Rising 200 feet over the Wisconsin River valley, a stunning panorama awaits you after a moderately steep hike up Gibraltar Rock. From the parking area, there are two hiking options. The access road is steeper, though more direct. An Ice Age Trail segment also leads to the top at a shallower slope over its longer…
Tag: Wisconsin
Lodi Marsh, SNA #374 (32/674)
Lodi Marsh contains large wetland complex complete with streams and springs, but it also includes hill prairies and dry-mesic forests. Rubber boots are recommended for marsh exploration, but hiking boots may also be suggested depending on your access point. I would recommend accessing this site from the Ice Age Trail, for which there is a…
Mazomanie Oak Barrens, SNA #248 (31/674)
Another home to cacti in Wisconsin!
Mazomanie Bottoms, SNA #142 (30/674)
A large bottomland forest is criss-crossed by old river channels at Mazomanie Bottoms. The site requires a bit of a hike (or bike ride) from the large parking area. From there, it is approximately one mile to the SNA’s eastern border. On summer days, however, this parking lot is typically very full, for there is…
Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie (29/674)
Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie is a well-managed dry-mesic prairie on a low ridge containing over 80 prairie species. I have always considered this a sister site to Pleasant Valley Conservancy SNA, both due to its proximity and its management by the same group (TPE) and people (the Brocks). There is a small, 2-car pull-off for…
Pleasant Valley Conservancy (28/674)
I could probably write a small novel summarizing my numerous visits to Pleasant Valley Conservancy, but I’ll hold that for a chapter in my memoirs (ha!). Its proximity to my house is one of the reasons I have visited so often, as is its proximity to another SNA, Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie, which often makes…
New Observatory Woods, SNA #28 (27/674)
Another classic Wisconsin forest is found at New Observatory Woods. As this is a University of Wisconsin Board of Regent-owned parcel and permission is required from the UW Arboretum to visit, I will not disclose the location. The forest ranges from wet in some areas to more mesic in others. Red oaks are most common…
Olson Oak Woods, SNA #157 (26/674)
Olson Oak Woods represents a quintessential forest in the state of Wisconsin. It contains many white and black oaks as well as a mixture of black cherry, bur oak, red oak, hickory, elm, and basswood. According to the DNR, open-growth oaks dating from the 1750’s and multiple-stemmed oaks from the 1840’s are evidence of former savanna conditions…
Sugar River Wetlands, SNA #299 (25/674)
Wetlands including sedge meadow, fen, and wet prairie can be found at Sugar River Wetlands, certainly one of the more ‘urban’ SNA’s in terms of its proximity to a major population center in the state. Truth be told, it is a rather unusual location and a testament to the foresight of those who sought to…
Mill Bluff, SNA #359 (24/674)
Stunning vistas after a steep climb await visitors to Mill Bluff and its mesas, buttes, and other rock formations. Located within Mill Bluff State Park and bordering the I94, the name Mill Bluff is somewhat of a misnomer. The SNA actually contains 7 bluffs as well as other rock formations, though somewhat oddly, not all…
Lodde’s Mill Bluff, SNA #52 (23/674)
Rising 300 feet above Honey Creek, Lodde’s Mill Bluff contains both a dry prairie and a cooler cliffside with a completely different plant composition. It should first be noted that this site is owned by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and is managed by the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. As such, written permission…
Schluckebier Prairie (22/674)
Schluckebier Prairie is a small remaining remnant (23 acres) of what was once a 14,000 acre “Sauk Prairie” Grassland prior to the arrival of European settlers. German for “drink a beer”, Schluckebier is an odd name for this site; perhaps the settlers used to tip back a few here in the old days. There are…
Honey Creek, SNA #91 (21/674)
Originally protected as a bird sanctuary by the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO), Honey Creek actually protects an array of habitats including a class II trout stream, rocky outcroppings, upland ridges, and boggy areas. Over 80 species of birds nest at this site including rareities such as veery, blue-gray gnatcatcher, yellow-throated vireo, blue-winged warbler, Louisiana…
Bear Creek Sedge Meadow (20/674)
Green was the name of the scene on my visit to Bear Creek Sedge Meadow. This site is is composed of two parcels of land, smaller one is Richland County and a larger parcel just a bit north in Sauk County. I visited both parcels and found the Richland County portion easier to access due…
Pine Hollow, SNA #45 (19/674)
A deep quartzite gorge is the prominent feature at Pine Hollow, which is a large, more diverse version of nearby Pan Hollow. The gorge rises 300′ in places. There are a variety of other habitats present here ranging from a prairie opening to moist cliffs to a sedge meadow. Also present are rockshelters used by…
State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 