The Ice Age Complex at Cross Plains is a compilation of federal, state and county land. Currently there is about 750 acres of public land available for recreation. The entire proposed project boundary encompasses about 1,500 acres. The facility is undeveloped for visitor use and minimally maintained. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) […]
Tag: Walk
Ice Age Trail Junction County Natural Resource Area
The 536-acre Ice Age Trail Junction Area, located just east of Verona, will create a Dane County link in the 1000-mile long Ice Age National Scenic Trail. This link, along with its connection to the Military Ridge State Trail, will connect the Ice Age Junction Area with statewide recreational trail networks. The area, which is […]
Ice Age Trail Valley View Segment
The Valley View Segment starts at the Ice Age Lane Trail access along the brown fence to the right of the gate. After passing through a patch of woods, the segment crosses a residential driveway at a white lantern post. From there it enters the highlight of the segment, an open prairie with a series […]
Cave of The Mounds National Natural Landmark
Cave of the Mounds, a natural limestone cave located near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, United States, is named for two nearby hills called the Blue Mounds. It is located in the southern slope of the east hill. The cave’s beauty comes from its many varieties of mineral formations called speleothems. The Chicago Academy of Sciences considers […]
Swamplovers Nature Preserve
The Swamplovers Preserve is a mesocosm of southwestern Wisconsin’s presettlement biological heritage, supporting large-scale, high-quality habitat blocks of open water waterfowl breeding ponds,dry to wet prairie, southern sedge meadow,oak savanna, and open oak woodland communities along the wetland to upland continuum.This gradient of habitat diversity promotes species diversity, and the Swamplovers Preseve is a biodiversity […]
Parrish Oak Savanna State Natural Area
Situated on a ridge of St. Peter Sandstone capped by a thin layer of Platteville dolomite, this prairie and savanna complex harbors a very diverse flora. Bedrock ledges, low cliffs, and a small pinnacle add geologic interest to the site. Sandy, dry to dry-mesic prairie occupies the steep, south-facing flank of the ridge. Prairie grasses, […]
Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area
Situated on a low Driftless Area ridge, Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie features a small, but intact dry-mesic prairie and harbors a rich flora of more than 80 native prairie species. Grasses include big and little blue-stem, Indian grass, northern drop-seed, purple love grass, June grass, and numerous Panicum species. Forbs include such showy species as […]
Pleasant Valley Conservancy State Natural Area
Located in the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin, Pleasant Valley Conservancy sits on a long narrow ridge that runs almost due east/west, with steep hillsides facing both north and south. The site contains a nearly complete range of southern Wisconsin natural community types including oak woodland, oak savanna, dry and wet prairie, sedge meadow, shrub-carr, […]
Kahl Halfway Prairie Park
Kahl Halfway Prairie Park is a 3.4 acre multi-use park with a conservancy of native plants, a scrape pond for waterfowl, and wetland habitat. Amenities include paths through the park, benches, reservable shelter, and a playing field. Owned and managed by the Town of Berry, Kahl Halfway Prairie Park is located adjacent to the Town […]
Hickory Hill Conservancy Village of Cross Plains
The Hickory Hill Conservancy, part of the Ice Age Trail Cross Plains segment, starts at the end of Hickory Hill Street in Cross Plains, where a gate crosses an access road that leads north uphill to the Hickory Hill Conservation Park. Departing from the access road, the segment enters a former agricultural field being restored […]
Noll Valley Conservancy Town of Middleton
This five-acre convervancy is a great place for plant and nature lovers and links to the Valley View segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, where an additional 80 acres of parkland and miles of trails are available for outdoor enjoyment. The conservancy features a quarter-mile loop walking trail through an oak savanna remnant. […]
Pope Farm Conservancy Town of Middleton
Located between Blackhawk, Old Sauk and Twin Valley Roads, this 105-acre property was purchased as a natural area for educational interpretation (with over 40 interpretive signs), walking trails and wildlife viewing. The conservancy is permanently restricted as open space and includes seven miles of walking trails, six prairie/savannah restoration areas, a State Capitol viewing area, […]
Goth Conservancy Town of Middleton
This 20-acre former farmstead includes a one-mile system of looped walking trails partly accessible to disabled persons. […]
Wolf Run Trail
For the first time in more than 150 years, Black Earth Creek once again flows freely from its headwaters in the City of Middleton through the rich agricultural lands and prairie remnants of Northwest Dane County to Blue Mounds Creek near its confluence with the Wisconsin River. Wolf Run Trail, part of a multi-use regional […]
Military Ridge State Trail
The 40-mile Military Ridge State Trail, in Iowa and Dane counties, connects Dodgeville and Madison by way of an 1855 military route between Verona and Dodgeville. The trail runs along the southern borders of Governor Dodge and Blue Mound state parks passing by agricultural lands, woods, wetlands and prairies. There are several observation platforms adjacent […]