnicon sold its 522 acres to the state. Between 1965 and 1977 the state purchased another 138 acres of property completing the 828 acre park now know as Amnicon Falls State Park. The falls will be here for untold years to come and so, too, will be the people who walk the river banks and enjoy this special place.
