Blue River Bluffs is one of my favorite sites.  Easy to find, easy to access, great views, a wide variety of species; all in all, just a great SNA.  There are two parcels for Blue River Bluffs; both can be accessed by parking along the road, either Old County C Road for the west parcel or Chezik Road for the east parcel.

I first explored the west parcel, which unfortunately for me that day, had recently been burned.  A prescribed burn, of course, but that meant a comparatively barren understory.  An abundance of ferns dominated the slope with large-flowered bellwort, wood anemone, and wild geranium mixed in.  This parcel is generally more wooded than the east parcel, though there is an open area at its southwest corner.  I moved on to the east parcel with is a dry prairie virtually from the road to the top of the slope.  Here I observed great numbers of puccoon, bird’s-foot violet, pussytoes, rock-cress, and wild columbine.  The slope is somewhat steep, but manageable if you take your time.  There are great views, particularly from the east parcel of the Wisconsin River valley to the north.  I definitely recommend a visit to this site and nearby Blue River Barrens (tomorrow’s post) as well.

Bluff

Hairy Puccoon

Yellow Star Grass

Wild Geranium

Wild Columbine

View from the Bluff

Bird’s-foot Violet

Bluff

More of my photos (and full-res) from Blue River Bluffs can be viewed here.

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