Ancient Shores Trail

The Ancient Shores Trail is a mile-long loop in Kohler-Andrae State Park. Kohler-Andrae State Park is located on the shores of Lake Michigan south of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The Ancient Shores Trail takes hikers onto former Lake Michigan beach ridges. One of the ridges, the Nipissing Transgression, was formed about 5,000 years ago when the level of Lake Michigan was a few meters higher than it is today.

The trailhead for the Ancient Shores Trail is at Friends Fishing Pond parking lot. There is a vault toilet here. The parking lot can be reached by driving outside of the main park area to Old Park Road or by walking the closed portion of Old Park Road for 0.3 miles from near the dump station. The trailhead sign for the Ancient Shores Trail indicates the trail is 1.3 miles long, but a mile seems more accurate. 

The trail begins by using the paved Friends Fishing Pond Trail; take a right as the trail meets the pond. The Ancient Shores Trail soon leaves the paved path to the right onto a wide mowed path through prairie habitat. After about a third of a mile, the trail crosses a wetlands area via a boardwalk and then enters a wooded area. In the woods the trail climbs about 15 feet onto the ancient beach ridge. The trail leaves the woods and follows along the ridge for about a half of a mile. The trail then meets the west end of the paved Friends Fishing Pond Trail that leads back to the parking area.

There are interpretive signs with information about the ancient ridge and the history of the area by the trail. Dogs are allowed on the Ancient Shores Trail but must be kept on a leash that is no longer than 8 feet in length. Since the Ancient Shores Trail is located in a state park, a fee must be paid to enter the park. A day use or annual permit can be purchased at the park office.