Mt. Pisgah Hemlock-Hardwoods features a forest with relict hemlock and birch trees along the Kickapoo River within Wildcat Mountain State Park. Access is vai the Hemlock Trail which begins from the parking lot for the Lower Picnic Area.
The hike up Mt. Pisgah is fairly easy with no steep slopes and overall a gentle climb to the top where an overlook presents some nice views; note, however, that the actual Mt. Pisgah is not within the SNA boundaries. Along the way, the closed forest canopy promoted an eerie calm beneath its leaves. In some areas, rock outcrops lined the trail while in others it was trees as far as the eye could see. The most interesting plate observed was American cancer root while partridgeberry was found in bloom which is usually not the case it seems. The Kickapoo River below the cliffs was a muddy brown color but seemed quite popular with the paddlers that made their way by as I hiked. I think this site has more to offer and I would like to further explore the cliff and areas below it in the future. The state park is adjacent to the subject of tomorrow’s blog post, Kickapoo Valley Reserve.
More of my photos (and full-res) from Mt. Pisgah Hemlock-Hardwoods can be viewed here.
Additional Information
| SNA # | 15 |
| County | Vernon |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Hemlock Relict, Birch Relict, Cliff, River |
| Size (Acres) | 74 |
| Parking | Parking Lot (paved) |
| Trails | Yes |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | |
| Dates Visited | 6.19.10 |
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State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 