5 Wisconsin parks with the best fairy-tale vibes

From stunning nature escapes to children’s attractions full of whimsy, you won’t want to miss out on these Wisconsin parks with fairy-tale vibes.

It should go without saying, but getting out under the sun is one of the best ways to spend the warmer months in Wisconsin. After all, our winters can be bitter, and heading to your favorite park can feel oh-so rejuvenating—especially if you don’t forget your handy-dandy sunscreen. And sure, there are some amazing adventure parks in Wisconsin to check out this summer, but sometimes, you just need an escape with fairy-tale vibes to recenter yourself.

Luckily, there are a few Wisconsin parks that perfectly fit the bill. Some have straight-up fairy-tale vibes with mushroom and animal caricatures, while others are nature parks that transport you to faraway lands with their inherent otherworldly beauty. And this shouldn’t come as a surprise: Fairy tales as we know them today can largely be traced back to German archivists like the Brothers Grimm and Austrian writers like Hans Christian Andersen—and as fate would have it, Germans immigrated to the state en masse in the nineteenth century. Today, Wisconsin leads every other U.S. state in Austrian population when ranked by percentage.

With so much enchanted energy coursing throughout the state, it’s only correct that Wisconsin has so many notable parks with fairy-tale vibes worth checking out, from children’s parks to ones where you can feed deer like Snow White and more.

A passage in Parfrey’s Glen featuring craggy rock surfaces and trees bending in all directions like an enchanted forest. (Wisconsin DNR)

1. Parfrey’s Glen

Address: 1377 County Rd DL, Merrimac, WI 53561

Sometimes, the best parks are those that offer new experiences with each passing season. If that’s what you’re looking for, then search no further, as Parfrey’s Glen is the place for you. This nature park is situated in Devil’s Lake State Park, and from the second you cross its threshold, you will feel like you stepped into a fantasy book. You may even get serious “Frozen II” vibes in the fall when all of the leaves drift to the forest floor and set the nature park ablaze in a crimson parade.

Parfrey’s Glen has public business hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, giving visitors plenty of time to check out the scenery. And there’s a lot of scenery: While traipsing through one of the most glorious Wisconsin parks, you’ll find soaring rock faces, breathtaking greenery that looks like the world of “Once Upon a Time,” and, yes, a waterfall, which provides both beautiful photo ops and a nice, refreshing mist for your hike. Just don’t bring your pets, as they’re strictly forbidden.

Do bring bug spray, however, as many Tripadvisor reviewers have noted that it’s oh-so necessary if you don’t want to get eaten up, as our grandmothers would put it. But what else are other previous visitors saying? “It’s a peaceful and special spot with beautiful plants alongside a streambed,” one reviewer wrote. Another described how perfect the area is in the winter, saying, “Although it was only 15°, the views of the snow and ice were fantastic and well worth braving the cold.” Just keep one pro tip in mind: Get to the park as early as you can if you want to secure parking. Reviewers note that the lot is quite small, and the spots fill quickly.

2. Witches Gulch

Address: Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

If you want to avoid tourist traps and explore Wisconsin Dells like a local, you need to check out some of the scenery in the area. There’s Mirror Lake State Park if you’re looking for a more traditional experience, and then there’s Witches Gulch, which has a more enchanting vibe than your classic forestry.

Witches Gulch is one of the most whimsical Wisconsin parks because it’s nature incarnate; it hasn’t been taken over by humans or changed in any big way. It’s isolated and appreciated for the canyon it is, including its high rock faces and its rustic (though well-maintained) wooden bridges and walkways. Plus, its name is literally Witches Gulch—how much stronger could the fairy-tale vibes emanate from this place?

If you want to hike through Witches Gulch, be sure to book a ticket with the Upper Dells Boat Tours. This is the easiest—and only—way to reach the haven that is the Witches Gulch. “What a beautiful place. You feel as though you are being transported back to a time when magic and fairies were alive,” wrote one Tripadvisor reviewer. “The moss and trees bend down to you as [if] to tell you all their secrets.” Ultimately, Witches Gulp is giving “double, double toil and trouble” in the fiercest way.