Photo Gallery: Signs of Spring in Grant Park's Seven Bridges Trail

"Enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature."

That's the sign that greets visitors to the Seven Bridges Hiking Trail at Grant Park in South Milwaukee as you reach the trailhead.

As the signs of winter slowly give way to the relative warmth of spring, the trails and nature areas at Seven Bridges are just beginning to perk up again. Budding trees, early flowering plants and the sound of trickling streams are just the beginning for this area gem.

We went out to Seven Bridges this weekend to bring you a collection of photos, showing you some of the signs of spring. It's safe to say that this unique locale will only get greener and more lively as the warmer months approach.

But don't just take our word for it, see for yourself! To help, we've included the information below as a guide to encourage you to get out and enjoy what nature has to offer.

SEVEN BRIDGES TRAIL - information from Wisconsin Explorer

COUNTY: Milwaukee
COMMUNITIES: South Milwaukee
TOTAL MILES: 1 Mile Double Loop
DIFFICULTY: Easy
POINTS OF INTEREST: Lake Michigan

DIRECTIONS
Address for your GPS: Grant Park 100 Hawthorne Ave South Milwaukee, WI 53172
| coordinates: 42.923108, -87.848585 |

HISTORY - Information from Milwaukee County Parks Department

In the early 1900s, Frederick C. Wulff, the first Superintendent of Horticulture for the park system, developed paths which served as the foundation of the Seven Bridges Trail. He lived with his family in what is now the park's overnight lodge, grew nursery stock in the Wil-O-Way area, planted many of the non-native trees found in the park, and raised pheasants and geese here.

In the '30s, the trail was further developed as a Works Progress Administration project. It required a crew of over 200 Civilian Conservation Corps workers to construct retaining walls along creek beds and throughout the ravine, and to create lannon stone paths and staircases.

Over the years the trail system declined, but in 1995–96, five young members of the Wisconsin Conservation Corps, trained by Park Maintenance staff, reconstructed damaged sections of the trail, rebuilt staircases and six bridges, added railings and signs, and remodeled the overnight lodge. The covered bridge was renovated by Parks Maintenance staff.

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