I Explored An Old Coal Dock And Found A Hidden World Of Flowers And Birds
By Ben Jones|Published March 29, 2024
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Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
Natural beauty can sometimes be found in unlikely places. That’s what I learned on a hike along Port Washington’s waterfront. An area that was once a place used by ships to unload coal for a power plant has a decidedly different energy today – it’s a Wisconsin nature sanctuary that’s teeming with life, home to birds, butterflies and wildflowers. It’s called the Port Washington Avian Sanctuary, and it’s a hidden gem worth seeking out.
You’ll find the sanctuary in Coal Dock Park, Port Washington’s newest park on Lake Michigan.
With its 1,500-foot promenade, 80-foot pedestrian bridge, and scenic views of the city skyline and Lake Michigan, the park is a great place to spend time on the waterfront. I parked my car in one of the park’s lots. There were plenty of spaces.
I crossed a small bridge on my way to the sanctuary.
It’s located on what was once the “South Dock.” The old soot-covered dock has been completely transformed.
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Established in 2011 as part of a mitigation project associated with the Port Washington Generating Station, the sanctuary is home to a variety of habitats, including deep and shallow marshes, wet meadows, and prairies.
It’s hard to imagine this park in Port Washington as a coal dock. It’s become a key stop-off point for migratory birds traveling up the Lake Michigan shore.
I’m looking forward to a return trip in a different season.
Have you had a chance to visit this Wisconsin nature sanctuary? Let us know in the comments. Make your Wisconsin travel plans on Booking.com; here’s where to find more Wisconsin adventures.
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