Meadow Valley Barrens is aptly described in its name. It is simply put, a barrens within the Meadow Valley State Wildlife Area. The site exists in two parcels, both of which can be accessed via CTH H. Further interior access to the larger southern parcel can be had via Eisefeldt Rd and 15th St SW. In all cases, there are no parking areas here at the time of my visit, so I parked along the sandy gravel roads.
At the time of my visit, Meadow Valley Barrens appeared to be the site of active management with piles of cleared brush and charred stumps evident throughout. Goldenrods, black-eyed Susan, rough blazing-star, partridge pea, and wild bergamot provided sprinkles of color amidst a sea of big and little bluestem. All in all, a pleasant site to explore and one that I would enjoy viewing again at other times of the year.
More of my photos (and full-res) from Meadow Valley Barrens can be viewed here.
Just under 400 more blog posts to go! Well, actually a few more than that remain; counting SNA’s delisted since I started and a few SNA’s to be designated, the current total is 689, though hopefully, that will increase!
If you would like to help support this project, please consider a donation. There are many SNA’s yet to visit and even more to revisit and I ultimately plan to write a book about my adventures. Thank you!
Additional Information
| SNA # | 576 |
| County | Juneau |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Oak Barrens |
| Size (Acres) | 631 |
| Parking | Roadside |
| Trails | No |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | US Fish & Wildlife Service; More info: Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | Meadow Valley State Wildlife Area |
| Dates Visited | 8.17.13 |
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State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 