Retzer Nature Center — Attraction in Town of Genesee

A most beautiful park in every way!! I visited and walked around for about 3 hours enjoying the beautiful woods and streams and went back the next day to walk for another 3 hours just to be able to enjoy the rest of the park!!

They have many miles of walking paths that are marked by color (there is a map/trail key by the parking lot or you can get one in the center).

Most of the trails are dirt, wood chips, or raised wooden boardwalks that wind and twist throughout the various elevations of marsh, grassland, cedar, pine, and oak forest areas.

I would highly recommend taking the entire yellow trail hike. It is somewhat challenging, but is ABSOLUTELY worth it!! Hiking through ancient oaks, and following boardwalks that have streams babbling beneath them as you wind you're way through nestled pine groves, fans, and grassy meadows was simply beautiful in every way. Every corner led you to another breathtaking area of some of Wisconsins most beautiful outdoors!!

I took many pictures to show just a small piece of the beauty that this park contains and HIGHLY recommend that if you are anywhere near Waukesha, WI that you take the time to experience the simple beauty of this...

Absolutely love this place. The natural playground keeps my 2 year old busy for quite a while. The flower gardens are beautiful and always full of pretty pollinators. The trails are very nice to walk. It is very rejuvenating and peaceful.

The only negative thing about the place (that makes me sad) is seeing how poorly cared for some of the animals are. All of the box turtles have severely overgrown beaks. Some enclosures have dirty reptile carpeting which is notorious for harboring bacteria and is impossible to clean. I'm fairly certain the three toed box turtle was deceased today on our visit. It was in the same strange, lifeless-looking position an hour apart with its eyes swollen completely shut. No one was around for me to notify. The tank the albino snake is housed in is way too small, which does not allow for proper heat gradients and there is no enrichment for it, either. Thankfully kids are blissfully unaware of these things..sometimes I wish I...

This is a small trail area, but big at the same time. My advise would be to learn what the different color of the arrows on the trails mean. If you get turned around or lost, don't worry. The trails eventually lead to multiple exits toward the parking lot. There is a route or two that may lead to main HWY roads, but just turn back and take another route and you'll get back. If you are going on a hot day, don't forget the sun block as there is a huge open find trail with little shade on the walk and, of course, some water. In the summer, you will have to deal with flies and maybe bees in the open field area, but you'll be fine. In addition, it's FREE! Fresh air, local nature environment at it's best, and a good way to get your steps in if you are using a smartwatch to keep track of those...