EXPLORATION SITES in WISCONSIN

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Prospect Hill Elementary School
What you'll find at this abandoned New Berlin elementary school is high risk, high reward. Neighbors and even passing cars report any figures seen in the area to the local police, but if you get lucky and sneak inside, you'll find one of the most decrepit and spooky places in Wisconsin. Three floors of crumbling ceilings, spray-paint-covered walls, ominous messages, and remnants of civilization (like broken desks, old classroom posters, and decaying cabinets of school supplies) await those who dare to enter its heavily-protected doors.

Roof of The Tannery
Best view of downtown Milwaukee, hands down. The hard part is that you've got to wait until the doors are open, but no one is there, so go during a National Holiday. It's worked for me on Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and a week before Christmas. 

Industrial Drive Graffiti Park
Shout-out to my cross country team (and the Greens?) for finding this sweet spray-painted spot right near the Mill Towers. Driving down Industrial never disappoints, since most of it is so crumbly and old over there in Mequon. 10/10 good place for Insta pics, my friends.

Good Ol' Abandoned Cars

I got lost once trying to find the Mill Domes and instead found this old car dealer with a yard full of abandoned cars. With grass and flowers growing through them, I've always wanted to go back and take pictures. Use your GPS to find 123 W Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207 and climb over the fence by Piggly Wiggly. Technically, these cars belong to American Industrial Motor Services. We think.

Black Tunnels
If all you've ever done is aboveground exploring (abandoned houses, cool graffiti, secret quarries), it's time to go down under... and by that, I mean underneath Brookfield. This tunnel is close to home, free of human interference, and probably infinite (I've never been to the end). I'd recommend it for anyone who isn't claustrophobic.

Mill Domes
If you're afraid of heights, keep scrolling: this site marks the highest climbing structure I've been to. Climb a 30-foot ladder to the top of an old grain mill to see the blaze of city lights all around, then climb down to investigate the eerie glow of old boating buildings and other, less impressive towers with plenty of low roofs to traverse and a low threat for other explorers.

"Sexy" Quarry (Sussex)
This quarry, a cleaner and more exotic variation of the one by Brookfield East, is a super cool place to go swimming at night. It's a little difficult to get to, but nothing impossible. Fans of the Bugline running trail (AKA cross country girls like myself) will be very familiar with the terrain.

Doyne/Hoyt Park Bridge
Grungy graffiti and crumbling climbing walls make this place a fun trip at any time of day or night. Be prepared to scale walls and squeeze through branches to get the most of the experience. If you're scared, there's always a trail of rocks that winds through the Milwaukee River to walk on as well.

Nike Missile Launch Site
Probably the most common among Brookfield kids, this site is better for more than impressing your girlfriend by making out with her underneath the tower. Climb the inner metal structure of the radar launch to reach the top, where you can see out over a hill toward the lights of Capitol (romantic, I know). Then, climb on down and break into the old storage building to find what is referred to as "the Dungeon," a spooky and mostly-unexplored warehouse of Cold War remnants.

Abandoned Train Park
I tried to take my senior pictures here, but unfortunately none of them turned out. The location, however, cooperated perfectly. Early morning shoots will be filled with train workers, but they don't mind people coming by with cameras. If you're going to vandalize, however, go at night.

The Quarry
There are a variety of entrances to this location ranging from a quick ten-steps from the car to an afternoon-worthy hike. Come at night for an illegal swim party, travel to the island in the center to look up at the stars, or just simply explore this area to feel as if you're thousands of miles away from home instead of one mile from Brookfield East.

LEGAL EXPORATION SITES

Black Cat Alley

I'll admit, it's a cool place to take pictures. But if I see one more Instagram of the Japanese fish with the caption "Hol up, hol up, hol up; we dem kois" I am going to take this one off of the site. You've been warned. Click here to open in Google Maps.

Swing Park, Milwaukee

It's in a busy location, but a lot of people still don't know about the swing park under a Milwaukee bridge. This is a favorite of many of my friends on a day where they don't have anything going on. It's close to a few other exploration sites, making a good endpoint for a journey. At the very least, it's a cool place to just chill. Address is 1737 N Water Street.

Kilbourn Park

If gross places dripping with asbestos aren't your thing, Kilbourn park is a cute alternative to grungy urban exploration. This site includes a hilltop view of Milwaukee, perfect for nighttime cityscapes and stargazing, and also a trail that leads to some cute lil' graffiti.

Milwaukee Pier Light House

Wait, there's actually things to do at the Summerfest grounds when it's not Summerfest? Who would have known! Click here to open in Google Maps.

Roof of Chuck E Cheese

One of the best views in Brookfield, drive around to the top of Louise's and park as close as you can to the Chuck E. Cheese roof. Then, climb down and walk through the gate (it's typically open) to sit on top of the building. This isn't that hard. Pictured is my 13-year-old sister.

Lake Park, Milwaukee

Check out an adorable white lighthouse, great lakeshore views, and more bridges than you can count. Great spot for biking, walking, or taking pictures, but no serious exploration required. Click here to open in Google Maps.

Brookfield Hidden Treehouses
Next time you're by Storms Driving Range, walk around to the back and take a right to see the most well-built tree-house I've yet to explore. A second, smaller one lies nearby, but the first treehouse is where it's at. Bring activities to do while laying in a hammock. Coordinates: 43.042407, -88.109729

Villa Terrace
Mix picturesque Italian architecture with modern art exhibits and you'll find Milwaukee's most underrated gallery. Villa Terrace is part museum, part marvel, all gorgeous. Go after hours and climb the fence to walk the gardens on your own private tour or stop in during a quiet time to walk the halls, peruse the art, and escape onto the rooftop. As long as no one's looking, there are also closed-off rooms and balconies closed to the public... as long as you're okay with jiggling a few door handles.

Grand Avenue Mall

While it's possible to shop in this awful location, Grand Avenue Mall is a better spot for some fancy architecture. This place is best explored if you're already in the area, since there's not a whole lot to see, but it's worth making the trip if you plan on bringing a camera and doing a photoshoot. Address is 275 West Wisconsin Avenue. (Tip: If you find yourself by a Boston Store, you've gone too far... cross the Skywalk with the coffee shop and go to the other side.)

Nature Center - Back Entrance

Sneak through the trails day or night with this handy back entrance to the nature center by Brookfield East. There's no danger of getting caught by the police, but my friend Hannah and I did have to run away from a coyote once... Park on Westwood Drive for this entrance and take the marked trail.

Mitchell Park "Utopia"

About as basic as it gets, this is the site that usually gets people interested in exploring. One time spent doodling on this wooden kayak launch site and you're hooked - you want to find more hidden spots to leave your mark. A good option for a bored afternoon with non-explorers or just a simple location to plan your next big adventure.

ARCHIVES

These places were awesome - especially Solvay - but someone's always got to tear them down. Beneath is a tribute to a few of my favorite places, a living memory of the adventure spots that once were. 

 Solvay Coke + Glass Factory [demolished]
My personal favorite! One of Milwaukee's most frequented abandoned hot spots, the Solvay Coke factory includes two buildings perfect for urban exploration and an easy-access ladder for second-floor and roof climbing opportunities. Perfect for fans of graffiti, photography, climbing, and general urban exploration. 

Hynite Factory [demolished]
Torn down in 2015, this site, originally built to manufacture whiskey and gin, was one of Milwaukee's oldest buildings and best sites for Urban Exploration. Any decent catalog of UrbEx locations includes Hynite, so it's on this list to build my street cred and help explorers identify pictures taken from this location.

Peter Cooper Glue Factory [demolished]
Commonly referred to as "the glue factory", this plant in Oak Creek put Milwaukee on the Urbex market back in 2010 when photographers began to frequent the site. Heavy Urbex traffic caused the city to demolish the location before many could explore its dusty interior.

Insane Asylum [fenced off]
The fact that it's an Insane Asylum just makes this abandoned structure all the more cool. It's not a huge area to explore, but it's great for dramatic photography. Just be careful not to get caught - this place is one of the most likely to get busted (if you're not smart about it).

Abandoned Arches [fenced off]
Solvay might be gone (rest in peace), but these crumbling train supports behind the original structure remain intact and covered in pretty graffiti. Bring a few friends for artsy pictures or take your climbing shoes to scale the two red-brick smoke towers. All in all a great place to bring the fam, even though the coolest part of the Solvay site has been destroyed.