Blowing By Buckhorn

Castle Rock Lake

If you've got the energy and plenty of DEET, a walk-in campsite could be ideal. Then again it could be a good way to get axed in your sleep and/or eaten alive by who knows what. Buckhorn State Park has 42 cart-in campsites, lots of woods, and Castle Rock Lake. I must have passed it a zillion times when I was schlepping up to Sparta every weekend, but never stopped.

Buckhorn's Sandy Bottomed Swim Area

When I finally dropped by Buckhorn State Park some 23 years later, it was one of those sun shiny gloomy is that a tornado in the distance kind of days, so I spent a lot of my time running back to shelter.
All these photos were taken with the car camera point-and-shoots, so lower expectations.

Nothing like a sandy bottom when camping. This is why although I own two tents, will choose to camp at the nearest motel whenever possible. And speaking of sandy bottoms, meet the Central Sands Region.

Sand Blow Lookout

*A wall of ice 10,000 years ago plugged the flow of glacial melt waters, the waters backed up and melted the ice plug, the water drained, and Bob's your uncle, you've got "Wisconsin's Dessert," aka the sandy bottom of a glacial lake.
It's pretty much a large litter box, if you know what I mean.

*Taken from an informational park sign called Hot, Flat, and Dry [insert joke], The Central Sands