Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

Horicon Marsh offers world-class birding from the auto tour route, hiking and wildlife observation trails, kayaking and canoeing on the open water and marsh channels, and photography of the spectacular wildlife concentrations. The fall Canada goose migration is the signature event — arriving birds can number in the hundreds of thousands, and the spectacle of geese filling the sky and settling on the marsh is one of the most dramatic wildlife sights in the Midwest. Spring birding for migrating ducks, shorebirds, herons and warblers is equally outstanding. The Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center (Wisconsin DNR, south unit) and the NWR headquarters provide exhibits and information. Guided boat tours operate from Horicon in summer.

Fall (late September through early November) is the peak of the legendary Canada goose migration and the most famous time to visit Horicon Marsh, with geese sometimes numbering 200,000–300,000 on the marsh at peak concentration, the sky filled with calling birds and the marsh churning with activity. Spring (March through May) is the finest time for migrating ducks, shorebirds, herons and neotropical songbirds. Summer is excellent for nesting birds and kayaking the open marsh. The refuge is open year-round; fall for geese and spring for migration are the prime seasons at this world-class birding destination.

Horicon Marsh occupies a glacial lake basin formed by the retreat of the last Ice Age glaciers, which left the flat-bottomed, shallow basin that filled with water to form the original marsh. In the mid-19th century a dam raised the water level, creating an artificial lake; the dam was removed in 1869, and the basin was drained and farmed. By the early 20th century, conservationists recognized the ecological significance of the original marsh, and the State of Wisconsin began repurchasing and restoring the southern portion in the 1920s, followed by the establishment of the federal National Wildlife Refuge in the 1940s. The restoration of Horicon Marsh is celebrated as one of the landmark American conservation success stories.

Horicon Marsh occupies a glacial lake basin left by the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, whose lobes deposited the moraines surrounding the basin and left the flat, shallow glacial lake bed that became the marsh. The basin’s shallow depth and flat bottom — typical of kettle-moraine lake basins in eastern Wisconsin — made it ideal for the development of the vast cattail marsh and open water habitat that characterizes Horicon today. The surrounding moraines and glacial landscape of the Kettle Moraine region reflect the same Ice Age glaciation that shaped the marsh basin.

Horicon Marsh is one of the premier wildlife refuges in the Midwest — a world-class birding destination hosting over 300 species, including the legendary fall concentrations of Canada geese (200,000–300,000 at peak), large flocks of migrating ducks (mallards, teal, canvasback, diving ducks), great blue herons and great egrets nesting in rookeries, double-crested cormorants, sandhill cranes, American bitterns, rails, shorebirds and an abundance of songbirds in the surrounding uplands. White-tailed deer, muskrat, beaver, foxes, otters and mink inhabit the marsh edges. Bald eagles and osprey hunt the open water. The fall goose migration is one of the great wildlife spectacles in North America.

Horicon Marsh is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, a restored glacial marsh ecosystem of open water, emergent wetland (dominated by cattail and bulrush), wet meadow and upland habitats that supports a vast and productive wildlife community. The marsh is a critical stopover and concentration point on the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, and a significant breeding area for marsh-nesting birds. Its restoration from drained farmland to thriving marsh is a landmark example of wetland restoration, demonstrating the ecological productivity and wildlife value that can be recovered through conservation investment. Protecting the marsh’s water quality and the surrounding upland buffer sustains this exceptional ecosystem.

Horicon Marsh holds a celebrated place in Wisconsin’s conservation heritage as the site of one of the most successful wetland restorations in American history and home to one of the most spectacular wildlife events in the Midwest — the fall Canada goose migration. Immortalized in Aldo Leopold’s writings on Wisconsin’s wildlife and celebrated by generations of birders, naturalists and wildlife watchers, the marsh is a symbol of what conservation effort and wetland restoration can achieve, a living demonstration of the ecological wealth hidden in Wisconsin’s glacial lake basins.

Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (north unit) is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and located north of Horicon in Dodge County, Wisconsin, off State Route 49. The Wisconsin State Wildlife Area (south unit) is managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with access from Horicon. The NWR auto tour route, hiking trails and observation areas are free and open to the public (check FWS for seasonal hours and road conditions). The Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center (DNR, south unit) offers exhibits and information. Guided canoe and pontoon boat tours are available from Horicon in the warm months. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin DNR for access, tour schedules and current conditions before visiting.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manages the Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages the state wildlife area, together protecting the 22,000-acre restored marsh. Visitors help by staying on designated trails, auto tour routes and boat channels, not disturbing nesting and roosting birds (especially during spring nesting and fall migration), respecting the marsh vegetation and wildlife, packing out all trash, and following the refuge and wildlife area rules. Protecting the water quality of the marsh and the surrounding upland buffer sustains the ecological and wildlife value of this nationally significant wetland restoration.

Horicon Marsh is a vast, shallow wetland — kayakers and canoeists should watch for changing weather and wind conditions on the open water, carry a life jacket and dress for cool, wet conditions. Mosquitoes and biting insects are heavy in summer; come prepared with repellent and protective clothing. Ticks are present in the upland and meadow habitats; check carefully after hiking. During hunting seasons (the refuge and wildlife area have regulated hunting), wear blaze orange in hunting areas and respect posted hunting zones. The fall goose migration can draw large crowds on peak migration days — plan accordingly for parking and access.

Horicon Marsh NWR (north unit) is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; the south unit by the Wisconsin DNR; each has specific rules. The auto tour route and hiking trails are open to the public free of charge (check seasonal hours). Hunting is permitted in designated zones and seasons under federal and state regulations. Fishing is permitted under Wisconsin regulations. No collecting of wildlife, plants or eggs. Dogs are allowed on leash in some areas; check current rules. Do not approach or disturb nesting or roosting birds. Canoe and kayak access is permitted in designated areas. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Wisconsin DNR for current rules, hunting schedules and seasonal access before visiting.

The town of Horicon and the broader Dodge County landscape surround the refuge, with the Kettle Moraine State Forest — Northern Unit to the east, the cities of Beaver Dam and Fond du Lac nearby, and Lake Winnebago — one of the largest inland lakes in the United States — to the north. Fond du Lac is about 30 miles north and Madison about 60 miles west. Horicon Marsh anchors a rich natural-area cluster in east-central Wisconsin, where the Kettle Moraine and the glacial lake basins offer exceptional birding, wildlife and outdoor recreation within easy reach of Milwaukee and Madison.

Plan a fall visit in October — the peak Canada goose migration, when hundreds of thousands of geese concentrate on the marsh, is one of the most spectacular wildlife events in the Midwest; arrive at sunrise for the best light and the magical experience of wave after wave of geese lifting from the marsh. Drive the NWR auto tour route for the best vantage points, bring binoculars and a spotting scope, and check the FWS and Wisconsin DNR for current migration reports. Visit in spring for the shorebird and duck migration. Kayaking the open channels of the marsh in summer is an exceptional experience — arrange a guided tour from Horicon for the best access.