A former orphanage camp turned 140-acre county park, with Friess Lake fishing, nine cabins, a reception hall and a century-old chapel.
Most of this park is woods, and the lake sits along one edge of it. Glacier Hills County Park covers 140 acres of mostly forest on the west side of Richfield, with about 1,200 feet of frontage on Friess Lake. Washington County calls it the flagship of its park system, and Milwaukee Magazine readers placed it third among northern-suburb parks in a 2024 Best of the Burbs vote.
The address is 1664 Friess Lake Road in Hubertus, which is inside the Village of Richfield, and the county puts it about two miles from Holy Hill. A Washington County park pass, daily or annual, is required, and the county posts the current price on its parks pages.
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From orphanage camp to county park
Glacier Hills has a longer history than most county parks, because the land was a youth camp for St Amelian's Orphanage before the county took it over. County news puts the orphanage use from the 1930s to the 1970s, and the park has been public since the 1970s. A revitalization that began in 2017 has turned the old mess hall, the nuns' house, the chapel and the camp cabins into rentable buildings.
Friess Lake: fishing and paddling
Friess Lake is the largest of the six lakes in Richfield, at about 121 acres in the state Department of Natural Resources records. The county's fishing page lists largemouth bass, panfish, northern pike and walleye, and gives a maximum depth of 48 feet. Older state survey figures run slightly deeper, so expect small differences between sources. The state classes it as a deep lowland lake with blocked drainage, and it still carries water-quality monitoring records from 2026, so it is a watched lake rather than a forgotten one.
The park has a dock that the county recommends for fishing and for putting kayaks in. Kayak rentals are booked online through a link on the county's park page, so reserve before you arrive rather than expecting a rental desk. Boaters with trailers use the state launch on Little Friess Lake, which connects to the main lake through a channel.
Trails, the beach and winter at Glacier Hills
Summer use centres on the lakefront: TravelWisconsin lists a beach and swimming area, picnic areas and a shelter, play fields, a basketball court, sand volleyball and play equipment. That listing is undated, so confirm what is open with the county before planning a beach day around it.
In winter the same listing adds cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and a sledding hill, plus access to snowmobile trails. The hills that make the summer walk a workout are what make the sledding worth the drive.
Dog rules are not spelled out on the county's park page, and TravelWisconsin lists pets as welcome on inquiry, so call the parks office before bringing one.
Birding and quiet walks
The mix of forest, open ground, ponds and lakeshore draws birders, and The Park Next Door's profile of Glacier Hills reports more than 120 bird species recorded there. Early morning on the trails above the kettle ponds, before the lakefront fills, is the quietest time to look.
The Park Next Door also lists park hours of 6am to 10pm year-round, which the county page does not repeat, so treat closing time as approximate. Bring binoculars and water, and do not count on buying food in the park.
Cabins and the ranger house
The county does not publish a rental season or nightly rates on its own page, so check availability on the booking sites directly. TripAdvisor lists no hotels inside Richfield, which makes the park's cabins and ranger house the main way to stay in the village itself.
Glacier Hills Hall and the Little Flower Mission Chapel
Next to it, the Little Flower Mission Chapel is over 100 years old and seats 160, so a ceremony and reception can happen on the same grounds. The hall turns up among the reception halls in the round-up of Milwaukee wedding venues, and bookings go through the county at 262-335-4682.
A full day at Glacier Hills
A weekend day here can take in the woods, the water and a long lunch without much driving. Walk the trails in the morning while the light is low over the kettle ponds, then drive the 0.8 mile to the Fox & Hounds, which serves lunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Come back for a booked kayak in the afternoon, or fish from the dock for panfish and bass.
If you are staying in one of the cabins, the evening is yours, since the day visitors leave and the lake goes quiet.
Eat and explore near the park
For something casual, Bilda's Friess Lake Pub is about 1.6 miles east at the corner of Highways 164 and 167, with pizza, burgers and outdoor seating. About 0.8 mile from the park, Holy Hill Art Farm holds art and craft markets on its 80-acre homestead on set weekends.
Holy Hill itself is about 1.8 miles west in a straight line, and the climb to the basilica and its lookout pairs naturally with a lake afternoon.
For a second park with a very different feel, the 1870s mill and log buildings at Richfield Historical Park are about 2.1 miles northeast.
Back toward the village, the things to see in Richfield beyond the lake run from a mill to a taproom.
Frequently asked questions
Published October 5, 2026
