Mathy Quarry, Quarry Trail (WI) Hike

Like many bluff trails, this Mississippi Valley Conservancy property (in cooperation with the City of La Crosse Park and Rec) was once a rock quarry. As such, it has quarry trails set on solid gravel and is a great bet for later winter/early spring hiking. The main Quarry trail is one that brings you to the top of the quarry as well as the quarry floor.  You have options to make this hike into a 2-5 mile hike depending on what you want to explore.

The "big" rock

On this hike, I like to start at the gate just to the left outside the parking area. You head through a lovely wooded area descending gently until you come out and turn left on the rim of the quarry. You pass a large rock and continue on down toward the floor of the quarry.

About a mile into your hike you will notice a narrow rocky spur to your left off the main trail. This is a pretty little 1/4 mile loop that rejoins the main trail. It gets you closer to the rock walls and is a fun diversion. You can continue past the old building foundation and turn around at the MVC border signs.

If you re-trace your steps to the large rock, you can return a different way to the trailhead. Watch for where the trail heads left along the edge of the quarry. This is a more eroded trail and can be mucky if wet but offers a number of spectacular views of surrounding bluffs to the north and east of the quarry as well as a bird's eye view of the quarry floor. You can turn right when you come to a T and rejoin the original trail to your trailhead or take a shortcut directly into the main parking lot.

There are also options to stay down on the quarry floor (Blazingstar Trail) and climb back up though a pollinator prairie which is in it's glory in the warmer growing months. One can also continue along the Snakeroot Trail for more mileage. The Quarry trail continues on a biking trail on the east side of the parking lot through a beautiful bluffside forest that connects to a number of other hike/bike trails in Hixon Forest. Maps of these trails are available here.

The southern quarry wall

THE HIKE

A 2-5 mile hike, depending on your selected route(s), with elevation gain of about 360 feet await hikers who explore the trails in this old quarry. One can do out-and-back and loops depending on your druthers. You start at the rim of the quarry and descend onto the wide quarry floor following old road bed gravel trails and some grassy more eroded trails depending on your route. The hike is known for its spectacular rim views of bluffs and layered rocks visible in the quarried walls. There are also woods and prairies depending on your route.

Location : N3065 Cty Rd,F, La Crosse.

In La Crosse, continue east on Main St past Losey Blvd and the railraod tracks and veer left to get onto Bliss Rd which winds you through hairpin turns up to the Alpine inn. Turn left there (a right turn would bring you to Grandad's Bluff) and follow the road for about 1/2 mile until you come to Cty Rd FA. Take a left and the parking lot is at the end of that road.

The view from the western rim

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters