Sugar Creek Bluff (WI) Amble

Bloodroot in April

Sugar Creek Bluff is a sweet (no, really) little nature preserve protected by the Mississippi Valley Conservancy (MVC). It is located just outside of Ferryville, WI, up near the top of the bluff. This1.5 mile out-and-back hike winds through hardwood forests out to a restored prairie and wide vistas at it's turn-around point. It is a birder's paradise and has some amazing flowers as well. 

When the Driftless Drifters* hiking club plan our weekly Amble hikes, our goal is to have the hikers experience some of the same kinds of vistas that the hikers who can do more challenging routes see. This trail is a good all-abilities and family-friendly hike for great vistas without gaining 500 feet in elevation in the process.

Looking out towards the goat prairie

Sugar Creek Bluff's small parking lot can accommodate 3-4 cars at the trailhead. You will see a large tree planting that MVC has been working on this past year on your right. Head east up a grassy, wide trail into the woods. This hardwood forest is great during warbler migration as the trail first heads up and then slowly, slowly down towards the point.

Go to the right when you come to a T on the trail and continue. You will soon be ridge-walking out to the rocky point over a restored prairie. The view here to the Iowa bluffs and of the Mississippi River is pretty spectacular. When you combine the views with the prairie spread out before you - wow! 

Timber rattler sunning in May

The prairie was first burned to start its restoration 2016. It is full of native plants...and perhaps timber rattlers. Timber rattlers are a pretty shy reptile. Still, always use caution if hiking in warm weather off-trail near rocks and be aware and give them room.

Ferryville has long been known as a hotbed for this herp. At a recent Ferryville Chautauqua presentation Armund Bartz, WI DNR biologist and manager of seven western Wisconsin State Natural Areas (SNAs), shared some history of this rattler and the community which was once known as the Rattlesnake Capitol of Wisconsin. 

The prairie bluffs along the river had long been burned by indigenous people. When settlers came in, they continued burning the prairie, hoping this would destroy the snakes, little realizing that timber rattlers thrived in that burned and regrown habitat. Ferryville residents had actually preserved the timber rattler.

I recommend that if you are doing this hike, consider heading north up Hwy 35 and then left over the bridge to Lansing IA to see the stunning vistas at Mt. Hosmer. Once over the bridge, turn left into town, and make a right at Main St. A few blocks up, turn right on N. 6th St and head around screamingly fun hairpin turns on the narrow road (10 mpg speed limit) to the top of the bluff for more great vistas of the Wisconsin bluffs and the Mississippi River right below. 

One of the views from Mt. Hosmer

There are also some rockin' fine steep trails at Hosmer if you want to challenge yourself. They aren't well-marked individually but they have put up a new trail map sign by the outlook to help hikers navigate.

THE HIKE

An easy 1.5 mile out-and-back trail takes you through hardwood forests to a lovely rock outcropping above a restored prairie. Views include the Iowa bluffs and expansive views of the Mississippi River. You can also view village goings-on directly below. This is a hotbed for migrating warblers and is on the Mississippi flyway so waterfowl are very much in evidence in spring and fall on their migration routes.

Location:

Follow Hwy 35 south from La Crosse to Ferryville. Turn left on N. Buck Creek Road and follow that up to near the top of the hill where you will see a kiosk and small parking area on your left.

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

* The Driftless Drifters is a 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 flatter surfaces for hikers looking for a slower pace or recovering from illness or nursing/rehabbing injuries. All hikes feature learning opportunities as hikers 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 as well as an occasional pop-up hikes. Contact Community Ed at 507 895-5150 to join.