Park Projects

About the Project

Waukesha County and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) are proposing to construct a multiuse trail within the We Energies corridor in Waukesha County and will sign a bike route that will connect with the existing Lake Country Trail that currently ends at Roosevelt Park.

This segment (Phase 5) of the trail (1.2 miles) begins within the We Energies utility corridor at the Jefferson and the Waukesha County line and extends to W. 2nd Street. At this point, bikes may continue on-road and bike route signage will continue on W. 2nd Street and S. Franklin Street to connect to the existing Lake Country Trail at Roosevelt Park. Pedestrians will have sidewalk accommodations connecting to the trail near W. 2nd Street and run parallel to W. 2nd Street to connect to existing sidewalk at S. Elm Street.

This segment of the trail continues the final section of a transportation route between Watertown and Oconomowoc constructed along this corridor and extends the already-existing 14.5-mile Lake Country Trail. The proposed trail extension will have a 10-foot wide asphalt surface within the existing We Energies corridor. The project also includes a new trailhead parking lot at W. 2nd Street where the off-road trail will terminate.

Design has begun and will continue through 2025. Construction is planned for 2026. Waukesha County is leading this project in collaboration with WisDOT, the City of Oconomowoc, and We Energies. This project will tie into Jefferson County’s extension of the Jefferson Interurban Trail (Phase 3), which is planned for construction in 2025.

Public Involvement Meeting 

The County, in conjunction with the City of Oconomowoc, hosted a Public Involvement Meeting at the Oconomowoc Community Center on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

Representatives from Waukesha County, the City of Oconomowoc, and KL Engineering were available to discuss the proposed project and address any questions or concerns. Materials from the meeting are posted below.

Meeting materials can be found here:

• FAQ Lake Country Trail Phase 5
• Lake Country Trail Phase 5 Public Comments Sheet
• Project Overview Lake Country Trail Phase 5
• Waukesha County Bike Map
• Typical Sections Lake Country Trail Phase 5

The goal of the Monches Property Restoration Project is to plant a diversity of shrubs and trees along the Oconomowoc River Greenway to reduce pollution from agricultural land and improve water quality.

The project is being completed in partnership with the Oconomowoc Watershed Protection Program. 

This large-scale project is supported by donations to the Parkland Conservation Fund. 

Project Resources

• Monches Area Map
• Donate to Parkland Conservation Fund

Improvements are being made to ensure the health and longevity of Forest Lake. As a seepage lake (with no inlet or outlet), anything that flows into the lake remains there. Erosion is shortening the life of the lake with added silt deposits, which threatens the ecosystem of the lake and negatively impacts recreation opportunities.

To support the continued health of the lake, we've made improvements such as tree plantings, fencing additions, and erosion repair. Additional improvements will include re-planting turf instead of the expanded gravel shoulder and the addition of a guardrail.

In 2025, further improvements will include addressing additional erosion areas and stabilizing the bank at the lake. There will be some temporary closures to let the restoration grow at that time.

Visitors can continue to use the main park entrance off of CTH C and access the lake using the "red" trail near the Picnic Area 1 parking lot.

Improvements are being made for wetland restoration to increase habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife along the Fox River. Work will include a prescribed burn, earthwork, vegetation, restoration, native seeding, and native plug planting.

This undeveloped park is largely accessed for hunting and walkers with or without dogs. For the duration of the project, through fall 2025, the park is temporarily closed (no public access or hunting).