The Broughton Sheboygan Marsh Park and Wildlife Area (the Marsh) is the prominent feature in a 133 square mile watershed of the Sheboygan River. This pristine area contains about 14,000 acres of land and surface water, of which 7,414 acres are owned by Sheboygan County and an additional 752 acres are owned by the State of Wisconsin. The balance of the Marsh is under private ownership. Sheboygan County owns a 30 acre park at the gateway to the Marsh. The park is a major tourist destination with 64 developed campsites, group camping facility, large picnic area with shelter, playground, boat launch ramps, fishing piers, the Marsh Lodge (full service rustic restaurant and tavern), and the Broughton Lodge (the historic original lodge which was open to large gatherings and special events). Part of the park is traversed by the 228.4 mile public snowmobile trail. As the entryway into the Marsh, the park is also visited by numerous hikers, canoeists, cross country skiers, hunters, trappers, and fishermen. The Marsh itself is a wilderness area and for the most part visitors who enter into it must be physically fit and have the time and equipment to fully enjoy this vast area. The Marsh exists due to the retreat of the last glacier that covered the region. Melt waters and successive water flows were blocked by a prominent rock outcropping which served as a dam. Over thousands of years, the original glacial lake that was formed behind the rock outcropping was filled in with decaying plant matter to form the present day Marsh. In fact, up to 100 feet of marl and peat fill the Marsh basin.

Click here to an overhead camera view of the park area produced by a local resident, Steve Back.

Glaciers to Current Glory

Marsh History:

Raised so far:  $2,050,000  GOAL:  $2,100,000

Friends of the Sheboygan Marsh