PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Ozaukee County is working to open a new nature preserve to the public, and the centerpiece of the project, a cable-suspended staircase that will carry visitors from the top of the bluff down into the gorge and to the beach, was just approved.
Clay Bluffs Cedar Gorge Nature Preserve in Port Washington is still a ways from opening to the general public, but when it does, residents will have access to sweeping gorge views and a path down to the Lake Michigan beach below.
WATCH: Neighbors excited for new Ozaukee nature preserve with 'floating' staircase for beach access
The staircase is designed to "float" above the bluff so it does not cause damage to the terrain and can shift gradually with erosion.
Andrew Struck, Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Director, said they have been working to develop the area for public use, including having volunteers plant thousands of new trees on the property.
"This trail we're walking on is roughed in. It's not done yet," Struck said. "You can see all the way down to the City of Port Washington and the lighthouse."
The county acquired the lakefront property in 2022 after much debate over its future. Eventually, the county plans to connect the trails with the nearby Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve to the south.
Plans also include a trail network, a parking lot and a visitor's center, with a total project cost of more than $500,000, funded mostly through state and county grants. The stairs themselves make up a large part of that funding. The County Board in April approved a proposal to build the staircase for nearly $400,000.
The suspended staircase will be the second of its kind in Ozaukee County. A similar structure was previously built by the same local company, About Nature LLC, at Virmond Park in Mequon.
The preserve sits just north of Lion's Den Gorge, another Ozaukee County park. Park visitor Lisa Oddis said public access to lakefront property is increasingly critical given the level of development happening across the county.
"With all of the lakefront property that's privately owned, having access to the beach and to the water, for the public is very important," Oddis said. "It's important to keep natural areas, for the conservation of animals, birds, insects."
The staircase will likely begin construction later this year, and at least some parts of the preserve could open to the public in 2027.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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