Friends of
Perrot State Park

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Perrot Park is a beautiful place.  The eagles and vultures circling over Trempealeau Mountain, the migrating waterfowl in Trempealeau Bay, and the amazing views from Brady Bluff and Perrot Ridge are all inspiring.  The miles of wooded trails, the prairies, and the Interpretive Center exhibits offer something for everyone. But did you know that Wisconsin ranks 50th out of 50 U.S. states in terms of per visitor funding for state parks?  In the 2015-2017 budget general purpose revenue was eliminated from funding Wisconsin parks and has not been restored. Entrance fees and campground fees now provide most of the funding. Funding for state parks has fallen by 41% since the mid-nineties even with no adjustment for inflation. Wisconsin now spends about $1 per park visitor, compared to the national average of $3 per visitor.

We now have only two full-time employees that take care of Perrot State Park, Merrick State Park, the Great River Trail, and the Buffalo River Trail. They both work very hard, but there were six full-time employees a couple decades ago, and park use is significantly higher now. 

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The Friends of Perrot State Park work to help with the funding to keep the park operating, and we would really appreciate your support.  Here is what your donation accomplishes:

A section of the Perrot Ridge Trail above the office was relocated to eliminate a steep eroding section that was difficult to maintain.  The Friends of Perrot State Park again paid the park naturalist’s salary and also paid for one full time and one part time seasonal worker (through Americorps) to help Park staff get through the busy summer season.  We have pledged to again pay for the naturalist and two full time seasonal Americorps positions for 2026. 

Volunteers with the Friends cut, split, dried and sold 105 face cords of firewood to campers in 2025 to help support the park.  We also sell ice, T-shirts and caps and other merchandise, and rent canoes and kayaks to help raise funds to support the park. We apply for matching grants for projects whenever possible to help extend our resources.

The Friends also sponsor Winterfest, Scary on the Prairie, several special nature programs with guest experts during the summer, help with signage, trail maintenance, and other tasks needed to support the park.

 

This fall installation will start on an accessible trail through the prairie and the adjacent mounds, called Lois Loop, in memory of Park Manager Lois Larson who passed away in 2023.  In recent years we have relocated a different  eroding section of the Perrot Ridge Trail and built a lookout platform at the end of the abandoned trail, installed a new roof, all new windows, and refinished the floor in the Interpretive Center, worked with UW- Madison archaeologists to install new displays in the Interpretive Center, put up new signs in the prairie and on many trails, rebuilt a failing portion of the Riverview Trail, and bought new fire rings,

 

We hope you will join in the effort to protect and support this wonderful Park.

 

https://www.friendsofperrotstatepark.org/

 

@Perrotparkfriends