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Roche-a-Cri State Park in Friendship, Wisconsin is small but provides visitors the chance to walk among ancient Native American petroglyphs and geological wonders. It’s an impressive place and one we highly recommend for short hikes and weekend camping. In fact, this is where we decided to take our toddler camping for her very first time. Beyond the natural beauty and cultural significance of Roche-a-Cri, it is also a place that will forever hold a special place in our own personal story. We expect many return trips in the years to come and hope you get to explore on your own here one day!
What to Expect in this Guide
In this guide, we start by sharing park basics to get you situated and prepared to enter the park. Next, we share a bit of history that will help you fully appreciate what you will get to see when you visit. Then, we take you on a hiking tour of each of the six trails within the park grounds followed by an overview of the campground. We also share tips to make your time here more enjoyable and share recommendations on top things to do and see outside the park.
We hope this guide serves you well as you prepare to visit Roche-a-Cri IRL or from the comfort of your home (yes, armchair travel can be just as fun!)
Park Basics
Where is Roche-a-Cri State Park? Roche-a-Cri State Park is in the town of Friendship in Adams County in central Wisconsin. It is approximately a 35-minute drive from Wisconsin Dells, a 1.5-hour drive from downtown Madison, 2.5-hour drive from downtown Milwaukee and an almost 4-hour drive from Chicago. Here is the address for the main entrance gate. If you happen to visit Roche-a-Cri in the winter, the main entrance will be closed. You will have to access the park off Czech Avenue which is southwest of the main entrance.
What does the name Roche-a-Cri mean? Roche-a-Cri is the name of the large, sandstone mound in the middle of the state park. In fact, the park is named after this mound. The literal translation of “Roche-a-Cri” is “crevice in the rock” but as Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) states on their website, “Roche-A-Cri” comes from French words meaning ‘screaming rock.’” You may also hear it called “rock that cries.” It’s believed that a French explorer bestowed this name upon the mound after hearing frequent cries from eagles flying around the top of the mound.
What is the mound made of? The Roche-a-Cri mound is composted of layers and layers of sandstone deposited and compressed over thousands of years. It is what is leftover from an ancient glacial lake. When the glacial lake existed this mound probably looked like a tiny island breaking the water’s surface. Today the mound towers 300 feet above the surrounding Wisconsin sand plains.
Is there a fee to visit Roche-a-Cri State Park? Yes, a vehicle admission sticker is required to enter the park. You can purchase both daily and annual passes when you arrive at the park inside the ranger stations near the park entrance. Or, you can purchase an annual sticker in advance online at Wisconsin.gov Shop. The sticker is valid for one calendar year and will gain you entrance to every state park in Wisconsin. If you’re camping at the state park and already have your vehicle admission pass, you can go directly to your site any time after 3 p.m. on the day of your camping reservation. Otherwise, please remember to stop by the property office or kiosk to purchase your pass first.
Navigating the Park: Here is a map of the park that shows everything available inside the park including hiking trails, camp sites and toilets. As Roche-a-Cri is a small park, it may come as no surprise to learn the road inside the park is one-way. It loops the park so if you miss your planned turnoff point, just keep driving until you return to where you want to end up. The loop is 1.2-miles.
Connections to Native American Culture
Similar to Aztalan State Park in Jefferson, Wisconsin, a good deal of this park’s magic is in it’s clear ties to ancient Native American culture. Those ties are on full display at the bottom of Roche-a-Cri mound, where you will find authentic Native American petroglyphs.
It is the most well preserved Native American rock art in the state and is believed to have been created by ancestors of the Ho-Chunk tribe. Historians believe ancient Native Americans considered the mound to be sacred and likely arrived at the site via the stream that sits directly across from the mound.
The petroglyphs are admittedly faded and can be difficult to see on the rock but if you look close enough you will be able to spot them. They are a dull red color and most of what remains visible to the naked eye appears to look like bird tracks. To this day no one truly knows what they represent but looking at the petroglyphs is like gazing at scenes from a long-lost world with the earliest of these painted around 1845. This entire section of the park is protected and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see the proof plaque in the ranger station.
While you will see names and dates alongside the petroglyphs, please remember to practice leave no trace principles which includes not altering the natural landscape and rocks in the park.
You will be able to view the petroglyphs from a sturdy platform at the base of the mound. This is also where you will find one of Travel Wisconsin’s Selfie Stands.
If you only have time to do one thing at Roche-a-Cri, let it be viewing the petroglyphs/ancient rock art and reading through the accompanying interpretation panels. We were captivated and even more so because we got to view these historical artifacts in their natural landscape – as opposed to behind glass at a museum.
You can easily find the entry point to the petroglyph viewing platform from the one-way road that goes through the park. While driving from the entrance, you will see a “rock art viewing” sign and a “Roche-A-Cri Mound State Natural Area” sign. These signs are next to a set of wooden steps that will lead you to the base of the mound. If you go past the signs there will be a very small parking lot as well.
Hiking at Roche-a-Cri State Park
Beyond the one-of-a-kind rock art, this state park offers hikers of all levels 7 different trails spread across the 145 acres of park grounds. Most trails are easy and short. If you hike all 7 trails it comes out to be about 6-miles of trails in total. One thing that surprised us the most about the trails within the park was how each lead us through varying landscapes. While some of the landscapes lead you through redundant views – this is Central Wisconsin after all and the park is small – there wasn’t a great deal of overlap. For that reason, we recommend you hike each trail and enjoy it in its own right.
We hiked here for two days. Below is the trail itinerary we followed and what you might expect to see while hiking each during the summer months.
Day 1: Our Hiking Itinerary
- Eagle Ridge Trail (0.35 mile)
- Mound Trail (0.3 mile)
- Acorn Trail (3.55 mile)
- Chickadee Rock Nature Trail (0.34– mile and accessible)
After reading through the historical marker located outside the Roche-a-Cri mound we crossed the road and picked up the Eagle Ridge Trail. This was a grassy trail and had us on the lookout for ticks the entire time. Admittedly this was our least favorite hike of our time in Roche-a-Cri State Park, but it was easy and led us to the wider trail system. From this trail we picked up the Mound Trail. We enjoyed the views on the mound trail immensely. On this trail you hike around the base of the Roche-a-Cri mound. It provides a unique perspective and allows you to get up close to the sandstone while hiking among gorgeous towering pines. Eventually this trail led us to the longest trail in the park, the Acorn Trail, which we hiked next. The Acorn Trail encircles the park and is the longest trail. It also has several spur trails which lead to other park features. Hiked in its entirety, the Acorn Trail provides a great tour of the whole park and its different landscapes. We hiked a good part of this trail but not the full thing. We hiked it upwards to where it connected to our final and favorite trek of the day down the Chickadee Rock Nature Trail.
Honestly we saved the best for last. This is an accessible trail with crushed gravel that leads through lovely pines. You can enjoy this trail in a wheelchair. The 0.34-mile trail is easy and kid-friendly. If you have a sturdy stroller, you could probably use it on this trail if you wanted to give it a go. At the end of the trail, you will find a large sandstone outcrop called Chickadee Rock. Kiddos like to climb on the rock.
If you swipe your hand on the rock, you will see some of the rock fall away – just bits of sand not huge chunks of stone. This rock is millions of years old and will eventually erode (as will Roche-A-Cri mound).
Many years ago, a park worker noticed many chickadees near this trail and wah-la a trail name was born. While we didn’t see any chickadees on the trail when we hiked it, if you know where to look you can find some of the holes these birds like to carve into the aging trees.
Day 2: Our Hiking Itinerary
- Spring Peeper Trail (0.65 mile)
- Turkey Vulture Trail (0.9 mile)
- Top of the Rock Trail (305 steps)
We started day 2 of our Roche-a-Cri hiking adventure by leaving the campground and walking on the main road all the way to the ranger station. This is we picked up the Spring Peeper Trail (0.65-mile trail). The trailhead is across from the ranger office. This trail surprised us the most and has a lot to offer. We hiked over a bridge that crosses Carter Creek, along some rolling terrain and along the restored sand prairie.
This trail blends into the Acorn Trail, and you can take it to access the Turkey Vulture Trail, which is what we hiked next. We found the views along the prairie on the Turkey Vulture Trail (0.9-mile loop) to be the most colorful of any hike in the park (during our summer visits). The footpath of the Turkey Vulture Trail was mostly sand and grass so come prepared with tick/bug spray when you hike this one.
After hiking Turkey Vulture Trail and doubling back a bit on the Spring Pepper Trail we made it to the main road in the park. We walked along the road until we arrived at the Top of the Rock Trail.
This specific trail is not explicitly labeled on the Roche-a-Cri State Park map which is interesting because it is the crown jewel of the hiking trails in this state park and will lead you to the peak of the Roche-a-Cri mound. Hikers are in for a treat with this trail as it deviates from a well-trodden footpath instead taking you up and down a man-made staircase with a total of 303 stairs. It is considered a strenuous climb and signage by the trailhead will tell you as much.
As you climb the stairway, you’ll pass through what is considered a northern dry forest made up of jack, red and white pine trees. It’s a unique ecosystem and thankfully provides lots of shade on the climb.
Also, along the climb you’ll find plenty of benches and rest stops. Each stop provides you a chance to enjoy some lovely Wisconsin scenery alongside many interpretive signs posted up at most landings. If you don’t feel like stopping on your way up to check out the signage, we recommend you take the time to read these over on your descent.
At the peak of the trail, you’ll get to enjoy an open cliff view that spans out over some impressive Central Wisconsin scenery including a cranberry farm and Quincey Bluff State Natural Area. The landscape sprawled out in front of you at the summit of the trail is what remains from that huge glacial lake that once covered this part of the state.
If you only have time to hike one trail in this park, let it be this one! We saved the best for last and it did not disappoint.
Camping at Roche-a-Cri State Park
There are only ~40 campsites within Roche-a-Cri State Park. All sites can all be found in what is considered a “rustic family campground.” With camping only available in this state park from late spring to early fall, it can be challenging to secure a spot. This is especially the case if you are looking to stay at one of the 4 electric sites. When making our reservation online, we learned that you must book at least two consecutive nights at the same campsite to complete a reservation. We booked our camping reservation on February 18 and were unable to find a Friday and Saturday available any time during the season to reserve a site with electric. Next year we might try making a reservation in late December/early January to see if we can grab a site for a weekend. We ended up making a reservation for a Sunday and Monday stay and did manage to secure one of the four electric campsites available within the park.
The campground is very easy to find. When you enter the park, the campground will be your first stop off the main road. The campsites are situated around a road that loops through the designated campground. All sites are clearly marked with a number. We stayed in site #15 and really enjoyed it. It was easy to park our camper on the site, and it was set up with a firepit, bench and picnic table. We did not have a campfire on this trip but if you camp here and need wood, your able to purchase firewood by cash at the Park Office (only during summer camping season).
Even being located steps from the campground road, we felt tucked away among towering trees which we loved. We could also easily access both bathrooms on the grounds. We stayed in one of the few electrical sites which seemed to be clustered together. Fellow campers we bumped into were older and while friendly when passing you by, everyone mostly kept to themselves. It was a peaceful campground and one we anticipate returning to in the future.
A note on the bathrooms – there are no showers at Roche-a-Cri campground. You only have access to vault-style bathrooms which are fairly clean, stocked with some toilet paper and hand sanitizer by the main door. There are signs up reminding you to close the toilet lid when you are done to prevent critters from getting down in the pit (eek!)
Click here to learn more about camping at Roche-a-Cri and to reserve a campsite. Reservations are required in advance for most campsites. Two sites are walk-in tent sites and are secured on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Events at Roche-a-Cri State Park
The park hosts several events each year including fun events for kids. Check out the Friends of Roche-a-Cri State Park Facebook page for more information on upcoming events.
For the little lovers of the outdoors, did you know you can participate in the Wisconsin Explorer program and earn cool patches as you complete fun, nature-themed activities in Wisconsin’s great outdoors? The program features nine different, self-guided themed booklets designed for kiddos ages 3-5 years, 6-8 years and 9 years and up. This is a FREE program and helps kiddos learn more about their natural surroundings in engaging and thoughtful ways.
Things to Do Outside the State Park
While there is quite a lot to do and see inside the park, venturing to the surrounding small communities of Friendship and Adams is a worthwhile trip. Below we share some of our recommended things to do in these towns if you visit in the summer.
Eat at a local restaurant
Becky’s Sugar Shack Restaurant & Bakery is a great place to grab some food outside of the state park. Located 5 minutes south of Roche-A-Cri in the small town of Adams, Wisconsin, this is the spot to go for a slamming breakfast sandwich or some delicious sweets like chocolate-dipped Twinkies, cheesecake slices or homemade lemon curd bread.
Check out Ship Rock
An easy wayside stop is Ship Rock. This is a cool limestone outcropping located directly off Highway 21in Adams County. Like the big Roche-a-Cri mound, it was shaped by Wisconsin’s glaciers long ago and stands like a giant ship lost at sea, hence the name Ship Rock. We were surprised to learn that Ship Rock is a popular spot among local rock-climbing enthusiasts looking to hone their rock-climbing skills. It’s ranked an “Easy 5 R Climb”. Other than stopping to check out the view and snapping some photos, there are plenty of picnic tables here if you’re looking for a lunch spot with a unique view. Ship rock happens to be one of 23 different rock formations around Adams County, but it is one of the few located on public land and easy to access.
Go for a Swim
If you’re looking for a swimming hole, we recommend you check out the Public Beach at Friendship Lake. It’s a small lake with a sand beach. The part you can swim in is roped off. It’s free to swim here and you can launch a kayak at this spot too. If the parking lot directly behind the beach is full you can park at the lot directly across Highway 21 by the playground.
Shop small
A great spot to pick up a beach read is Books on Main. This is a local bookstore selling new and used books. There is an excellent selection of books based in Wisconsin too! We recommend “The Beast of the North Woods” by Annelise Ryan. It’s a great introduction to one of the most iconic mythical creatures in Wisconsin, the Hodag. Be sure to venture to the back of the store to meet the bookstore’s resident pigeons who were rescued by the owner.
Playing it Safe: Tips for Keeping the Bugs Away
In the park the two biggest threats to visitors is Poison Ivy and ticks. There are several warning signs posted in the park and around the campground warning about Poison Ivy and the pain this plant inflicts if you come into contact with it. Also around the park you will also see signs warning about ticks. Signs like this:
Here are three other actions we personally take to protect ourselves from ticks when hiking:
(1) Wear tall socks which we pull up over long pants
(2) Wear light-colored clothing so you can easily spot ticks that may have gotten on you. I like to wear a lightweight white long-sleeved top and to put my toddler in a pair of lightweight white stretchy pants.
(3) Using NATPAT tick and mosquito stickers as a safe and easy outdoor bug protection method. We especially love using NATPAT for our toddler. Save 10% off NATPAT products today by using our special referral link to order online!
Final Thoughts
At Roche-a-Cri we got an even better outdoors getaway than we expected. This state park, while small, afforded us a front row seat to Wisconsin’s beauty and unique Native American culture. The hiking trails here led us through a sand prairie, unique to Central Wisconsin. They guided us to streams and sandstone giants that reminded us that there are bigger things in life than us. Most importantly, the trails here led us to a unique slice of history – painted long ago for us to humbly ponder today. If you are looking for spot to ease into hiking and/or camping, that is kid-friendly and gets you close to a free public beach for sunbathing and people-watching on the lake, then you’ll want to add Roche-a-Cri State Park to your list.
We hope you get to Roche-a-Cri one day. When you do, remember to take your time and enjoy the impressive views!
– Justin, Alyssa + Our Little Park Explorer
