This quiet park in Sauk City has paved paths and trails to the sandy riverfront.
Directions: August Derleth Park is in Sauk City on Water Street. From highway 12, turn north at the stoplights by the bridge and head through the downtown. After passing Ace Hardware, the park will be on your right. There are two parking lots down the hill.
August Derleth Park is a place to enjoy nature. There are open fields here where soccer is played or a kite can be flown, but the main attraction is all the walking trails. Paved paths loop around this area between the river and Water Street. No motorized vehicles are allowed, but dogs, bikes, strollers, and the like are welcome.
A wooden bridge leads from the last parking lot straight to the Wisconsin River. The beach is not wide but it does stretch all along the riverfront and the sand is high-quality and soft under your feet. If the water is low you can pick your way along the river and traverse the shoreline in the sand.
Another set of trails has been in the area for generations, ever since August Derleth himself walked here. This is the walking area along the edge in the trees overlooking the water. Insider tip: These trails are not the maintained ones and get less foot traffic, beware of poison ivy all along the path!
WARNING: Because this area is just downstream from the Prairie du Sac Dam, the water level here can change quickly. Paths can be underwater in the spring or at times of extended heavy rain. The river is very dangerous. Swimming in the river is NOT advised. Even boating should be done with caution. A brochure posted at a kiosk by one of the parking areas details seven drownings in the area in two short paragraphs.
Art: Carvings made of giant oaks are near one of the parking lots. The heavy oaks are carved to resemble the ancient indian mounds once scattered all across Wisconsin. The wooden pieces of art look like a turtle, bird, and a dumbbell-shape.
August Derleth: August Derleth was a prolific author who lived in this area almost his whole life. He wrote more than 150 books, many of them set in this area. Walden West describes the town as it was in the early 1900s and tells anecdotes of the people who lived here or were just passing through. A portion of the Sauk City library and the bridge across the Wisconsin River are also named for August Derleth.
Other Area Attractions:
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