Capture yourself at a state park property and share it on the Travel Wisconsin website

Enter the 12 Gem Challenge for a chance to win a 2017 state park sticker

MADISON – (RealEstateRama) — Picture yourself surrounded by fall colors in any of 12 Wisconsin State Park System properties. Then literally picture yourself at designated locations in those properties, post the images on Twitter or Instagram or upload to the Department of Tourism’s TravelWisconsin.com website. Photos will be verified for location and then will be entered in a drawing to win a 2017 Wisconsin state park admission sticker.

The Wisconsin departments of Natural Resources and Tourism and the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks today launched the “12 Gem Challenge.” People visiting any of the 12 designated state park properties can take a “selfie” at any or all of the designated locations within, post it to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #wistateparks and images meeting the guidelines will be added to a photo gallery on TravelWisconsin.com (exit DNR).

People can find the designated locations using a mobile-friendly story map that can be accessed through either the DNR or Travel Wisconsin websites or print out the 12 Gem Challenge [PDF] locations from the DNR website.

“Our state parks are all about having fun in Wisconsin and what a fun way to get out and enjoy one of these twelve parks in the fall,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. “Your experience may just inspire you to visit any of our state parks more often during any time of year.”

One selfie that people take from each of the 12 properties will be entered into the sticker drawing. Sticker winners will be drawn randomly and individuals are only eligible to win one sticker. The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks (exit DNR) is donating the 10 stickers for the drawing winners.

The 12 park properties in this challenge include: Brunet Island State Park;Governor Nelson State Park; Governor Thompson State Park; Harrington Beach State Park; Hartman Creek State Park; Lakeshore State Park; Newport State Park;Perrot State Park; Richard Bong State Recreation Area; Stower Seven Lakes State Trail; Wyalusing State Park; and Yellowstone Lake State Park.

All selfies must be taken at the designated locations within the park and will be verified by park staff before images are included in the challenge drawing. Each image must include the #wistateparks hashtag as well as the name of the park where the image was taken in the image description. All images become the property of the Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin Department of Tourism and Friends of Wisconsin State Parks to be used in promotional campaigns, print and social media platforms.

The 12 Gem Challenge runs through Nov. 13. Winners will be notified after the drawing has been completed through social media messaging.

For more information and detailed Challenge rules and regulations [PDF] search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keywords “gem challenge” or go to 12 Hidden Gems of Wisconsin State park System at TravelWisconsin.com (both links exit DNR).

Contact(s): Paul Holtan, state parks communications specialist, DNR office of communications, 608-267-7517 or paul.holtan (at) wisconsin (dot) gov