Lima Bog features one of the largest bogs in southern Wisconsin with flora more characteristic of the northern portion of the state. There is a parking area on East Bowers Lake Road south of the site from which a very uneven jaunt through a forested and rocky divide between two agricultural fields awaits you. Then,…
Clover Valley Fen, SNA #213 (130/675)
Clover Valley Fen features a series of peat mounds with characteristic fen flora just northwest of the Whitewater Lake Campground in the Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit. To reach it is not the easiest endeavor. Park either on Hi-Lo Road near the campground entrance or you could risk parking in a campsite to…
Young Prairie, SNA #132 (129/675)
Young Prairie features a wet-mesic prairie amidst a mixture of degraded lands straddling the Jefferson-Walworth County line. It can be reached via a DNR access lane north of Bluff Road or just to the northeast via a parking area off of Young Road. I have visited this site three times and have yet to explore…
Clifford Messinger Dry Prairie & Savanna Preserve, SNA #230 (128/675)
Clifford Messinger Dry Prairie & Savanna Preserve is composed of 13 separate parcels of dry prairie and oak savanna scattered across 11 miles in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Over the years, the number of parcels has varied as parcels were acquired, delisted as SNA’s, or subsumed into an existing SNA….
Texas Island Woods, SNA #603 (127/675)
Texas Islands Woods is not in Texas, of course, but can be found in Jefferson County, Wisconsin within the Rome Pond Wildlife Area. A parking area can be found off of CTH E south of Sullivan. From there, walk approximately 1/2 mile along a DNR access lane to the “island”. Why this site is called…
Jefferson Tamarack Swamp, SNA #389 (126/675)
Jefferson Tamarack contains a tamarack swamp, of course, along with a southern sedge meadow and marsh, all as part of the Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area, just east of Jefferson in, you guessed it, Jefferson County. There are several parking areas scattered around the edge of the Wildlife Area either on CTH Y or USH 18….
Genesee Oak Opening & Fen, SNA #153 (125/675)
Genesee Oak Opening & Fen is well-described by its name. An bur oak opening and fen are found at the site, just north of North Prairie. An access lane leads west from STH 59 to a small pull-off for parking. Continue walking west into the site. I have visited Genesee Oak Opening & Fen twice,…
Martin’s Woods, SNA #350 (124/675)
Martin’s Woods is a Waukesha County Land Conservancy property feature mesic and wet-mesic forests on Edgewood Avenue just west of Big Bend. There is no dedicated parking area and not much of a shoulder to speak of, so just do your best in terms of parking as far off the road as you can. The…
Mukwonago River, SNA #417 (123/675)
Mukwonago River is as it sounds. This site features an approximately 0.6 mile stretch of the Mukwonago River north of its confluence with the Fox River. A park-and-ride lot is located on Holz Parkway, just north of STH 83. The Mukwonago River is known as a clear-flowing, exceptionally diverse stream. Categorized as an Exceptional Resource…
Eagle Centre Prairie, SNA #349 (122/675)
Eagle Centre Prairie is one of the smaller SNA’s and contains a dry prairie remnant and oak opening next to a subdivision. Park at the end of the cul-de-sac on Clover Court and walk through the trees to the site. This was one of the visits where I was thinking to myself, ‘am I supposed…
Scuppernong Prairie, SNA #6 (121/675)
Scuppernong Prairie contains a wet prairie just southeast of Kettle Moraine Low Prairie. The property consists of 2 parcels on either side of CTH N approximately 1/5 mile apart. A large parking area is found on the west side of CTH N, across from the southernmost parcel, but with no road shoulder here to speak…
Kettle Moraine Low Prairie, SNA #88 (120/675)
Kettle Moraine Low Prairie features an array of prairie types with upland islands near Eagle in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. There is an access lane and parking area located north of Eagle on the west side of STH 67 (Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive). Beyond the parking area, the access lane…
Ottawa Lake Fen, SNA #128 (119/675)
Ottawa Lake Fen features a picturesque fen and marl flat complex between Ottawa Lake and another, unnamed lake. Found within the Ottawa Lake Campground area of the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, ample paved parking is available. One option is to park at the boat ramp and canoe/kayak across the lake to…
Bayshore Blufflands, SNA #377 (118/675)
Bayshore Blufflands contains a mixture of forest communities on the steep slope of the Niagara Escarpment. Access is available from above or below with parking areas off of CTH I and B, respectively. We parked below the bluff and walked the faded trail through the old field to the base of the bluff, across a…
Whitefish Dunes, SNA #175 (117/675)
Whitefish Dunes features the largest landscape of sand dunes along the Great Lakes. Found within Whitefish Dunes State Park, both active and stabilized dunes are home to various stages of succession with those dunes further from the lake being more wooded and stabilized. Parking is available near the park office. From there, we walked north along…
State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 