Reno Quarry (MN) Hike

The south view from the top

Located in Minnesota's Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest in the Reno Recreation area, this easily-accessed, short set of trails results in some spectacular river and bluff views and unique rock formations. 

The trailhead is near the top of the bluff about a mile off MN Hwy 26. As you head up to it, you pass a few homes and then enter the forest. There is a campground to the left but just keep heading up the road until just before a sharp left-hand bend in the road, you spot a gate with a small parking lot to the left of it. 

Fire ring and "Flintstone 
Furniture" on quarry floor

The trail begins by the gate. Head north along the old-logging road and you soon make a sharp turn (south) to the right and begin a steady ascent up to the quarry itself. The woods along this first part of the trail are alive with wild flowers and ferns through most of the growing season. Along the way on your left, you will begin to see sharp drop-offs on private land and the beginnings of the rock face of the bluff as well. 

Soon you emerge into the quarry itself.  It is a well-used area with "Flintstone furniture," a large homemade fire ring, some graffiti and some trash (I try to come prepared with a small trash bag). There are some small, steep spur trails here and there to access the rock wall, although I didn't take the time or risk to explore them much. There is plenty of room to wander and explore on the flat stone quarry floor.

The north view at top of quarry

If you continue upward on the main trail for a few more hundred feet and turn left, you end up at the top of the quarry itself with a spectacular view of the bluffs and Mississippi River to the north. The trail ends here at a fence to prevent access to the quarry top.

The money view though, in my opinion, is still to come. Head back down towards the trail but go straight rather than turn right. You quickly emerge onto a point in a goat prairie remnant with expansive views of the Mississippi River, the Reno Spillway and its floodplain forests, Wisconsin river bluffs and MN bluffs. During spring and fall waterfowl migration, it's not unusual to have swans and geese flying just over your head on their migration routes. The rocks and grass provide ample seating to give you time to soak up the incredible views.

Enjoying the views on the outlook - including swans migrating

Atop the "spinal column" rocks

Once you turn around and head back down again, you come to an intersection (where you originally turned to your right). Follow the trail north and then up towards the river. There you will find a unique rock formation that, from a distance, might remind you of a human spinal column. Made up of alternating layers of limestone and sandstone, these columns again afford a panoramic view of the river and WI bluffs. You can easily scramble to the top of these columns to soak up the views. Fifty feet or so down the trail from these, you can get great camera shots of people standing on these unique flat-topped columns.

You can follow the trail slightly further north where it descends down into the woods and bushwhack back through the woods on the faintly outlined old logging/quarry road or head back directly from the outlook on the established trail.

These trails aren't regularly maintained so summer hiking is pretty overgrown and there are deadfalls to go around or over in all seasons. Spring and fall when growth is new or dying back are ideal. This is a hunting area so be aware of MN hunting seasons and wear blaze colors as you hike.

THE HIKE

My favorite rocks on my favorite hike
Image - Lloyd Lorenz

This 2.5 mile hike has about a 250 foot elevation gain. It starts high up on the bluff so the views of the river, bluffs and rock formations make it a hike that even older kids can do. The first part of the hike up to the quarry and higher outlooks is the steepest. The trail down to the "spinal column" rocks is fairly level and great for a short amble - definitely more family-friendly as well. The trails tend to be overgrown during the summer so spring and fall when vegetation has died back or is just emerging is ideal. It's also the best time to try to catch swan and geese migration on the wing  (early mornings and evenings).

Location

Heading south from La Crescent, take Hwy 26 about 20 miles or so until you see a sign for "Reno Recreation Area" on your right. Turn right at Hillside Dr and follow that about a mile up the road until you see a gate with a small 3-4 car parking lot ringed by stones to the left of the gate (before a sharp left-hand bend in the road). The trailhead begins behind the gate.

Unless noted, all images - Marge Loch-Wouters

Looking for more area hikes? Please stop by the web version of the blog and under the "Labels" tab on the right hand side of the blog, click on "find-a-hike". There are over 75 hike descriptions and lists of hikes to try!

Brownsville (MN) Bluff Field Trip

Heading up the hill prairie's steep slope

Thanks to the Coulee Region chapter and the MN Driftless chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts, an enthusiastic group of prairie buffs had the privilege of hiking an iconic bluff behind Brownsville in late August. This steep hill prairie is privately owned. But Dave and Laurie opened up their prairie so we could hike it and hear about the planned restoration work to return this beautiful prairie remnant to its full glory.

The Prairie Enthusiasts write about these small islands of remnant prairie that exist throughout the Driftless area: "Hill prairies are island-like patches of prairie vegetation that occurring on otherwise wooded steep slopes. This prairie vegetation usually occurs only on the slopes, where a combination of factors such as the south to west-facing slope aspect, steep slope angle, dry prevailing winds, and well-drained soil result in droughty conditions. Other common names for hill prairies include bluff prairies, goat prairies, and prairie openings. Hill prairies likely never formed large, continuous belts, but were fragmented by forested ravines that dissect the uplands."

We started in a heavily wooded area and then headed up the steep prairie while learning about the history of the property, the partnerships that are happening to remove invasives and the importance of timber rattlers in the ecological balance of the prairie.

The "big" views were spectacular...

...so were the small views -
cyclindrical blazing star

Along the way we were treated to an array of prairie plants and grasses - mountain mint, prairie goldenrod, cylindrical blazing star, yellow flax, naked sunflower, mustache grass, blue flax, blooming Indian grass, leadplant and more. Hikers from both the Prairie Enthusiast chapters stopped and talked about these plants and helped identify many as we stepped carefully around them.

The hike finished returning to the woods along the blufftop where we saw an effigy mound and then continued down through the woods on old logging roads to the start.

The hike was a valuable learning experience as well as a darn good aerobic climb. My fascination with prairie remnant preservation and restoration only grows as I attend these fascinating hike-and-learn opportunities. I look forward to seeing this prairie in a few years after more restoration work is done.

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

Let's Get Hiking - and Learning! October 2023

Great River (MN) State Park
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

It's fall and there are still plenty of learning opportunities available in the Driftless and nearby areas. What kind of events are happening that you can take advantage of to extend your learning about the natural world?

Guided Bird Hike on Sand Point Trail   Saturday Oct 7     8:00 am - 

Frontenac (MN) State Park. Meet in the Hwy. 61/County Road 2 parking lot/rest stop.. We’ll walk through the riparian forest and along the shoreline and hope to see fall migrating warblers as well as resident birds, including waterfowl, terns, gulls and shorebirds. The 2-mile loop is flat and well-maintained. This walk can take two to four hours, depending on how many birds we see, but you can leave at any time. Bring your binoculars. No need to register, but if you have questions, email janetmalotky@gmail.com. Sponsor: Frontenac State Park Association.

Prairie Stargazing Walk    Saturday Oct 7   7:00-9:00pm

Tunnelville Cliffs. Join us for an evening outdoors with a guided walk to discover the planets, stars, and galaxies of the fall evening sky on the hilltop trail at the Tunnelville Cliffs nature preserve in Vernon County. The easy short walk on a relatively flat trail will include observation of night life on the prairie and in the sky. Advanced registration by 4pm Oct 6 is required. Sponsor: Mississippi Valley Conservancy.

Hike with Naturalist Bruce Ause  Saturdays Oct 7-28    10am (sharp) - 11:00 am-ish  

Frontenac (MN) State Park. Meet for an hour-long hike by the new shower building and learn a ton  from Bruce about the changing natural word around you. He makes every hike an adventure in learning. You can read more about Bruce in this month's  Frontenac State Park Association newsletter. Sponsor: Frontenac State Park Association.

Exploring Wanhi Yukan (Grand Meadow Chert Quarry)   Wednesday Oct 11  10:00 am - noon

Whitewater (MN) State Park. Tom Trow will share about the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry Archaeological and Cultural Preserve, located northwest of Grand Meadow, MN. Among the scattered trees of this prairie site are 100 chert quarry pits, large holes left just as they were when dug by Native Americans seeking stone for making tools, between 400 and 3,000 years ago. Today, management of the site is the responsibility of the Mower County Historical Society and the Prairie Island Indian Community, with environmental assistance from the Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District and staff from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Sponsor: Friends of Whitewater State Park

Off the Beaten Path Hike   Saturday October 14    Noon - 3:00pm

Whitewater State Park. Join us on a crisp fall hike to points unknown. Whitewater has a few spectacular views that have remained hidden from even the most seasoned visitor. During this hike we will leave the trails behind us, as we venture out into a little used part of the park. No dogs allowed. Distance 3.2 Miles, Elev. Gain 350ft.  Reservations are required. Email Jeremy.darst@state.mn.us or call 507-312-2301. Sponsor: Whitewater (MN) State Park.

Tree Steward Training  Saturday, October 14        9:00am - 1:00pm

La Crescent will be hosting a Tree Steward training. Completing the training is a great opportunity to learn more about tree varieties, tree science, and tree care. You will have opportunities to volunteer within the community to be stewards of the city's tree stock - and learn a ton about how to care for your own trees! Registration required. The cost is $25.  Sponsor: City of La Crescent MN

Buckthorn Blast    Saturday October 14    9:00am -noon

Wildcat Mountain (WI) State Park. This invasive tree has taken over many natural areas in Wisconsin. Help us stomp it out at Wildcat before it can spread through our woodlands. This is an ideal time of year to spot it, as well as invasive honeysuckle, since they both keeps their leaves longer than native trees and shrubs.Meet at the Lower Picnic Area Shelter (canoe launch). Wear sturdy footwear and bring drinking water and gloves. No experience or expertise is needed, just a willingness to make a difference!

Sponsor: Wildcat Mountain State Park

Geo-Walk at Chimney Rock    Thursday Oct 19    1:00-2:00 pm

Whitewater (MN) State Park. On this hike, we will travel through time to learn about the geologic processes that formed the beautiful Whitewater River Valley. Find out how oceans, glaciers and raging rivers have shaped this landscape.Distance - 0.7 Miles, Elevation Gain 200 ft. Uneven surfaces. Sponsor: Whitewater (MN) State Park.

Crane Roosting Tour at Crex Meadows  Friday Oct. 20    4:30-7pm

Learn about sandhill crane ecology, then caravan through Crex Wildlife Refuge during sunset hours to watch thousands of cranes come to their nightly roost. Fundraiser for Bird Protection Fund. / Family Friendly. Nearest town: Grantsburg, Burnett Co. / Leaders: Lauren Finch  $33/adults; $23/Child Sponsor: WI Natural Resources Foundation Field Trips

Tips & Tricks to Mastering Waterfowl ID    Saturday October 21   9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Get to know the ducks, geese, and swans of the Mississippi River flyway. Learn tips and tricks for waterfowl identification in an indoor classroom, then venture to iconic Pools 8 and 9 on the Mississippi River to hone your skills during the peak of waterfowl migration. / Family Friendly Ages 12+ Nearest town: La Crosse, La Crosse Co. / Leaders: Brenda Kelly, Scott Kelly.  $18/adults; $8/child  Sponsor: WI Natural Resources Foundation Field Trips

Guided Forest Bathing Walk  Sunday October 29  1:00-3:00pm

Whitewater (MN) State Park. 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. Sponsor: Whitewater (MN) State Park.

Hands-on Buckthorn Removal  Saturday November 4   10am -

Frontenac (MN) State Park. A hands-on lesson on removing buckthorn will be held at the park at 10 a.m. “Invasive Species Management: Buckthorn Removal” is a free, family-friendly event on removing that darned buckthorn from the wild – AND from your yard. Meet at park headquarters at 10 a.m., then we’ll hike to the work site. Please wear gloves, tear-resistant clothing and sturdy footwear. And if you own a lopper, bring it along. Sponsor: Frontenac State Park Association.

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.

I Spy on the Trails - September 16-30, 2023

Calico Aster

As fall equinox arrives, the flowers are slowly dying back and releasing seeds (or burrs!). Asters hold court. Ferns and goldenrod, along with other plant stalwarts, are beginning to fade. As Nola observed in the last "I Spy" post, fungi are prolific especially with more frequent rain. It is a treat to find them on almost every hike.

Cloud ocean below Magelssen Bluff top

Morning fog is frequent now as cold nights lead towards dawn. Hiking above the fog layer in the sun brings magical views of the "cloud ocean" roiling below. We are still in the long heat of early fall with lovely sunny days in the 70s and sometimes 80s. Early evening, though, tells us this lovely weather won't last long.

Quite a bit of rain is finally gracing us. It won’t make up for the severe drought but it will go a long way towards plants ready for winter.

Familiar summer song birds are noticeably less or absent in the sounds of woods and fields. They have begun their migrations. The conspicuous silence except for the calls of woodpeckers, crows, chickadees and jays are another signal that summer is well gone. Warblers are coming through but not lingering. Birdcast has been showing migration levels of half a million to upwards of a million birds making their journeys nightly in our state during these weeks. Scientists remind us to turn off unnecessary outside lights during this migration to help birds successfully migrate.

Crickets, grasshoppers cicadas have taken over the soundscape now. They are omnipresent. Bees and wasps are busy yet at any remaining blooms. But frost is not far away.

Waterfowl migration is just beginning. Pelicans are less frequently seen and soon the egrets and herons will follow. Ducks, geese, cranes and swans are just beginning their migration which will last into November.

Atop Sugar Creek Bluff
Image - Lloyd Lorenz

Leaves are just turning. It is with a great deal of surprise that I am seeing the usual vibrant colors despite the drought we have experienced this season. I wasn't sure what to expect. 

The biweekly phenology lists I note will shorten considerably as we begin to lose our flowers after the frost and wildlife begins to settle into their hibernation patterns. So there will be a picture or two of the fading foliage but fewer individual observations of flowers.

Happy autumn!

Wildflowers

• Late purple aster
• New England aster
• Calico aster
• Hairy aster
• Big bluestem grass
• Hoary vervain
• Purple clover
• Goldenrod
• Bitterstem mushroom
• Ostrich plume moss
• Spinulose wood fern
• Twinflower
• Lion shield mushroom
• Birch polypore mushroom
• Honey mushroom 
• Green cheese polypore
• Rosy Russell’s mushroom

Wildlife

• Deer
• American toad
• Hairy woodpecker
• Yellow-bellied sapsucker
• White-throated sparrow
• Golden-crowned kinglet
• Kingfisher
• Trumpeter swans
• Dark-eyed junco

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Two weeks of hikes: Sugar Creek Bluff, Ferryville WI; Magelssen Bluff, Rushford MN; Vetsch Park, La Crescent MN; Eighteen Lake, Isabelle, MN; Dry Lake Trail, Superior National Forest, Ely MN

The "I Spy on the Trails" column is a phenology (the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals) journal to chronicle year-round the weather, plant life and wildlife I observe while hiking. It is very useful in helping me compare observations from year-to-year. The column is published monthly from September through April and then twice-a-month from May through August when warm weather brings the natural world back to vibrant life.  

Images - Marge Loch-Wouters, unless noted

Hiking Safety in Fall

Last Saturday, September 23, waterfowl hunting season opened with a bang just at dawn in nearby wetlands near our Minnesota home. Although hunting seasons occur throughout the year, fall is an especially big time for hunting. In both Minnesota and Wisconsin, archery and small and big game gun hunting gets started in mid-September and continues throughout most of the fall.

As hikers, we often find ourselves in areas like Wildlife Management Areas (WMA's), land conservancies or other public lands like county or state forests where hunting is allowed. How do we keep safe?

One of the easiest steps you can take is making sure you do your fall hiking with an item of blaze orange or blaze pink on your head and/or above your waist. By wearing a hat, vest, or shirt in those colors, you reduce your chance of accidents tremendously. It's best to purchase these items in the summer when you can find a variety of choices and weights for the clothing. Once the hunting seasons start, very little stock is left for you to choose from.

We also add yellow vests that we can put over our coats  Combined with our blaze orange hats it gives us extra peace of mind. 

While some people also suggest bright colors, the gold standard remains blaze orange and pink. Hunters are looking for those colors on the trails and those colors are your best bet to protect yourself.

You can also consider limiting your hikes to state and city parks during this period. Be aware that these parks often border private land or other state lands where hunting is allowed. Sometimes state parks will close trails that border on active fall hunting lands. 

Know where you are going and check ahead if possible to see if hunting is allowed. Sometimes parks or natural areas will put up notices on their websites or Facebook pages to help guide you.

Year-round hiking is tremendously fun. With a few protective garments, you can feel more comfortable and safer in autumn during hunting season.

Rocky Mountain High

I left the Driftless area for a eleven days to travel to a meet-up and hiking in the Rockies with a group of friends recently. We are all part of a hiking group called the Slickrockers who have been hiking, primarily in the southwest, for almost thirty years. These wonderful women come from around the country and are avid hikers and outdoorswomen. It's always a pleasure to gather and hear the tales of their adventures and share the trails with them on our mostly annual meet-ups.

Slickrockers 2023

The Driftless region with its 500 foot elevation gains gets my body in shape for the climbs in the Southwest but I admit in places like Colorado where our climbs start at 5000-9000+ feet, my lungs tell me I'm not quite as prepared as I can be.

This year we explored around the Denver area at state parks, natural areas and in Rocky Mountain National Park. Going in September meant cooler temps and fewer crowds than during the summer. We hiked some great trails to spectacular mountain views and vistas, alpine lakes, tundra, wildlife and mountain streams. We had some sun and rain - on the trail it didn't matter. I don't know if we could have packed in more than we did over the seven days of hiking. 

The pictures below are a tiny snippet of what I experienced on the hikes. I thought I'd share before I go back to chronicling our own wonderful hikes in the Driftless.

A parade of upthrust "fins" were a feature
 at Roxborough State Park
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

Swift running mountain streams
were a feature along almost all our hikes.
Image Marg Loch-Wouters

Elk were out in abundance 
Image - Linda Pohle

Above the tree line, tundra flowers were blooming.
Image - Linda Pohle

At Loch Vale, an alpine lake at 9900 ft
Image - Heather DeVries

Fog and rain were just as beautiful
 in the mountains
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

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.

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Looking for more area hikes? Please stop by the web version of the blog and under the "Labels" tab on the right hand side of the blog, click on "find-a-hike". There are over 75 hike descriptions and lists of hikes to try!