Campbellsport Drumlins State Park
🧊 Where Glaciers Left Hills That Look Like Overturned Spoons — Wisconsin’s Drumlin Field — Campbellsport Drumlins State Park in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail corridor, glacial drumlins (streamlined hills formed by ice sheets), prairie restoration, grassland birding, Kettle Moraine region, one of Wisconsin’s newest state parks — Fond du Lac County, WI
During the last Ice Age, the Laurentide Ice Sheet covered Wisconsin under a mile of ice. When the glacier retreated, it left behind a landscape of hills — drumlins — elongated, teardrop-shaped mounds of glacial sediment, all aligned in the direction the ice flowed. The Campbellsport Drumlins are among the finest examples in the world.
From above, they look like a field of overturned spoons, all pointing the same direction. From the ground, they’re rolling hills covered in restored prairie grass — a landscape that looks gentle until you understand it was sculpted by a mile of moving ice.
What to See
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| The Drumlins | Elongated hills of glacial till (unsorted sediment) deposited and shaped by the advancing and retreating ice sheet. Each drumlin is typically 100–150 feet high, 0.5–1 mile long, with a steep end (stoss) facing the direction the ice came from and a gentle tail (lee) pointing the direction it went |
| Ice Age Trail | The Ice Age National Scenic Trail — a 1,200-mile trail following the terminal moraine of the last glaciation across Wisconsin — passes through or near the park. The trail connects the drumlins to the larger story of Wisconsin’s glacial landscape |
| Prairie Restoration | The park is restoring native tallgrass prairie on the drumlin slopes — big bluestem, Indian grass, compass plant, and prairie dock. The prairies that covered these hills before European settlement are returning, managed with prescribed fire |
| Birding | Grassland birds thrive in the restored prairie: bobolinks, eastern meadowlarks, dickcissel, grasshopper sparrows, and northern harriers hunting over the drumlin fields. One of the best grassland birding sites in southeastern Wisconsin |
| Kettle Moraine | The park sits within the broader Kettle Moraine region — a 120-mile band of glacial landforms (kettles, kames, eskers, moraines, and drumlins) that represents one of the most diverse glacial landscapes in North America |
The Ice Age in Wisconsin
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| The Glacier | The Laurentide Ice Sheet covered most of Wisconsin during the last glaciation (Wisconsin Glaciation, peaked ~26,000 years ago). The ice was up to a mile thick. When it retreated (~12,000 years ago), it left the landscape we see today |
| Drumlins Explained | Drumlins form under a moving glacier. The ice deposits sediment and shapes it into streamlined hills — like a sculptor working clay. The orientation of drumlins tells geologists exactly which direction the ice moved. In the Campbellsport field, they point roughly north-south |
| Why Here? | The Campbellsport drumlin field is one of the densest concentrations of drumlins in North America. The bedrock and sediment conditions here were ideal for drumlin formation. Geologists travel from around the world to study this field |
| Ice Age Trail | The 1,200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail follows the edge of the last glaciation across Wisconsin — one of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the US. The Campbellsport Drumlins are a key feature along the route |
Best Time to Visit
| Season | Best For |
|---|---|
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 🌾 Prairie grasses at full height. Wildflowers blooming. Grassland birds singing. The drumlins green and dramatic against summer skies |
| Fall (Sep–Oct) | 🍂 Prairie grasses turning gold and bronze. The drumlins in autumn light. Hawk migration over the Kettle Moraine. Best photography |
| Spring (Apr–May) | Prescribed burns blacken the prairie (then green shoots emerge). Spring bird migration. The drumlins greening up. Muddy but beautiful |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Snow on the drumlins reveals their shape most dramatically. Cross-country skiing on the Ice Age Trail. The landscape at its most glacial-looking |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a drumlin?
A drumlin is a streamlined hill made of glacial sediment, shaped by a moving ice sheet. Think of it as the glacier’s fingerprint — an elongated mound pointing in the direction the ice moved. Drumlins typically travel in swarms, creating fields of aligned hills. The word comes from the Irish/Gaelic “druim” meaning ridge.
Is this a developed park?
Campbellsport Drumlins is a relatively new and minimally developed park — focused on landscape preservation and prairie restoration rather than recreational facilities. Hiking trails and the Ice Age Trail provide access. There are no campgrounds or visitor centers yet. The appeal is geological and ecological.
🧊 A Mile of Ice Left These Hills. 12,000 Years Later, the Prairie Is Coming Back.
Teardrop-shaped hills all pointing the same direction. Restored tallgrass prairie where bobolinks sing. And a 1,200-mile trail following the edge of the last Ice Age across Wisconsin.
