Lake Wissota State Park near Chippewa Falls occupies the northeastern shore of a reservoir created when the Chippewa River was dammed in 1917. Its landscape preserves a long natural history, from ancient granite and Cambrian sandstone to glacial sand and gravel left about 15,000 years ago, while also reflecting logging, failed farm settlement, and later reforestation. Authorized in 1961 and opened in 1972 after years of land acquisition and development, the park has since restored prairie and pine habitats disturbed by earlier land use. Today it is known for boating, fishing, swimming, trails, and its connection to the Old Abe State Trail.