10,000 Steps Route: Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum

The beauty of nature is everywhere around us, but certain special places do seem to hold more splendor than others. Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum is definitely one of those locations and the more you explore the more you will appreciate the work that has gone in to preserving the landscape there. The Arboretum itself contains nearly 600 plantings surrounding a gorgeous interior meadow which makes for beautiful vistas when viewing the various vegetation from a distance. 

Over 2 miles of trails wind their way through the 90 acres and the Pike River offers a unique terrain to keep hikers entertained as they get their steps in. If you walk every inch of trail at Hawthorn Hollow once, you will be close to halfway to the 10,000 step mark, so one option to complete the steps is to do it a second time. Alternatively, you can add one extra loop each around the perimeter of the Arboretum meadow and the original and restored prairies, which flank the cluster of 3 historic buildings on the west end of the property. 

Distance: 3.4 miles

Complete your steps: Head to the nearby University of Wisconsin-Parkside Disc Golf Course for a round which will add another 1.6 miles to your total.