I Spy on the Trails - February 2024

Root River WMA wetlands

February. Hmmm, what can I say? It was part and parcel of our ongoing "lost winter." I have been following meteorologist Paul Douglas' updates and musings on this El Nino-powered winter and that has certainly given me pause. 

Except for three days in the teens/20s, we experienced an entire month of daytime temperatures above freezing. Our two snows were pretty much melted by the following day. This extraordinary run of warm weather hit 40s and 50s throughout most days this month. Weirdly weird.

I will say more sunny days were very welcome. Much of January and some of February were foggy and hazy because of the warmer weather.

La Crosse River Marsh wetlands

Spring migration of Canada geese, sandhill cranes and tundra and trumpeter swans has begun. Robins are coming back and goldfinches as well. This is slightly earlier than I've seen other years. 

On the hiking front, the big quest for me was finding hike-able firm trails. Some trails have been mushy so my usual February hiking/snowshoeing haunts weren't available. We are also in a severe drought in this area of the state so that did open up other possibilities in this very early freeze/thaw cycle. Some of the wetland hikes that are too wet to hike are actually quite solid because of the low water and lack of snow.

Great River Bluffs State Park MN

One strategy for hikes  - I did alot of early morning hiking when trails were firmed up after cold nights. It prevented leaving muddy tracks and preserved the trails. I also keep a list of go-to outdoor trails just for freeze/thaw cycle weather (you'll see some of them below). Most feature old gravel roadbed trails which remain firm in this iffy warm weather. Last month's post has additional ideas for good freeze/thaw hiking destinations in the Driftless.

I returned a number of times to the hikes below this month and found something new and wonderful each time.

Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge

Despite the odd weather, there were plenty of beautiful things to see on the trails - whether trumpeter swans and eagles; ice sculptured reeds and snow covered prairie plants; foggy bluffs or hazy vistas

Wildlife (seen, heard, detected)

• Blue jays
• Robins
• Canada geese
• Goldfinches
• Tundra swans
• Trumpeter swans
• Sandhill cranes
• Hairy woodpecker
• Downy woodpecker
• Great horned owl

I also saw spiders and beetles near the end of the month!

Burr oaks, Great River Bluffs State Park

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Month of hikes:
Root River WMA, Hokah MN(3); La Crosse River Marsh, La Crosse WI (2); Necedah Wildlife Refuge, Necedah WI; Lytle’s Landing, Brice Prairie WI; King's Bluff Trail, Great River Bluffs State Park, Nodine, MN; Riverside Park, La Crosse WI (2); Wagon Wheel Trail, La Crescent MN (2); Lower Diversion Dike Trail, Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, Trempealeau WI; Kiep's Landing Dike Trail, Trempealeau WI; (2) Reno Quarry, Reno WI; Reno Spillway, Reno MN; Oxbow Dike trail, Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, Trempealeau WI (2)

A busy beaver at Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge (WI) - Two of the Dike Trails Hikes

On Kiep's Landing Trail

If you're looking for an incredible hike during the sloppy spring freeze/thaw cycle, you can't go wrong exploring the dike trails at the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge between Trempealeau WI and Winona MN. I'm focusing in this post on two of the easternmost trails: Kiep's Landing Dike and Lower Diversion Dike.

A birder's paradise, these flat, accessible trails feature firm surfaces (they are old roads) and bring you right down to the water and beautiful views of Trempealeau Mountain and the MN and WI bluffs. During migration seasons, the floodplain forests are a riot of songbird action and the backwaters are full of waterfowl action. Eagles are found in abundance.

Both trailheads s are near each other less than a 1/2 mile from the Visitor's Center. There are parking lots by both trailheads. Each hike is an out-and-back hike.

Lower Division woods

Lower Diversion Dike begins with a walk among rolling woods, many of which are located on old sand dunes. During migration, the raucous calls of Canada geese, trumpeter and tundra swans and other waterfowl can be heard through the trees. After about a mile or so, you leave the woods and hike out onto the dike where you have great views of the backwaters of the Mississippi and Trempealeau Mountain next to Perrot Park in WI. The 2 mile (one way) hike ends at a gate near Trempealeau Mountain. There a a number of benches along the trail on this longer hike.

Trumpeter swans and Canada geese along Kiep's

Kiep's Landing Dike is where you can see birds and waterfowl at a closer range (but bring your binoculars for the best viewing). You start out from the boat landing, and head down the dike road. The first half-mile is through the woods and this is where you can hear and glimpse numerous birds in the water and woods. There is a bench halfway down this 1 mile trail. Continue on with the backwaters on each side of you and catch glimpses of eagles, beaver activity and spectacular bluff and Trempealeau Mountain views. 

THE HIKES

Beaver not only taking down tree but trimming it!

While each of these trails begs to be walked in any season, spring migration and firm footing as the snows melt make these two trails perfect to hike in February-May. Kiep's Landing is a 2.5 mile out-and-back hike. Lower Diversion Dive is a 4 mile out-and-back hike. The flat trails make them great for any age/condition and benches along the way let you rest or sit to contemplate or quietly observe the abundant wildlife. The floodplain forest, the Mississippi backwaters and stunning bluff views are awesome in any season though so keep these trails on your year-round list.

A view of Trempealeau Mountain

The Location

W228488 Refuge Road, Trempealeau WI

The Refuge lies just south of WI Hwy 35/54 between Centerville and the bridge to Winona. Turn south on West Prairie Rd and continue until you see the Trempealeau Wildlife sign where you turn right on Refuge Rd. Proceed along that road until you see a sign for a left turn to Kiep's Landing (or continue straight to the Visitor's Center and check out their information inside).

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

Let's Get Hiking - and Learning! March 2024

Will March come in like a lion or a lamb? I am thinking lamb after our mild February. Below are fun learning opportunities to take advantage of as we slip into our more official spring.

Click on the titles or brown-colored links to find more detailed info.

Festival of Owls           

Houston MN

March 1-3                         all day

Live owl programs, kids crafts, owl prowls, speakers and other activities plus much more at this event International Owl Center in Houston MN. Sponsor: International Owl Center, Houston MN

Aldo Leopold Celebration

Brice Prairie WI

March 2                noon - 4:00pm

Please join us to celebrate this milestone anniversary and honor Leopold’s enduring legacy! Leopold’s work will be celebrated in a series of FREE events in the La Crosse area as part of an annual state-wide celebration. Here’s what’s happening at the Refuge! Registration is not required. The Visitor Center doors will open at 11:45 p.m.

12:00 p.m. presentation: “Fins, feathers and firebrands: 100 years of conservation on the Upper Mississippi River Refuge.” Come learn about the passionate and vocal visionaries who influenced the Refuge’s creation, major events which shaped its physical and social landscape, and how you can help shape the next 100 years to come!

1:00 p.m. presentation: “Prairie gardening 101: how to add beauty to your yard or public space” by Dr. Melinda Knutson. Join retired US Fish and Wildlife Service regional wildlife biologist and conservation planner, Dr. Melinda Knutson, to discover why we care about prairies, how you can get involved in local conservation efforts, and tips and tricks for adding native prairie and savanna plants to your garden at home!

2:00 p.m. Guided winter plant walk: Join a Refuge Ranger for a short walk on the prairie to learn about common native prairie plants in their winter condition! We’ll walk about a 1/2 mile along an unplowed paved trail. Please come dressed in warm layers for the weather!

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Native plant giveaway and native seed planting: One of the best ways we can help wildlife of all kinds is to grow native plants! Stop by anytime between noon and 2:30 p.m. to pick up a wild bergamot or butterfly milkweed starter plant to take home. From 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., we’ll have soil, pots, and seeds available for visitors who’d like to drop in to plant their own seed to take home. These recently planted seeds can be transplanted into a backyard garden or larger plant pot later in the spring.  Thanks to Mississippi Valley Conservancy and the Friends of the Refuge – Mississippi River Pools 7 & 8 for providing the seeds and planters! PLANTS WILL BE AVAILABLE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, please limit 2 plants per person. 

Sponsor: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge.

Maple Syrup Making for the Whole Family

Whitewater State Park, 

Saturday March 2     10-11:30 am or 1-2:30 pm 

Celebrate spring in Whitewater State Park's sugar bush! This activity will introduce the long history of maple syrup and sugar making, as well as the equipment and procedures used. Participants will tap trees, gather and boil sap and best of all taste pure maple syrup! Meet at the the Whitewater Valley Visitor Center. Reservations are required. To sign up, email Jeremy.Darst@state.mn.us or call 507-312-2301. Sponsor: Whiewater State Park

Bald Eagle Day              

Ferryville WI

Saturday March 2        9:30am - 3pm

Two programs with live birds, nest building, crafts, hooting contest. Ferryville Village Hall, Free. Sponsor: Village of Ferryville (WI)

Visit from Will Dilg               

Lansing IA        

Saturday March 9                       2-4:00 pm

Celebrate the Upper Mississippi Wildlife and Fish Refuge's 100th Anniversary with this event . Steven Marking plays Will Dilg, founding president of the Izaak Walton League and the driving force behind the formation of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge 100 years ago. Our mighty Mississippi-a magical journey of song, storytelling and visual imagery celebrating America’s greatest river with Steven Marking an acclaimed baritone, Resident Entertainer for American Cruise Lines, and an inspiring champion for the Mississippi River. Trailer Here. In this 45 minute show Steven Marking shows what one inspired man accomplished and teaches us that we must all be actively involved in protecting and managing the great outdoors. Sponsor: Big River Magazine, Friends of Pool 9 and TJ Hunters Banquet Hall (Lansing IA)

Maple Syrup Making for the Whole Family

Whitewater State Park, 

Saturday March 9     10-11:30 am or 1-2:30 pm 

Celebrate spring in Whitewater State Park's sugar bush! This activity will introduce the long history of maple syrup and sugar making, as well as the equipment and procedures used. Participants will tap trees, gather and boil sap and best of all taste pure maple syrup! Meet at the the Whitewater Valley Visitor Center. Reservations are required. To sign up, email Jeremy.Darst@state.mn.us or call 507-312-2301. Sponsor: Whiewater State Park

Drinking in the Beauty of the Driftless

Sunday, March 10          1:30-2:30 pm

Fountain, MN

Looking for a reason to get out of the house and enjoy nature from the comfort of Karst Brewing? The Friends of the Root River are sponsoring their first program of the year at Karst Brewing on Sunday, March 10th.
“Drinking in the Beauty of the Driftless” will feature the photography of Chatfield resident, Bill Sullivan, starting at 1:30 pm. Bill has been a nature photographer for several decades with special interest in birds. He takes photos almost daily of local wildlife and landscapes.The program will be held in Karst Brewing’s community room and will last about a half hour. Also available for questions/discussion will be Jeff Green, retired MN DNR groundwater hydrogeologist, who has extensive knowledge of karst in southeastern Minnesota.  Sponsor: Friends of the Root River

Timber Rattlesnake Recovery Program - H.O.P. Program

Whitewater (MN) State Park

Wednesday, March 13      10:00-noon

Julie Geschke, Planner - Wildlife Action Planner, Minnesota DNR            

part of the HOP (Healthy Older People) Into the Park series. Check the website nearer to the date for more details. Sponsor: Friends of Whitewater (MN) State Park

Black Light Tour of Cave of the Mounds

Friday, March 15             4:30-5:30 pm

Blue Mounds WI

"Unique experience to explore the Cave of the Mounds by black light. Watch the cave glow under UV Light. Why does the cave glow? Because of the perfect mixture of minerals, our cave is one of the few that glow under ultraviolet light. You will learn about ultraviolet light, fluorescence, and see the speleothems GLOW! The $10 tour price includes a black light rental and a guided tour of Cave of the Mounds. This is a fun experience not found just anywhere. Tickets are non-refundable. Please be aware, that tours are held in the dark which may be inappropriate for very young children." Sponsor Cave of the Mounds National Natural Landmark

Wilderness Weekends with Emily

Winona MN

Saturday March 23   9:30-10:30 am

Farmers Community Park , 225 West 2nd StreetWinona, MN

 Join our next Wilderness Weekend program for a beginner look at wildlife ecology as we observe landscapes within the driftless region and hypothesize about what animal survival has looked like over time. This family friendly event will take place at Farmers Park in Stockton, MN where we will observe the environment around us, discuss different animals found in the area, and determine what factors impact animal populations and the important role each species plays in an ecosystem. 

Learn more and register on our website! 

Wilderness Weekends is a program led by environmental educator Emily Gorman, designed to explore and educate participants about the diverse ecosystems and environmental treasures surrounding Winona County, Minnesota. This program offers an exciting opportunity for nature enthusiasts, students, families, and anyone passionate about environmental education to engage with the natural world through immersive activities that invite us to dive deeper into our understanding of nature. Check the website closer to the date for details. Registration required. Sponsor: Winona Outdoor Collaborative                                             

Be sure to check often with local hiking groups, universities, naturalist-interest groups, nature conservancies, nature centers and their Friends groups, state parks, US Fish and Wildlife centers and others in your area to see what is on offer to help you understand the natural world around you better. 

Root River WMA (MN) Hike/Amble

This is a quintessentially perfect late winter/early spring hike when the freeze/thaw cycle is muddying up your usual hiking trails. I save it for the times I want to be immersed in nature but don't want to ruin trails because the ground is so wet. 

This MN Wildlife Management Unit is managed for hunting, trapping and wildlife observation. It can be overgrown in the summer and has hunting pressure in the fall. That's why winter and spring are my preferred times to hike.

Located next to the Root River, this wetland area boasts spectacular views of surrounding bluffs as well as floodplain forests. The main trail is flat and very accessible for anyone looking for a flatter, easier "Amble"*. It is an old abandoned road that has a grass and gravel surface so it remains fairly firm and walkable even in the freeze/thaw cycle. Additional trails lead around the edges and further into the WMA. 

Some of the mown trails are rough with regrowth but they take you into some lovely areas so are worth the effort, though less "Amble-worthy". As a wetland, you may also run into small streamlets that you can hop across or turn around for an out-and-back hike. During migration seasons, you can hear sandhill cranes and geese as well as other sonbigrds.

About a mile into the hike, you pass by the foundations of an old building on the right side and a restored prairie on your left. When I first started hiking the WMA, this area was an old farm field. Funding from Pheasants Forever to seed the field with prairie grasses and flowers has really transformed the feel of the hike there. 

The trail becomes more overgrown here (hello big bluestem, you're in my way!) as you approach the Root River dike across from Hokah. There are many bushwhacky deer paths up onto the dike where you can get a great look at the Root River rushing by. You can continue to the west on the trail to it's end and turn around, although it is is far more overgrown in February 2024 than in the past.

Winter is another great season to enjoy this WMA, especially on snowshoes.  While you can use the trail, the off-trailing is exceptional. There are many open areas to explore in both the wetlands and woods areas. It really expands the areas of the WMA you can access.

THE HIKE

A very level, old grass and gravel roadbed goes into the heart of this wetlands and floodplain forest just outside of Hokah. While managed for hunting and trapping, this under 2 mile out-and-back hike makes a great, accessible and easy hike that is especially great during the freeze/thaw season when other trails are too muddy to hike. Those who want to add extra miles can follow rougher mown trails that take you into the interior of the WMA.

Location - Hwy 16, just outside Hokah. 

If coming from La Crescent, it is 1/4 mile from Hokah. You take the first right after the 30 mph speed sign on to a short graveled road with a gate at the end. From Hokah, go 1/4 mile out of town and take the first left onto the short gravel road with the gate at the end. Park anywhere to the side of the road near the gate.

*an Amble is a short hike under 2.5 miles on flatter trails that help those who need or want a slower pace or are recovering from illness or injury.

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

La Crosse River Marsh Trails (WI) Hike

With warm temperatures in the past few weeks, I was drawn back to a series of favorite hikes that take one through great swaths of the La Crosse wetlands east of the Mississippi River and surrounding the La Crosse River in the heart of La Crosse. These flat trails, many of them paved, are easy and level and provide miles of trails along the wetlands to walkers, runners, bikers and those with strollers in any season.

There are a number of trailheads in this network of trails. Riverside Park and Myrick Park are the main access points to the trails that I use. 

Leaving from near the International Gardens on the north side of Riverside Park gets you on a 1.3 mile series of paved sections. Keep to the right on the Vietnam Veterans trail and head along the La Crosse River and under the Copeland Ave overpass to a lovely section that is alive with migrating warblers in the spring. You cross a bridge and have great views of wildlife in the wetlands high above the river. [Note: this is closed for construction from 7th St to Lang Dr where Willow Trail begins as of January 2024. No word on when the project will be completed.]

The next section is the Willow trail which you join one under the Lang Dr overpass. It follows brushier wetlands and a floodplain forest where turtles, herons and egrets can often be spotted. The La Crosse River often floods at the end of this trail so in high water you might have to turn back. If you are good to go, you intersect at the end of this trail with the Grand Crossing, another paved section. 

Turn to the left to cross a bridge and follow it 1/2 mile past ducks, frogs, waterfowl and more in this floodplain forest section. You end at a sidewalk and can retrace your steps. If you turn to the right at the Willow intersection onto Grand Crossing, you head another 1/2 mile through a wide wetlands swath with expansive views of the WI bluffs. The trail ends by a dog park or...

... continue to the left along the south end of the wetlands to Myrick Park and pick up the unpaved section of the Cottonwood trail. Here you find open water and wildlife aplenty. There is a helpful sign identifying bluff names along the way and two viewing decks on a spur on the east side of the trail. The trail winds along the marsh for 1/2 past some benches until it rejoins the Grand Crossing trail. This unpaved trail is well-used and suffers from erosion during the freeze-thaw cycle and spring.

A final part of the trail is little used and the only challenging section - the unpaved Wood Duck trail HUGS the south end of the marsh before going under Hwy 16 and continuing. You can follow the loop and return or continue and emerge near the parking lot for the lower Hixon trails.

Doing some part of any of these flat trails is interesting in any season. While paved, I note that the1.3 mile Jim Asfoor section goes past an encampment of unhoused people during some seasons.

The Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh is an advocacy group that supports the efforts of the city of La Crosse in maintaining the marsh. They also successful advocated for decades against a proposed road planned by WIDOT to be run through the marsh. Protecting this vital wetland and educating people about it has been core principles of this group. 

THE HIKE(S)

A series of flat trails that run through the heart of La Crosse reveal the beauty and wildlife on display in the La Crosse River Marsh year-round. Approximately 6 miles of trails connect within the marshland and floodplain forest. The trails provide habitat for birds, mammals, waterfowl, and amphibians. Heavily used by the nearby college community and walkers, runners, bikers makes it a great place to greet other trail users throughout the year. Trails can be done as out-and-back or combined to make loops of any length.

The Locations - two trailhead access points. Check the map linked above for others.

• Myrick Park - 2107 La Crosse St, La Crosse - drive down toward the Nature Place parking lot on the north end of the park
• Riverside Park - 100 block of S. State St., La Crosse - enter the park and drive until just before the curve on the right. Enter the parking lot near the International Gardens and park at the east end.

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters