The Kohler-Andrae State Park is a testament to the wonderful beaches afforded the Upper Midwest by the glacial recession of the last ice age. Some of the world's most pristine sand is found not at South Beach or West Palm or Rio, but on the shores of Lake Michigan. Wisconsin and Michigan are among the nation's leaders in exported sand, but thanks at least to this park, we'll never see a day when we used to have the finest sand in America. Because of the ecological effects of the vast freshwater lake, these sandy dunes are actually teeming with plant life, from the hearty-rooted grasses and creeping juniper, to majestic white pine trees, which normally grow only in heavy soil. Wildlife, however, still find the sandy climate (and stream of tourists) more difficult to abide. Still, there are birds and crickets, audible even above the roaring Great Lake beyond the towering dunes.
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