Family-Friendly Driftless Trails - La Crosse/Town of Shelby (WI) Trails

In this series of posts, I am sharing some easy trails that are perfect for families who want to get out in the woods. I developed these lists as part of my MN Master Naturalist capstone project in April 2022. I love connecting people to lots of trail options to explore!

The hikes below are the second in the series.  The links at the bottom of this post go to lists of additional hikes in nearby areas.  I continue to add new destinations, so if you know of any hikes in this area, let me know in the comments!

Happy summer hiking!

Image - Gregory Watson

LA CROSSE/TOWN OF SHELBY

Chad Erickson Park, 3601 Park Lane, La Crosse

Easy, flat paved trail through wetlands, woods. Features include pond, bridge, playground, restroom, shelter, outdoor classroom, stony cliffs near the end to look at. La Crosse Public Library sponsors Storywalk pages throughout the walk. Approximately ¾ miles out to Pammel Creek Rd and back.

Hugelheim, Paul Stry Nature Preserve (open April 15- November 1)   W58245 Hwy 33

A lovely gem hidden off Hwy 33 with paved trail, water features, wildflowers and bridges over a burbling Pammel Creek along the way. While the walk along the two loops is short (under ¾ of a mile), the benches all along the way invite quiet contemplation and taking time to enjoy abundant bird and wildlife.

Pettibone Park, 700 North Pettibone Drive, La Crosse

Flat paved trails around lagoon as well as walking along the road next to the Mississippi River. Good place to spot eagles and enjoy the historic gazebo and artesian well. Disc golfers can be inaccurate so keep an eye out. Approximately 1 mile loop.

Riverside Park and International Gardens, 100 State St, La Crosse

Flat paved trail along the Mississippi River. Features include the levee, fountain, benches, restrooms, bandshell, colorful gardens and gazebo. Approximately 1.5 mile loop.

La Crosse Marsh Trails, Riverside and Myrick Parks, 789 Myrick Park Dr, La Crosse

Many miles of mostly flat, paved or graveled intersecting trails through the La Crosse Marsh and it's wetlands. Features include wildflowers, waterfowl, wildlife, great views, benches, lookout on the march, bridges. Low-lying areas of the trail can be impassable during high water times. 

Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Goose Island County Park, Hwy 35, Shelby

Flat dirt/grass trails that feature views of the Mississippi can be accessed at the flagpole as you make your first right turn in the park, by the shelters on the north side of the park or south of the campground. While trails are not well-marked, they feature wildlife and abundant foliage and wildflowers. Restrooms are available at the campground and shelters. Most trails are approximately 1-1.5 miles out and back. Very mosquito-y during the summer.

Xe Xete and Ni Tani Gateway Trails, Hixon Forest, 3020 Grandad Bluff Rd, La Crosse

Explore the old east and west quarries below Grandad’s Bluff on these mostly flat dirt and rock trails (elevation gain/loss just at the beginning on the Wilder trail that accesses the Xe Xete/Ni Tani trails). Spectacular views of the city, rock formations, wildflowers. Multi-use bike trails so be aware. Pit toilets at the trailhead parking lot. Approximately 1 mile for each trail loop from the parking lot and back. 

Mathy Quarry, N3065 CTY Rd FA, La Crosse

Moderate trails featuring elevation gains as well as flatter trails on dirt, gravel in the old Mathy Quarry. Feature spectacular views, informational signage, wildlife and wildflowers. Trails can be out and back or use loops to extend the hike. An especially fun-for-families, short hike starts at the Quarry trail (to the right at the parking lot). The trail goes to the left on the Snakeroot trail through hardwood forests, a pine section, a birch section and up onto the prairie. Look for butterflies and birds. Turn left at the junction to head back to the parking lot on this 1.75 mi loop. hike. Mississippi Valley Conservancy Nature Preserve

Miller Bluff, Rim of the City Rd of Cty Hwy FA, La Crosse (no parking in the cul de sac; but there is a small one-car grassy parking space to the left as you come in near another trailhead or park in the Mathy Quarry parking area and walk down FA to Rim of the City road, -trialhead is at the end of the 1/4 mile road). 

Short moderate hike with some elevation gain on this Mississippi Valley Conservancy property paved/rock/dirt trails to a stunning overlook of La Crosse and across to Grandad’s Bluff. Approximately 1 mile out and back. 

For more destinations in this series, check out these blog posts:

Family-Friendly Driftless Trails - La Crescent and Nearby MN Trails

Family-Friendly Driftless Trails - Onalaska/Holmen (WI) Trails

Family-Friendly Driftless Trails - Further Afield Trails

Family-Friendly Driftless Trails - La Crescent and Nearby MN Trails

It's summer! What a great time to get out into the woods and trails for kids and their grown-ups. 

This week in a series of posts, I am going to share some easy trails that are perfect for families who want to get out in the woods. I developed these lists as part of my MN Master Naturalist capstone project in April 2022. I love connecting people to lots of trail options to explore!

The hikes below are the first in the series. The links at the bottom of this post go to lists of additional hikes in nearby areas.  I continue to add new destinations, so if you know of any hikes in this area, let me know in the comments!

Happy summer hiking!

Image - Gregory Watson

LA CRESCENT & NEARBY MN TRAILS

Wagon Wheel Trail – La Crescent - parking: opposite Swing Bridge on Shore Acres Rd; near the city compost site at the end of Main St; Sportsman’s Landing on the Hwy 14 pike or downtown La Crescent at the pedestrian/bike bridge/.

Easy, flat paved trail through wetlands and along the edge of the US Wildlife Refuge. Features include beaver lodges, wildflowers, eagle’s nest, wildlife, waterfowl, migrating birds, views of the Mississippi River along the Shore Acres Rd section and trains. The main walk through the wetlands from Shore Acres near the swing bridge to the city compost site is ¾ miles out and back. Trail can also be accessed over the La Crescent pedestrian/bike bridge over Hwy 61 (park in downtown) although it involves about a ¼ mile walk along the side of a road to the city’s compost site.

Veteran’s Park Ravine Trail – 595 Veteran’s Parkway, La Crescent

Easy gravel/grass trail (with paved section at the beginning) starting at the ball diamond and extending up to McIntosh Road E.  There are a few easy ups and downs as you wind below neighborhood houses. Great area to spot deer, wildlife and wildflowers. Provides access to east trailhead at Eagle’s Bluff park. Approximately 1 mile out and back.

Apple Blossom Overlook Park – County Road 1, just north of La Crescent at the top of the bluff

Just north of La Crescent, this is actually a Winona Co park. Moderate grass, dirt hiking trails with some significant elevation gains. One of the best, most accessible Mississippi overlooks in the area is at the parking lot. Oak savannah, birch and other deciduous trees. Wildflowers, wildlife, birds in this former orchard/quarry area.  Approximately 2 miles of well maintained, connecting trails. Picnic tables. Challenging trails to two additional outlooks but no safety features so supervision needed.

Vetsch Park, La Crescent
Image - Gregory Watson

Vetsch/Vollenweider/Stoney Point Park – 722 N. 2^nd St, La Crescent

One of two bluff city parks. Challenging trails with a lot of elevation gain and loss. Well-used by hikers, bikers and dog walkers the mostly unmarked 3-4 miles of trails wind back and forth along switchbacks across the park. Lower, family friendly trails feature mowed grass and higher challenging trails are dirt. Stoney Point Lookout has great views of the city. Features include a prairie, rock formations, remnant apple orchard and windmill, rare spring wildflowers and challenging climbs.

Great River Bluffs State Park, 43605 Kipp Drive, Winona (off Hwy 90)

Our nearest state park has moderate trails to many amazing overlooks. King’s Bluff Overlook has moderate elevation changes and beautiful overlooks including the final one. Approximately 3 miles out and back. Easy hikes to North and South Overlooks – approximately 1/3 mile out and back. East Overlook and ridge trail along the road to the campground is moderate for elevation gains and has wildflowers and Mississippi views. Approximately 1.5 miles on out and back from each. Restroom facilities and well-marked trails. 

Beaver Creek Valley State Park, 15954 County 1, Caledonia

Cross the bridge and hike an easy flat trail next to the trout stream (filled with native wild trout) for approximately 2-3 miles on grass trails (can be out and back or use loops to return). There are also steeper, more challenging trails that are relatively short but feature significant elevation gain to views. A hidden gem.  

Winona Lake Park Walk, W. Lake St, Winona

Paved 5 mile easy trail around the lake. Features restrooms, picnic tables, shelters, wildflowers, wildlife and great lake views. Hike the long loop or do small out and back sections.

Reno Bottoms Spillway  Approx. 20 miles south of La Crescent on Hwy 26; heading south, turn left at canoe access sign before the Reno Recreation area

This lovely hike on a graveled roads brings you right to the water’s edge and close-ups of wildflowers, waterfowl and gorgeous views of both the MN and WI bluffs. The trail is approximately 6 miles (all the way to the Genoa Dam) but just walking the first mile is worth it. The spillway is sometimes impassable due to water spilling over when water levels are high.

Aghaming Park Trail, Winona  Take the bridge form Winona towards WI -stay in right lane which turns off and head down & to your left. Cross the historic bridge before the parking lot and park along the road by the trailhead. 

This is a perfect hike site right along the Mississippi River in a beautiful floodplain forest in the US National Refuge. You can go all the way to the point (3 miles) or wander the woods admiring the river views (including fun house boats).

For more destinations, check out these blog posts:

Family-Friendly Driftless Trails - La Crosse/Town of Shelby (WI) Trails

Family-Friendly Driftless  Trails - Onalaska/Holmen (WI) Trails

Family-Friendly Driftless  Trails - Further Afield Trails

I Spy on the Trails - Week of May 21, 2023

On the run up to Memorial Day weekend, we still have hazy skies from the Canadian wildfires. Temperatures reached the 70's and wild plant growth everywhere. Warbler migration is starting to taper off. The river continues to slowly recede although it is still running fast and high. Mosquitos are up and about in droves. Cottonwood seeds have begun snowing on us.The dandelions are tuckering out and adding their seeds to the mix.

Thimbleberry - Stoney Point MN
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Wildflowers

• Golden alexander
• Common blackberry
• White rattlesnake root
• Robin's fleabane
• Wild geranium
• Columbine
• Alumroot
• Thimbleweed
• Littleleaf buttercup
• Cliffbrake
• Pussy toes
• Canada mayflowers
• Sweet cecily
• Blue-eye grass
• Columbine 
• Starry false Solomon’s seal
• Jack-in-the-pulpit
• Virginia water leaf (blooming)
• Ferns - maidenhair, interrupted, ostrich, sensitive
• Leafy spurge
• Dwarf ginseng
• Bluebeard lily
• Starflower 
• Woodland forget-me-not
• Northern trillium
• Canada mayflower

A curious deer - Wildwood Trail - Winona MN
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Wildlife (seen/heard)

• Northern Goshawk
• Common yellowthroat
• American goldfinch
• Robin
• Red-winged blackbird
• Henslow's sparrow
• Song sparrow
• Clay-colored sparrow
• Tufted titmouse
• Field sparrow
• Great crested flycatcher
• Red-eyed vireo
• Ovenbird
• Indigo bunting
• Evening Grosbeak
• Eastern Wood Pewee
• Ruby-throated hummingbird
• Deer
• American redstart
• Mourning warbler 
• Eastern phoebe
• Eastern towhee
• Bluebird
• Monarch butterfly

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

This week's hike's: Wildwood Trail, Winona (MN); Vetsch Park/Stoney Point Trail, La Crescent (MN); Mathy Quarry Snakeroot Trail, La Crosse (WI); Frontenac State Park (MN)

Wildwood Trail - Winona MN
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Get in Gear - Boot Cleaner

Periodically, I will be posting about some of my favorite gear. 

If you've done any hiking, you know the lugs on the bottoms of your boots (think of them as tire treads) can quickly fill up with dirt, gravel, seeds and debris from the trail. Many state parks and some trailheads provide a fixed boot brush on a stand to help you clean your boots before and after a hike. Unfortunately, those brushes wear down pretty fast. 

I have found a light and handy tool that not only works on horses' hooves, but is fabulous for quickly cleaning your boot bottoms. I was first introduced to these through my MN Master Naturalist training. We all received these handheld bootbrushes from PlayCleanGo®. 

The pickhead easily gets through the narrowest parts of your lugs. The stiff bristle brush head quickly brushes out any sandy/silty dirt. You might note that this very portable brush is exactly like a hoof pick and does the same job.

Using the boot cleaner helps you avoid bringing invasives on your boots from trail to trail. And, of course, it also helps you keep your boots house-worthy after a particularly wet walk!

In this photo, the boot on the right is fairly caked with mud. After a quick clean with the boot pick, the boot on the left is free of debris and ready to take me back on the trails. On hikes in fragile environments, I take a few minutes to pre-clean my boots so I don't bring invasives in.

Best of all, it's easy to stow away in my backpack or in my trunk. Taking a few minutes post-hike to clean my boots means I'm ready to hit the trail next time!

Images - Marge Loch-Wouters

Mathy Quarry Snakeroot Trail Amble (WI)

Hardwood forest
Image-Marge Loch-Wouters

Ambles are what we in the Driftless Drifters* call hikes that are up to 2.5 miles long on flatter trails. They are perfect for people who like a slower pace, are recovering from illness or injury or just like to spend time enjoying nature. 

This Mississippi Valley Conservancy property is located in an old quarry area adjacent to the network of trails in the Hixon Forest. The city of La Crosse and the MVC share land conservation responsibilities on this trail system. Known for its spectacular views of city and bluffs, the trails here can be accessed by hikers of various levels.

For the "Amblers" (a subset of our La Crescent -Hokah Community Education Driftless Drifters Hiking Club*),  there is a small loop trail that provides a little of everything on a short 1.4 walk. Ambles are hikes the Drifters developed that are usually under 1.5 hours in length and cover under two miles. The pace is slow and we take time to listen, watch, identify and learn from each other on these flatter trails. These hikes are great for people who are recovering from illness or injury or just prefer a less challenging pace.

Pine stand
Image-Marge Loch-Wouters

The aptly-named Snakeroot loop is probably our hilliest and curviest Amble. The trail from the parking lot starts at Quarry trail and heads east. It immediately dips down and goes to the left on a hike-only section  called the Snakeroot Trail through lush hardwoods. Abundant wildflowers and birdsong (ovenbird, indigo bunting, red-eyed vireo, yellow warbler) accompanies hikers through these narrow hardwood forest trails. 

The trail continues through a lovely stand of pine, then back to the hardwood forest right below the rim of the prairie. The trail winds up and down a few more times until one climbs into a stunning stand of paper birch.

Birch stand
Image-Marge Loch-Wouters

After the birches, the trail climbs up again into a restored prairie alive with wildflowers, pollinators and a whole different set of birds and birdsong (common yellowthroat, Henslow's sparrow, clay-colored sparrow,  tufted titmouse, flycatcher, field sparrow). The remainder of the hike stays near the rim and in the prairie as we complete the loop by heading left back up to another trailhead connected to the parking lot.

As we were ending our Amble, those who had been on the trail this winter remarked that we didn't remember the trail as being quite so hilly and rolling. I chalk that up to low temperatures freezing our brains and memories!

THE HIKE

Mathy Quarry Snakeroot Trail, La Crosse WI

There are a some great trails in this old quarry - some along the floor of the quarry, some around the rim with expansive views of the bluffs and a few smaller trails. The Snakeroot hugs a forested area under the rim to the southeast of the mail trail system. It's short length and varied forest types ending in prairie give hikers a taste of everything. Great in any season and a wonderful hike for kids and families.

Location:

At Main St and Losey Blvd in La Crosse, head east on Main . The road veers left and becomes Bliss Road which winds up the bluff.  At the Alpine in, turn left and follow the road .5 miles to Cty FA. Turn left and follow this road to the end which is the parking lot for Mathy Quarry.

Prairie
Image-Marge Loch-Wouters

* The Driftless Drifters is a member-led hiking club program sponsored through the La Crescent-Hokah Community Education Department of MN ISD 300. Begun in 2021, the group goes on weekly "under 5 mile" hikes around the Driftless area and weekly "Ambles - shorter hikes on flat surfaces for hikers looking for a slower pace. All hikes feature learning opportunities as they identify flora, fauna and fungi around the area. New members are welcome - the fee for the club is $14 /yr (July through June). Members have access to a weekly newsletter with hike locations and tips as well as additional pop-up hikes. Contact Community Ed at 507 895-5150 to join.

Rush Creek SNA (WI) Bluff - Guided Hike

Fringed puccoon
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

In the second hike I was on this year sponsored by the WI Natural Resources Foundation (the first was up by the Chippewa river on the Ice age trail), a Drifless Drifter friend and I had an outstanding guided hike up WI's Rush Creek SNA (State Natural Area). This 3.5 hour, 3 mile hike had some of the steepest hiking I had ever done.

If you've ever been in the Driftless blufflands area, you have no doubt seen very steep goat prairie slopes on some of the bluffs. These unique prairies hold an incredible number of wildlife and plant life. Rare grasses and wildflowers thrive in these open, sunny and high wind areas. Trees are sparse except for hardy (and invasive) red cedar. 

Our guide Armund Bartz
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

The Rush Creek State Natural Area near Ferryville WI is a managed wild area that features hardwood forests, goat prairie and wetlands near it's base.  Armund Bartz, a Driftless Area ecologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Natural Heritage Conservation program was our very informative guide. Assigned to the La Crosse station, he is responsible for the management of DNR owned State Natural Areas in a 7 county area. He provided a running commentary throughout the hike focused on the management and protection of rare species and their natural communities with a focus on remnant prairie and savanna with an eye towards management for climate resilience.

Hikes like this are integral parts of my annual training hours to maintain certification as a MN Master Naturalist volunteer. There are classroom/webinar (sit-and-get) opportunities to fulfill my CE learning. And then there are hands-on field trips guided by subject experts that add to my knowledge base - my favorite way to learn!

A  45° climb made us grateful for hiking sticks!
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

The hike was partly off-trail, straight up the 45° prairie slope. All the while, Armund provided commentary and identification on wildflowers, grasses, wildlife, insects and herps. He also delved into the importance of and sites of prairie burns and compared areas we hiked through for the intensity of the management in opening up the landscape to return to it's original uses.

The off-trail hike up the goat prairie side of the bluff started us off. From the lush base of the bluff filled with ferns, mayapples, nettles and other spring wildflowers common to the forest, we quickly entered a prairie savanna covered in fields of sun-loving grasses and wildflowers. Brilliant orange Indian paintbrush, yellow star grass, blue-eye grass, compass plant, wood betony, cream wild indigo, fringed and hoary puccoon, bastard toadflax, prairie ragwort were just a few of the wildflowers we saw as we angled ever higher. 

Once at the top, the views were amazing
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

The views of the river, surrounding bluffs and IA bluffs were spectacular. The pace was slow enough (the climb took most of two hours) to allow frequent observation rests and information sharing on everything Armund or we observed. Hiking sticks were the best thing to make this climb achievable.

Once up at the top, we rested and ate our lunches. We observed butterflies and turkey vultures as we ate our lunch and recovered from the challenging hike (which felt like straight up for the last 1/4 mile). 

After lunch, we followed an established trail along the ridge and slowly down an old logging road through a huge hardwood forest. On one side of the trail we saw an intensely managed area that had been burned and managed for restoration. Selective logging had been done to leave hickory, cherry, oaks and a few other hardwoods  as the dominant trees. The understory was clear of non-native invasives and underbrush. The forest floor was wide open. Sunlight filtered through. It was similar to the forests of the past that experienced burns to keep them healthy.

A managed (regular burning) forest
Image -  Marge Loch-Wouters

On the other side of the trail, the forest has been left alone. There was more forest debris, the trees were denser and bushes grew thick under the trees. It was a stark contrast between the two areas. The SNA is managed for both forest types.

An unmanaged (unburned) part of the forest.
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

The trail ended as we traversed a small wetland area around Rush Creek back to where we started. That second half of the hike (1.5 miles) heading down is what most people hike as an out-and-back to the amazing bluff top view. I recommend it  - even without a guide.

THE HIKE

Rush Creek State Natural Area (SNA), Ferryville WI

After walking through a short section of wetland, head up a gradual-to-steep forested hike on an old logging road that brings you to the top of a ridge. From there follow a narrower trial out to the blufftop outlook overlooking a steep goat prairie on the south side. You see surrounding WI bluffs, a vast view of the Mississippi River Pool 9, sloughs,  IA bluffs and a soon-to-be-decommissioned IA power plant across the river. There is no path down the goat prairie but it can be bushwhacked. Be aware that this type of landscape is prime area for Timber Rattlers especially around rocky areas so be cautious and give them a wide berth.

Location - Rush Creek Road, Ferryville  (43.374084, -91.136755).

From WI State Highway 35 3.1 miles north of Ferryville Ferryville, go northeast (right) on Rush Creek Road. Continue for 0.5 mile to a parking area west (left) of the road. The established trailhead is across the road on the east side. Weblink map

The view from the top!
Image-Marge Loch-Wouters

* The Driftless Drifters is a member-led hiking club program sponsored through the La Crescent-Hokah Community Education Department of MN ISD 300. Begun in 2021, the group goes on weekly "under 5 mile" hikes around the Driftless area and weekly "Ambles - shorter hikes on flat surfaces for hikers looking for a slower pace. All hikes feature learning opportunities as they identify flora, fauna and fungi around the area. New members are welcome - the fee for the club is $14 /yr (July through June). Members have access to a weekly newsletter with hike locations and tips as well as additional pop-up hikes. Contact Community Ed at 507 895-5150 to join.

I Spy on the Trails - Week of May 14, 2023

Fringed puccoons on our way up the goat prairie'
Image - Diane Court

Wildfires in Canada brought smoky skies and haze down into MN for parts of this week.  Plenty of moisture and sun has brought out explosive plant growth. The river continues to creep downward from its flood crest but is still high and running fast.

It was an amazing week of hikes - from wetlands to blufflands to heading up into a steep goat prairie with a riot of prairie wildflowers far different from the other hikes this week. The challenging 45° hike up the bluff was worth the effort! To top it off the week - a morning of observing a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologists’ Banding Demonstration Team  doing bird banding in a local blufflands park brought new birds to my attention.

Wildflowers

Indian paintbrush
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

• Morel mushrooms (ok, not a wildflower but pretty wild nevertheless!)
• Showy orchid (flowering)
• Indian paintbrush (flowering)
• Cream wild indigo (flowering)
• Hoary puccoon (flowering)
• Fringed puccoon (flowering)
• Blue eyed grass (flowering)
• Violet wood-sorrel
• Prairie ragwort (flowering)
• Robin's fleabane
• Bastard toadflax (flowering)
• Yellow star grass (flowering)
• Starry amaryllis (flowering)
• Wood betony (flowering)

Cream wild Indigo
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

• Bird's foot violet (flowering)
• Oyster mushrooms
• May apple (flowering)
• Golden alexander (flowering)
• Dryad's saddle
• Solomon's seal
• Starry false solomon's seal (flowering))
• Smooth rockcress
• Lyreleaf rockcress
• Trillium
• Field wormwood
• Red baneberry (flowering)
• Interruped fern
• Lady Fern

• Bracken fern
• Maidenhair fern
• Sensitive fern
• Ostrich fern
• Downy yellow violet
• Chokecherry (flowering)
• Leafy spurge (flowering)
• Meadow rue
• Wood anemone
• Hoary puccoon
• Sand cherry (flowering)
• Wild ginger
• Columbine (flowering)
• Bellwort (flowering)

Wildlife (seen/heard)

• Timber rattler
• Orange gorgone checkerspot butterfly 
• Rose-breasted grosbeak
• Prothonotary warbler
• Magnolia warbler
• Swainson's thrush
• Eastern wood peewee
• Tennessee warbler
• Black-and-white warbler
• Yellow Warbler
• Magnolia warbler
• American redstart

Timber rattler
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

• Indigo bunting
• Song sparrow, Goldfinch
• Blue-gray gnatcatcher
• Eastern Towhee
• Red-belied woodpecker
• Northern waterthrush
• Yellow-throated vireo
• Warbling vireo
• Red-eyed vireo
• Tufted titmouse
• Cardinal
• Great crested flycatcher
• Cowbird
• Catbird
• Bluejay
• Northern rough-winged swallow

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

This week's hike's: Lytle's Landing trailhead, Great River Trail (WI); Sugar Loaf Bluff (MN); Wildwood Trail (MN); Rush Creek State Natural Area (WI), Vetsch Park (MN)

Banded Magnolia Warbler
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Wildwood Loop Trail Amble (MN)

Ambles are what we in the Driftless Drifters* call hikes that are up to 2.5 miles long on flatter trails. They are perfect for people who like a slower pace, are recovering from illness or injury or just like to spend time enjoying nature. 

The Winona area has some great bluffs and some great bluff hikes! A recent visit brought me to the Bluffside Park Trail system which winds up and around the bluff behind the Holzinger Lodge.

West outlook on the trail

Our Driftless Drifters hiking club*plans two hikes weekly. One for those who enjoy 3-5 miles of mid-to-challenging hiking routes in the area and one for those who want a shorter, slower and flatter 2-2.5 mile experience in nature (Ambles).  The hike I describe below is great for Ambles, family hikes with kids and for those who would like quality bluff views without starting from the bottom of a bluff.

One part of the trail, the Wildwood Loop, sits at the very top of the bluff and is particularly accessible for those interested in views that start at or near the top of the bluff. 

Wildwood features a rim trail that is perfect for our Ambles hikes. The route I took is an out-and-back that clocks in at about 2 miles. The trail features wonderful outlooks and views of bluffs and city along a gently rolling trail through a hardwood forest. The trail features some huge patches of ferns as well as a variety of wildflowers. It is particularly nice  because of it's accessibility and the bonus of blufftop views.

Trailhead map

There are additional trails on the Wildwood loop that follow the bluffsides and feature more ups and downs. While the trail legend lists mileage at 2.5 miles for the whole loop, exploring all the loop trails brings you closer to 3+ miles. It's a bit of a warren of trails so stay alert for turns and some confusing intersections.

THE HIKE

Wildwood Trail Loop, Bluffside Park, Winona MN

An accessible hike for all abilities starts at the blufftop trailhead. Take a left at the first trail intersection and follow the trail along the rim of the blufftop to west and east outlooks. Turn around at any point to make this an out-and-back trail OR continue exploring the trail system that dips from the rim down onto trails that hug the inside wall of the bluffs (plenty off ups and downs).

Location:

From Hwy 14/61, turn south on Huff Rd (toward the bluff). Take an immediate left onto W. Lake Blvd, then an immediate right onto Garvin Heights Rd. Follow that road to the top of the bluff; turn right on Conrad Dr. Stay on Conrad (it goes left at the T) to Wincrest Dr- take a right and park at cul de sac by trailhead.

Fields of ferns

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

* The Driftless Drifters is a member-led hiking club program sponsored through the La Crescent-Hokah Community Education Department of MN ISD 300. Begun in 2021, the group goes on weekly "under 5 mile" hikes around the Driftless area and weekly "Ambles - shorter hikes on flat surfaces for hikers looking for a slower pace. All hikes feature learning opportunities as they identify flora, fauna and fungi around the area. New members are welcome - the fee for the club is $14 /yr (July through June). Members have access to a weekly newsletter with hike locations and tips as well as additional pop-up hikes. Contact Community Ed at 507 895-5150 to join.

Let's Get Hiking - and Learning!

Spring and summer hold a number of opportunities to learn while we hike. Programs abound. 

I find these expert-led hikes and field trips especially helpful in my work as a MN Master Naturalist volunteer. In order to maintain my certification, I need 10 training hours per year. It's a snap to get these hours through the many opportunities near and far. 

State parks, nature conservancies, nature and environmental centers, regional outdoor preservation and enhancement organizations and local municipalities all sponsor guided hikes that can become a rich source of learning for us.

On the Chippewa River looking for mussels, 
Natural Resources Foundation of WI 2022 field trip
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

One of my favorite kinds of learning trips is field trips. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin sponsors over 260 field trips from April through November around WI. They can be hikes, paddles, drives, hands-on  - no matter what, they are hands-on learning from local experts.

I recently went on one of their wildflower hikes along the Chippewa River Ice Age Trail segment. It was fascinating to see the difference in blooming wildflowers between the Driftless and Drifted areas. Last year, I went on a mussel finding/ID hike IN the Chippewa river. On Friday I will be hiking up a steep bluff at Rush Creek to explore/learn about the unique prairie environment atop that bluff with this group. There is still room in many of their field trips so check them out!

Wildflower learning on the Chippewa River segment of Ice Age Trail
 Natural Resources Foundation of WI 2023 field trip
Image - Lavon Court

Here are just a few upcoming things happening around the Driftless area that may pique your interest.

CITY OF LA CRESCENT NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY GROUP (MN)

Migratory Bird Banding Demonstration, Saturday, May 20, 7-10:00 am  Vetsch Park

A celebration will be held at Vetsch Park, 722 N. 2th St with a song bird banding demonstration by biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The event is open to all ages. Co-sponsors include the City of La Crescent’s Natural Resource Advisory Group and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologists’ Banding Demonstration Team. In the event of rain, the event will be canceled with no rain date.

FRONTENAC STATE PARK (MN)

Walk with a Naturalist. Saturday, May 27, 10-11 a.m. 
A walk to open your eyes to wonders. Interpretive naturalist Bruce Ause, who for 30 years was director of the Environmental Learning Center in Red Wing, will lead the first of this year’s weekly nature walks in a high-prairie area of the park. Meet at the new restroom/shower building.

Sand Point Bird Walk. Saturday, May 27, 8 a.m. 
Meet at the Sand Point Parking Lot at 8:00 a.m. sharp. Walk through the riparian forest and along the beach to Sand Point. Hope to see spring migrating warblers as well as resident birds of the forest, waterfowl, terns, gulls, and shorebirds. Bring binoculars. The trail is well maintained and flat. It can be muddy following rain. The full loop is approximately 2 miles long. When birding, this can take 2-4 hours depending upon how many birds we are seeing, but you can leave whenever you would like. No need to register but if you have any questions, email janetmalotky@gmail.com.

--from the Frontenac State Park Association newsletter. You can subscribe, unsubscribe, or view this email online.

WHITEWATER STATE PARK (MN)

Guided Forest Bathing Walk, Sunday May 28, 1-3:00pm

Join park naturalist and certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide, Sara Holger, for our monthly forest bathing walk at Whitewater State Park. These gentle walks incorporate mindfulness activities and meet standards for the Walk with Ease program of the Arthritis Foundation. To sign up, email sara.holger@state.mn.us or call 507-312-2301.

Live Peregrine Falcon, Sunday, May 28, 6-7:00pm 

The Peregrine falcon has made a remarkable recovery. Jackie Fallon, with the Midwest Peregrine Society, will present this program, with a live Peregrine falcon, to help us understand the past, present and future of Peregrine falcons in Whitewater and the Midwest. Meet at the Whitewater Valley Visitor Center.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONSERVANCY (WI)

Wildflowers Wonder Walk, Sat, June 10,  10:00 am - noon, Borah Creek Prairie SNA

A rare glimpse of the rolling grassland and wildflowers that once carpeted much of this area can be seen on a free guided hike offered to the public by Mississippi Valley Conservancy(MVC) and The Prairie Enthusiasts. Gary Eldred, a founder of The Prairie Enthusiasts, and Chris Kirkpatrick of MVC will identify native grasses and flowers and show where prairie restoration efforts have created more habitat for pollinators such as butterflies and bees.

WILDCAT MOUNTAIN STATE PARK (WI)

Raptors Program,  Saturday June 17, 7-8:00pm 

Join Abbey Krumrie from River Valley Raptors for an interactive program about raptors. Meet some live raptors and learn about the differences between their adaptations. Please, no pets, because they may scare the raptors. This event is sponsored by Friends of Wildcat Mountain State Park. Vehicle admission is required. Location: Amphitheater

Be sure to check local listings for your area preserves, reserves, parks and see what you can learn on the trail! And check out July-August 2023 field trips and programs here.

I Spy on the Trails - Week of May 7, 2023

The rainy, cool weather is finally starting to moderate. Trees are leafing out and some are setting their fruit. Warm temperatures in the last few days have finally coaxed the morel mushrooms out. Receding floodwaters have resulted in a flurry of warbler migration.

Marsh Marigolds
Image - Lavon Court

Wildflowers -  Much of what I saw last week plus...

• Burdock - dig the root of first year plants, peel and saute or roast
• Ostrich Fern fiddleheads
• Sochan - early leaves of cutleaf coneflower - edible
• Spring beauty - their two leaves are edible with a spinach-like flavor
• Dutchman's Breeches
• Ramps
• Virginia bluebells
• Wood anemone
• Hoary puccoon
• White Rattlesnake root
• Trillium
• Sweet Cecily
• Ginseng
• Two leaf miterwort
• Marsh marigolds
• Little leaf buttercup, 
• Bellwort
• Trout lily (yellow and white)
• Meadow rue
• Wild geranium
• False Solomon’s seal
• Downy yellow violet
• Showy orchid

Showy Orchid - in bloom
Image - Betsy Knowles

Showy Orchid -pre-bloom
Image-Marge Loch-Wouters

Wood Frog
Image  - Marge Loch-Wouters

Wildlife (seen/heard)

• Baltimore oriole
• many bees feasting on dandelions and creeping charlie flowers
• wild turkey
• Rose-breasted grosbeak
• American redstart
• Wood frog
• Scarlet tanager
• American redstart
• Palm warbler
• Yellow-rumped warbler
• Tennessee warbler
• Blue-winged warbler
• Cowbird
• Cedar waxwing
• Song sparrow
• Indigo bunting
• Goldfinch
• warbling vireo
• Nashville warbler
• Eastern towhee
• Barred owl
• Chestnut-sided warbler
• Barred owl
• Sandhill cranes
• Egrets

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

This week's hikes: Trempeleau National Wildlife Refuge (WI), Chippewa River Segment - Ice Age Trail (WI), Carley State Park (MN), Eagle Bluff Environmental Center trails (MN), Fish Farm Mounds Nature Preserve (IA)

Trempeleau National Wildlife Refuge
Image  - Marge Loch-Wouters

Hiking the Drifted - IAT Chippewa River Segment (WI)

The WI Natural Resources Foundation annually sponsors over 260 field trips from April -November. The widely varying trips might be hikes, climbs, paddles, hands-on work with resources or rides to see a natural phenomenon. These low cost trips have a strong learning component.

Image - Lavon Court

Recently, a friend and I went on one of their three-hour, 4 mile hikes on an Ice Age Trail (IAT) in north-central WI on the Chippewa River segment near Cornell. The IAT is a 1200 trail through WI's glaciated area that hugs the edges of the area where the glaciers stopped. The trails wind and head up and down over moraines and around kettles. 

The glaciated terrain is quite different from the Driftless where we have more massive bluff trails and flat river trails. The moraines and kettles that the glaciers carved create rolling landscapes with plenty of rocks that "float" to the surface. Trails meander around these hilly features and the bogs and marshy wetlands are part of the kettles throughout the glaciated area.

Image - Lavon Court

While our hike focus was on wildflowers, we also learned about how glaciation impacted the trails and area we were hiking in. I was particularly interested to see the flora 100 miles north of us and compare it to the wildflowers we are currently seeing in the Driftless. The trees on the trail were *just* beginning to bud (here the leaves have busted out in earnest and we are in shade tree heaven).

Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

My expectation on this hike: I would see many of the ephemerals that had been abundantly present in our area 1.5 -2 weeks ago. But I got a surprise!

We saw many of the same ephemerals blooming there as we have blooming here - despite the distance! Along the trail, I saw early spring beauties along with a huge number of fully bloomed trilliums. I don't always find those two flowers blooming at the same time. We also saw two-leaf miterwort, marsh marigolds, little leaf butter cup, bellwort, white and yellow blooming trout lily, woodland horsetail, white rattlesnake root, wintercress, meadow rue, wood anemone - and a wood frog!

Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

The hike itself was very interesting - especially in pre-mosquito times. With the lowlands and bogs as well as springs and rills, it is a wet environment - especially in the spring season. The trails are well maintained by the local Ice Age Trail Alliance folks. It is a fairly easy to hike and has great views of river, wetlands and forest.

THE HIKE

A 4 mile, out-and-back hike that starts along the steep north shore of the Chippewa River (the terminal moraine for the glacier) across from Burnet Island State Park. After a short segment, cross the highway and head into the Krank Nature Preserve (Chippewa County Land Conservancy made possible through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program) where the trail has plenty of ups and downs and twists and turns following the moraines and skirting many kettles and lowland bogs through hardwood forests. Trails can be muddy.

Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Location:  23778 County Highway CC, Cornell, WI 54732

From Cornell, WI: take Hwy 64 (Bridge Street) west across the Blue Bridge. Turn right on Hwy CC.  Travel 2 miles  on Hwy CC, along the west side of the Chippewa River. Look for Ice Age Trail parking area signs and kiosk.

Image -Marge Loch-Wouters