Outdoor Things to Do in Cedarburg: Parks, Trails & the Creek

The best outdoor things to do in Cedarburg all follow the water. Cedar Creek runs straight through the middle of town, and the town's outdoor life is strung along it — a waterfall and creek walk at the edge of downtown, a 30-mile paved trail for cyclists, and three miles north, the last historic covered bridge in Wisconsin sitting in its own creekside park. You can do the whole lot in a day, mostly on foot or by bike. Here's what's worth your time outdoors, and how each piece connects.

Cedar Creek Park and the waterfall

Right at the edge of downtown, Cedar Creek spills over the old mill dam into a short falls and a run of rapids — the closest thing Cedarburg has to a waterfall, and the anchor of Cedar Creek Park. The park has a flat riverside walk, a pedestrian bridge with the head-on view, a big playground, and the band shell that hosts the free Summer Sounds concerts on summer Fridays. It's the easiest outdoor stop in town, walkable from Washington Avenue.

Our full Cedar Creek Park guide covers the waterfall, parking, the dog rules, and the concert series in detail.

The covered bridge and Covered Bridge Park

Three miles north of downtown, the 1876 covered bridge — the last historic one in Wisconsin — stands on its original site over Cedar Creek in a quiet county park. It's pedestrian-only now, free to visit year-round, and the park around it has picnic tables, grills, and creek access. Fall is the classic time, when the tree cover turns and the red bridge against autumn color draws photographers and wedding parties.

The full story — the history, the honest answer to whether it's really Wisconsin's last covered bridge, and how to visit — is in our Cedarburg covered bridge guide.

The Ozaukee Interurban Trail

For anyone who wants to actually cover some ground, the Ozaukee Interurban Trail runs right through Cedarburg — a 30-mile paved path built along the old interurban rail line, connecting Cedarburg with Grafton, Port Washington, Mequon, and the rest of Ozaukee County. It's flat, paved, and good for cycling, walking, running, or inline skating, and it links directly into the downtown so you can ride in, stop for lunch, and ride on. The historic Interurban Depot in town is a nod to the rail line the trail replaced.

The creek and the mill district

Cedar Creek is the through-line, and the stretch around the Cedar Creek Settlement — the restored 1864 mill — is the most scenic in town. Footbridges cross the creek, paved and gravel paths follow it, and the mill's stone walls rise straight from the water. Even without going into the shops, the exterior grounds and the walk along the creek are worth the time, and they connect the Settlement to Cedar Creek Park just to the south.

Outdoors by season

Cedarburg's outdoors changes real character through the year. Late spring through early fall is peak: the creek is full, the Summer Sounds concerts run Friday nights in the park, and the Interurban Trail is busy with cyclists. Fall is the standout for the covered bridge and the creek walks, when the color turns. Winter quiets everything down but the covered bridge in snow is genuinely striking, and the trail stays open for cold-weather walking. There's no bad season; there's just different scenery.

Make a day of it

A natural outdoor day: start at Cedar Creek Park for the waterfall and creek walk, wander north through the Settlement grounds along the creek, then drive up to the covered bridge in the afternoon. Add a stretch of the Interurban Trail if you've brought a bike. For everything beyond the outdoors — food, shops, festivals — our things to do in Cedarburg guide maps the full day.