Welcome

We are located on the Rock River in Dodge County, the historic gateway to the Horicon Marsh. You will be captivated by our ease of life and thoroughly enjoyable setting.

Enjoy this sportsman and naturalist’s paradise where fishing, hunting and birding, exploring and hiking are all complimentary leisure activities throughout the area including the renowned Horicon Marsh and Indian effigy mounds.

Stroll along walks bordering the Rock River and through our community filled with homes of a variety of Architectural styles.

Explore the past as you visit our 2 museums, the White Limestone Building and the Wagon and Carriage Factory. Both are rich in artifacts, photography and memorabilia from the ironworks of our years gone by, and check out our local industrial enterprises in the city of today.

Browse our Historic Downtown or the West Side, both with a blend of unique shops, services, restaurants, and inns.

Return to Mayville where natural beauty, historical sites, and friendly and industrious people await you throughout the year.

Mayville City Map

Make It Mayville Community Guide

The Horicon Marsh

Carved out by 3 great glaciers in the Ice Age, the Horicon Marsh is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States and has been recognized as a wetland of international importance at over 33,000 acres in size. Nomadic hunters arrived here as early as 12,000 years ago. They were followed by other prehistoric Indian cultures, mound builders and other woodland cultures. Around the marsh, there still exists the burial mounds and artifacts that tell the tale of its history. The Potawatomi and Winnebago people had their settlements here and many area residents have found large collections of artifacts such as spear points, arrowheads and stone tools. Some of the most interesting artifacts are the effigy mounds built by people between 700 A.D. to 1200 A.D. In the 1850’s our first state geologist survey mapped over 500 mounds around the Horicon Marsh alone. Artifact displays can be seen at the Horicon Historical Society’s Clark home, Mayville White Limestone Building, Beaver Dam Historical Society and the Fox Lake Historical Society.

During the 1800, ducks were abundant on the marsh and geese were fairly uncommon. Canadian Geese weren’t managed until the 1940’s growing the population to what we have now. Through restoration of the marsh and intensive agriculture in the surrounding area, it provides an attractive area for the geese in East Central Wisconsin. These birds are regulated by the state and federal laws because of hunting season. Most of our State and Federal wildlife properties were purchased and developed with funds contributed by hunters, collected through hunting license fees, duck stamps and excise taxes.

The marsh is home to the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center. Located at N7725 Highway 28 in Horicon, WI. The Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center brings a modern design and amenities for enhanced visitor services. Educational displays and exhibits provide a great opportunity to learn more about the History of the area from the Ice Age to present day.

Download the Explorium Brochure

Ticket Information

General Admission — $6
Students (5-17) — $4
Children (4 and under) — Free
Super Saver Daily Pass (two adults and two students) — $15
Individual Annual Pass — $15
Friends Member Individual Annual Pass — $10
Super Saver Annual Pass — $45
Friends Member Super Saver Annual Pass — $30
Self-guided organized youth groups — $25 minimum or $2 per person
Individuals with patron license — Free
Members of the Armed Services — Free on Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day weekend

Hours

Weekdays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Weekends: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Directions

Taking Palmatory Street north from Highway 33 in the city of Horicon brings one to the state hiking trails and Palmatory Street Overlook. From the top of this hill is one of the finest views of Horicon Marsh. A good number of birds can be sighted from the observation deck without having to walk much at all. Look through scopes to Fourmile Island, a nesting site for great blue herons.

Birding on the Marsh

The Horicon Marsh provides a critical habitat for over 300 species of birds and supports the largest nesting population of redhead ducks east of the Mississippi River. Come on out and search for pelicans, geese, ducks, egrets, cormorants and herons. The Horicon Marsh is also a home to a number of threatened and endangered species.

Visit the website of the Horicon Marsh Bird Club.
Click here to download the Bird Checklist for your visit.

Area Museums

Horicon Museum

Mayville White Limestone & Wagon

To learn more, click here.

Carriage Factory

To learn more, click here.

Parks

Mayville Rotary making an impact

The Kayak Station, Disc Golf and Bikes were a gift to the City of Mayville from the Mayville Rotary Club. Thank you to Rotarians, Mayville Park Board, generous area businesses and individuals for making these possible.

Mayville City Park Free Kayaking and Disc Golf

Rotary Kayak Station in the City Park image 1

Ledge Park

N7403 Park Road – Horicon, WI. For directions, park maps and Rules please click here.

The Ledge Park is an opportune place to stay while visiting Mayville and exploring the Horicon Marsh. You can also visit the Horicon Marsh International Education Center, the Wild Goose State Trail and Gold Star Memorial Trail along with many other attractions in Mayville and Dodge County.

The Ledge Park is located on 82 acres of land and lies along the Niagara Escarpment, a natural rock ledge divides the park into upper and lower areas and provides a breathtaking overlook of the Horicon Marsh. The upper area is heavily wooded and offers picnic areas, a shelter, hiking trails, 45 campsites, a restroom/shower facility, a dump station, and the Fort Ledge Playground. The lower area also offers a shelter, picnic areas, hiking trails, a wildlife pond and play equipment. Hiking trails wind along the ledge, between interesting and unique rock formations and through heavily wooded areas. Ledge Park is in the north central part of Dodge County, between Horicon and Mayville, just off Hwy TW.

Amenities Include:

30-amp Electric Sites
Non-electric Sites
Group Site
Potable Water Fill and Dump Station
Shower Building (Free)
Flushable Toilets
Vault Toilets
Picnic Tables
Fire Rings
Firewood Bundles Available for Purchase
Picnic Areas
Shelters

Trail Maps + Information

The Gold Star Trail

The Gold Star Trail is a non-motorized path creating a safe off road connection between Mayville and Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area Education and Visitors Center. Construction on Phase 1 began in February 2018 and wrapped up in November 2018.

The Gold Star Memorial Trail, Phase 1, was dedicated on National Trails Day- Saturday, June 1, 2019 officially connecting Mayville’s Theiler Park to the Visitors Center. This trail remembers those who have given their lives serving our country and their families.

Phases 2-5 continue the Trail into Horicon and Beaver Dam. Currently, the Horicon Marsh trails do not permit bike riding, but users can walk, hike or walk a bike on the southern Bachhuber Trail to Palmatory Point (Phase 5), which then connects to the City of Horicon Gold Star Memorial Trail bike route (Phase 4). If you would like more information or would be interested in supporting the Gold Star Memorial Trail please follow the link and click support the Trail at https://goldstarmemorialtrailwi.org/about-the-trail.

For Trail Maps of Phase 1-5, click here.