Rock River Prairie features a dry prairie overlooking the Rock River approximately halfway between Janesville and Beloit. A parking area can be found on South Walters Road. This site is a very pretty one topographically with the low undulations of the land continuing off in the distance seemingly ad infinitum. Puncuated by dots of color from…
Kessler Railroad Prairie, SNA #199 (145/675)
Kessler Railroad Prairie encompasses a wet-mesic prairie along a former railroad grade in central Rock County. A small area to pull off the road is avaiable in front of an access gate. A 1.1 mile stretch of prairie lines the old grade including several crossings of ditches and streams via the old trestle ties. Though…
Newark Road Prairie, SNA #113 (144/675)
Newark Road Prairie features a wet-mesic prairie found in southern Rock County. A grassy pull-off with room for perhaps 2 cars is located on the north side of Beloit Newark Road, just west of the intersection with Knutson Road. From the pull-off, a trail of sorts winds its way through the prairie. I am not…
Chub Lake Oak Savanna, SNA #607 (143/675)
Chub Lake Oak Savanna features, appropriately enough an oak savanna on the southwest shore of Chub Lake. It borders Chub & Mud Lake Riverine Marsh SNA on its northern edge and quite frankly, I do not know why it was designated as a separate natural area. Its size (21 acres) pales in comparison to its…
Chub & Mud Lake Riverine Marsh, SNA #606 (142/675)
Chub & Mud Lake Riverine Marsh is a nearly 2000 acre site situated just south of the northern unit of Waterloo Quartzite Outcrops and adjacent to Chub Lake Oak Savanna (see tomorrow’s post). There are several parking areas and boat launches around the site, particularly on the south and west sides, from which to begin…
Waterloo Quartzite Outcrops, SNA #605 (141/675)
Waterloo Quartzite Outcrops features two outcrops approximately 6.5 miles apart in southern Dodge County. The northern outcrop is within the Waterloo Wildlife Area while the southern outcrop is within the Mud Lake Wildlife Area. Both are within the boundaries of the Glacial Heritage Area. The northern outcrop is accessible via an access lane from a parking…
Franklin & Butternut Lakes, SNA #119 (140/675)
Franklin & Butternut Lakes encompasses a variety of habitats over rolling glacial topography, more or less centered around the aforementioned lakes. Found within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, parking for this site is available at either of two parking area on FR 2181 (Butternut Lake Road). Alternatively, there are several stopping points along various forest roads….
Frog Lake & Pines, SNA #187 (139/675)
Frog Lake & Pines features a northern dry-mesic forest and wetlands surrounding a wilderness lake. A small pull-off is located on the west side of STH 47 just south of Manitowish. From there, a walkable access lane leads to a short trail to the lake. I made a stop at Frog Lake & Pines after…
Rib Mountain Talus Forest, SNA #532 (138/675)
Rib Mountain Talus Forest encompasses a second-growth northern mesic forest within Rib Mountain State Park, just southwest of Wausau. Enter the state park and follow the park road to its terminus in a large parking area. Numerous trails loop through the site, with some passing in and out of the natural area. A GPS is…
Plainfield Tunnel Channel Lakes, SNA #226 (137/675)
Plainfield Tunnel Channel Lakes encompasses two glacial lakes, but the focus here is on the large population of Fassett’s locoweed. There are 3 separate parcels, but all are separated by just a few yards. A parking area is accessible from STH 73 southeat of Plainfield. Fassett’s locoweed is an endangered species in Wisconsin and a…
Buckhorn Barrens, SNA #360 (136/675)
Buckhorn Barrens is much than its name belies. Comprising the southern half of Buckhorn State Park, a variety of natural communities are found here including: barrens, sand blows, northern and southern sedge meadows, and a second-growth forest. Numerous parking areas and two boat landings are located in the park provided multiple starting points for your…
Roche-A-Cri Woods, SNA #362 (135/675)
Roche-A-Cri Woods, as is the case for its sister SNA, Roche-A-Cri Mound, is found within Roche-A-Cri State Park. The ‘Woods SNA’ is comprised of the bulk of the state park that is not part of the ‘Mound SNA’. As a result, you can utilize the same parking area to visit both sites. A number of trails…
Roche-A-Cri Mound, SNA #183 (134/675)
Roche-A-Cri Mound is comprised of the eponymous mound which was once an island in Glacial Lake Wisconsin. Found within Roche-A-Cri State Park, a parking area is located at the trailhead which in turn leads to the steps which will take you to the top. No stairmaster required after hiking this natural beauty. Meaning “crevice in…
Quincy Bluff & Wetlands, SNA #272 (133/675)
Quincy Bluff & Wetlands is a massive natural area with a great variety of natural communities. Originally acquired by The Nature Conservancy, the property was transferred in recent years to the DNR. It has been the site of intensive restoration activities as well as land acquisition over the years and will continue to be in…
Sohlberg Silver Lake, SNA #166 (132/675)
Sohlberg Silver Lake features the eponymous lake as well as the surrounding forest, small bogs, and tamarack swamps. Park at the dead end on 18th Avenue and walk east along the trail which winds to the lake. Exploring the lake shoreline was fairly easy as the high water covered most of the exposed mud flats….
State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 