By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — The Dunn County Facilities Committee plans to take a closer look at whether Dunn County should allow camping in county parks.
Scott Nabbefeld, Dunn County facilities director, said he had placed camping in county parks on the facilities committee agenda for the January 26 meeting as a starting point.
Tim Niehoff, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the facilities committee, suggested having the county’s attorney, Nick Lange, research the legal ramifications of allowing people to camp in county parks.
Don Kuether, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the facilities committee, said it was his understanding that while Dunn County officially does not allow camping in county parks, if someone does camp in a county park, “we look the other way.”
None of the county parks have signs put up that say “no camping,” Nabbefeld said.
“No camping” signs would have to be installed in the parks before no camping could be enforced, he said.
While Dunn County does not allow camping in the county parks, there is no enforcement mechanism now, and “we need something more black and white,” said Charles Maves, county board supervisor from Boyceville and chair of the facilities committee.
If Dunn County is going to allow camping in the county parks, then restrooms must be provided, Niehoff said.
Regulations concerning firewood also would be needed, he said, adding that there would be many other items that would need to be considered as well.
Myron Park, on the Red Cedar River near Sand Creek, has campsites, a picnic area, playgrounds, three pavilions, a walking trail and a boat landing for small watercraft.
The other county parks do not have campgrounds.
Here are the county parks listed on the Dunn County website:
• 22 Mile Ford Park — The Town of Grant donated 22 Mile Ford Park to Dunn County in 1929. The park was later purchased by the Colfax Rod and Gun Club but was then returned to Dunn County in 1960. The ford’s history dates back to the Knapp Stout Lumber Company. The ford was used to cross the Red Cedar River before the bridge was installed. Knapp Stout used the surrounding area for the company’s lumbering interests, bunkhouse, warehouse and hotel. It is called “22 Mile Ford” because it is 22 miles to Menomonie. The amenities include restrooms, fishing, a playground, picnic tables and a boat landing.
• Caddie Woodlawn Park — The site for Caddie Woodlawn Park was donated to the county by Arnold Flick and Isabelle Hintzman in 1969. The house that Carol Ryrie Brink, the author of the book “Caddie Woodlawn,” lived in was moved to the park in 1970. “Caddie Woodlawn” is about Carol Ryrie Brink’s grandmother, who lived in the Downsville area. The park is listed on a state Historical Society map, and there is a historical marker placed in the park. Sunrise Rotary of Menomonie renovated the original house in 2006. Amenities at the park include restrooms, picnic tables and historic buildings.
• Champney Park — Allen G. Champney was a Dunn County game warden, and after his death in 1958, Champney Park was created in his honor. Five conservation clubs in the county purchased and developed the 3.5 acre park that has 277 feet of lake frontage. The park was donated to Dunn County in 1959. Amenities include restrooms, fishing, a playground, picnic tables and a boat landing.
• Eau Galle Park — The park was given to Dunn County in 1965. A water-powered sawmill was built on the site in 1838. In 1886, the sawmill was converted into a mill for grinding feed and flour. The Durand Light and Power Company was founded in 1898, and the water power was used to generate electricity. The power plant was sold to Wisconsin Electric Hydro in 1927, and Northern States Power acquired it in 1957. NSP operated the power plant until the site was donated to Dunn County in 1965. The Dunn County website does not list amenities, but pictures of the park show a pavilion, playground and access to the water.
• Kleist Landing — The Dunn County Fish and Game Club donated Kleist Landing to the county in 1990. The fish and game club’s reason for developing the boat landing was to provide year-round access and parking for people who want to fish lower Tainter Lake. Amenities include fishing and the boat landing.
• Lambs Creek Park — Georgia Joselyn donated the 2.75 acre site for Lambs Creek Park to Dunn County in 1935. The park has 250 feet of water frontage. Before Tainter Lake was created by the dam being built in Cedar Falls, the site had a 25-foot high water falls. The Cedar Falls dam was built in 1910. Photographs from the late 1800s show that the water falls was a site used by families to go on picnics and to go fishing. The amenities include restrooms, fishing, a playground, picnic tables and a boat landing.
• Menomin Park — Lake Menomin Park is situated on the east side of Lake Menomin and was originally part of the Dunn County Health Care Center property. The county decided to turn the 147-acre parcel into a nature park in 1982. The state Department of Natural Resources and Dunn County converted about 34 acres into a native prairie grassland. The park has more than five miles of mountain bike trails. Amenities include fishing, picnic tables, hiking trails and mountain bike trails.
• Northwest Landing — The Northwest Rod and Gun Club donated Northwest Landing to Dunn County in 1958. The landing was developed by the rod and gun club to provide access to Tainter Lake for boating, fishing, swimming and picnics. The site is not quite an acre. Amenities include restrooms, fishing, picnic tables and a boat landing.
• Peninsula Park — The park is located on upper Tainter Lake at the mouth of the Hay River. The park was deeded to Dunn County in 1979, and the deed states the parcel of land shall be used only for park purposes and must remain in its natural state, with no major expenditures allocated for improvements. The amenities include fishing and a boat landing.
• Pineview Park — Originally known as “Welch’s Point,” the Eau Galle Sportsmen’s Club donated the four-acre Pineview Park to Dunn County in 1961. The park has 440 feet of waterfront on Lake Eau Galle. The sportsmen’s club purchased the land from Vaughn Welch. Amenities include restrooms, fishing, a handicapped accessible fishing pier, a playground, picnic tables and a boat landing.
• Russian Slough — Dunn County purchased the 90-acre parcel known as the Russian Slough from Elsie Krevitsky in 1985. The Red Cedar River empties into the east side of Tainter Lake at the Russian Slough. The land is used for public hunting and fishing. The DNR closes the park in the spring because it is a protected walleye spawning ground. There are no amenities and no boat landing at this park.
• Thatcher Park — Lester and Edna Thatcher donated Thatcher Park to Dunn County in 1951. The park is the northern-most park in Dunn County and is located on county Highway K six miles north of Connorsville. The park borders a Class A trout stream, which is part of the South Fork of the Hay River. The only amenities at the park are picnic tables.
