Plans Afoot - Backpacking Trail in Southeastern MN

 

Marty Walsh has a dream! 

While working in community development in Fillmore County, Walsh was looking over maps of the county and surrounding areas. He realized that there were many areas of public land that could be utilized - along with private land used with permission - to make a 100 mile backpacking/hiking trail between Chatfield MN and the Mississippi River near Brownsville MN.

Marty was inspired by the Lost Creek Trail (Chatfield MN) that 7 landowners developed and built cooperatively between Chatfield and Jordan Township. He also thought about backpacking trails like Ice Age Trail, Superior Hiking Trail and other trails that wind through state and national forest land and along connecting roadways and landowner and campground easements.  It could be done!

And so the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail effort began. 

The MDHT vision: "a 100+ mile backpacking trail across the Driftless area of Minnesota in the style of the National Scenic and Recreational Trails, supported by volunteers and operating as an independent organization."

The gray area in the proposed corridor below outlines all areas within which the trail could run, depending on landowner agreements to cross property or the use of only public land and paved roads. 

Nothing is set in stone at this point. Alot of the direction the trail will take depends on ongoing work spreading the word and connecting to agencies, working with the MN DNR, landowners and other local, state and national trail associations to see what could work in southeastern MN. At the moment, everything is in flux. The goal for the trail is to have it develop in a way that involves willing  participants and volunteers who are excited to see this trail developed and come through their area. So far so good!

This is a project that needs lots of volunteers and cooperating landowners. Over the past three years, MDHT has developed a solid leadership team of skilled volunteers, gotten agreements from 20 land owners along the corridor (with more in the pipeline), engaged with communities, nature centers, campgrounds and more to grow the network of possibility. 

Marty Walsh and Andy Petzold 
on "test run for proposed MDHT, June 2022
Image -Marty Walsh

In June 2022, MDHT folks did a "test" hike along a 25 mile segment of what could become part of the trail. They hiked only on existing trails, public lands and connecting roadways. They were looking at the possibilities for camping on the trail, water access, how the trails were - and, of course, enjoyed the incredible views, wet stream crossings and boots on these trails. The test run - to prove this trail could work  - was a success.

The MDHT board is currently engaged in filing for non-profit status. In addition, they submitted a $425,000 project to fund trail building supplies, print materials and an executive director for three years through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (half of all MN lottery ticket sales go to this fund)  The Legislative Citizen Committee on MN Resources has included the MDHT in their FY2024 Funding Recommendation. The LCCMR recommendation will be voted on by the MN legislature in February or March (with the money available July 2024 if the recommendation is successfully passed).  

The leadership team has also spent a great deal of time working with the MN DNR on exploring legal agreements and leases for parts of the trail that they hope to have on state lands. This work in particular is delicate because of the scope of land uses supported in the State Forest lands.

The overall goal is by 2027 to have the basic trail set and maps of the trail (including connecting roads) so people can hike. While work will need to be done beyond that date (think of this as a 20 year project), the basic plan would be in place.

Ambitious? Maybe. But if you attended Marty's update in February this year at Eagle Bluff Environmental Center in Lanesboro, you can see the steady progress being made. My notes from that February 11 presentation in Lanesboro and the more recent October 14 update in Caledonia reflect that.

You can support the work the work in a number of ways: donations; buying cool merch and signing up for the newsletter. Let your MN legislative rep know that you are in support of the MDHT project in the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund recommendations that comes up for a vote this coming spring. If you know landowners in the corridor, speak to them and encourage them to reach out to the MDHT folks through the website. If you live in the corridor shown in the graphic above, you can also host a presentation by Marty to help spread the information about the trail to local folks in your community. 

There are also opportunities to collect data on formal trails and features: parking lots, logging roads, hunter trails - as well as informal ones like social camps, game trails etc. It helps the MDHT folks to better know the existing routes in State Forests and on private land. Maps can be mailed in.gpx format to MNDriftlessHikingTrail@gmail.com

All these ways big and small will help make this dream a reality!

from the MN Driftless Hiking Trail website

Additional posts about the MDHT:

• Minnesota Driftless Trail Development Update 5/1/24
• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Update  2/7/25
• Helping to Make the Dream Come True  3/7/25

I Spy on the Trails - Oct 1-15, 2023

It’s been a long and languorous fall. We received some rain over the past two weeks (and a lot going into this weekend) which got the lawns around town pretty excited. Temperatures finally began to hit our more usual 50s-60s F and a first nip of frost here and there brought us briefly into the mid-30s. A precipitous 2 week drop! While some mourn the cooler days, I welcome the crisper temps I hope are coming. With September on record as one of the hottest months world-wide, we are seeing real-time results of accelerating climate change.

I spent some time up on the North Shore on MN this past week and was treated to some new plants and fungi. It was really pleasant driving back and forth and seeing the colors change as we headed north than back south on the 350 mile trip. 

I came across a lovely blog post from the Friends of the Blufflands this week. Written by Jon Rigden, it talks about this time of year and the profusion of asters along the trails. Each flower gets it's special time and, for asters, its now.

Also profuse this year are the acorns!  From the Driftless up through MN’s northwoods, we have been crunching over oodles of acorns on our hardwood forest trail hikes. The oaks are having a “mast” year where an oak might produce up to 10.000 acorns rather than the more usual 2000. Mast years occur in an irregular cycle about every 5 years. During mast years, the oaks slow their growth and put all their energy into seed production. What is particularly curious is that oaks across wide regions seem to synchronize their mast seeding. While people often attribute this to a coming colder winter or drought year, scientists are still studying exactly why and how this is happening. For now, let’s just say it’s a wonder of nature.

The vegetation continues to die back along the trails and the birds are more silent. Warblers appear to be flitting quickly through. We are still waiting for the bulk of the geese and swan migrations that peaks in late October and through November. 

Colors in the Driftless are just starting to peak but the frost may turbo-charge the color. Be sure to get to rim trails and overlooks these next few weeks to soak up the colors of the final party thrown by the trees. No one wants to miss that!

Wildflowers

Rockcap ferns crown a huge boulder
in the BWCAW

• Blue-wood aster
• Calico aster
• White snakeroot
• Lady fern
• Maidenhair fern
• Interrupted fern
• Rockcap fern
• Evergreen wood fern
• Spinulose woodfern 
• Long beechfern
• Lady fern
• Sweet fern
• Agueweed, a dwarf gentian
• Sky blue aster
• Smooth blue aster
• Hoary alyssum 
• Harebell
• Hairy aster
• Aromatic aster
• Yarrow
• Chicory
• Indian grass
• Big bluestem
• Heal-all
• Golden pholiata fungi
• Prickly tree clubmoss

Wildlife (seen, heard, detected)

Pelicans along the Mississippi
from Great River Bluffs State Park

• Blue Jay
• Pelicans
• Pileated woodpecker
• Northern flicker
• Black-capped chickadee
• Cardinal
• Winter ween
• Yellow-rumped warbler
• Palm warbler

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Two weeks of hikes:  Great River Bluffs State Park, Nodine MN; Sugar Creek Bluff, Ferryville WI; Vetsch Park, La Crescent MN; Goose Island Wigwam Slough, La Crosse, WI; Reno Quarry, Reno WI; Aldo Leopoldo Center and Ice Age Trail Baraboo segment, Baraboo, WI; BWCAW Topper Lake portage, Superior National Forest, MN; Wolf Point Lookout, Superior Hiking Trail, Castle Danger, MN; Temperance River Loop trail, Temperance River State Park, Tofte MN

Image - Lloyd Lorenz

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, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Naturalist's Corner - Fall Spider Work

Welcome to our new, occasional column that takes a deeper look at the natural world we see around us as we hike. Our guest writer today is Tracey Koenig, purveyor of interesting tidbits. Tracey is a retired nature center director currently living in Wisconsin.  Always interested in the natural world, Tracey shares her nature knowledge to help others understand the natural world around them.

Eensy-Weensy spider - well, not so much in October!

As we begin the wind-down from fall toward winter in the upper Midwest, you may have noticed that there are spider webs and spiders everywhere you look!  They seem to have appeared out of nowhere and they are huge!  So where have they been? 

These spiders have been there all along, but they start out the year as tiny little spiders.  Suddenly, about the middle of August, you find them everywhere.  In this neck of the woods, spider life cycles are usually limited to one summer, so their life cycle is on a deadline! 

The huge spiders you see in webs at this time of year are females.  They are eating and growing in advance of making the egg sacs that will protect the spider eggs through the winter.  Where is Dad all this time?  Look closely in the web for a small spider - that’s Dad.  Some female spiders eat the male right after mating.  

A be-dewed orb weaver web

The two most common spiders we see here in the upper Midwest are the orb weavers and the funnel web spiders.  Orb weavers include the beautiful black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia).  As a kid growing up in Ohio, we always called them “Zipper Spiders”.  Take a look at their web and the reason for the name will become clear.  Every year an industrious Zipper Spider would weave her web across the front door of our house.  My mom would announce that the front door was now off limits, and we should all come and go through the garage. 

Zipper spiders are fun to watch on their webs.  If she senses something nearby that concerns her, she will vibrate the web, so it swings in and out in an attempt to ward off whatever it is that she is worried about.  You can encourage her to vibrate the web if you gently blow on the “zipper”.  You can “feed” her if you capture some insects (taking into consideration the size of the web and spider.  Prey that is too big can destroy the web).  Just toss the insect into the web and stand back. You’ll be treated to a demonstration of how this spider wraps its prey in silk.  There are several species of orb weavers in this area, and all have round “marble-like” bodies and beautiful circular webs.

Funnel Spider web.
Though hard to see in this image,
the funnel descends to the right
above the twist in the lower part of the image

Funnel web spiders are also very common, though their unique web is not often seen.  They will spin a flat web for catching prey and add a funnel at a corner where the spider hides until something in the web needs attention.  You can see sheet-like funnel webs on top of grass, on top of shrubs, and anywhere the combination of flat surface and corners is perfect for web construction.  When you’re out and about, look at corners of structures to find the female waiting for prey.

What happens to the spider over winter?  Yellow garden spiders (and other orb weavers) make one to several egg sacs that survive the winter, but the female dies when her job is complete.  Male funnel web spiders die after they have mated.  The female creates the egg sac and then dies as winter is setting in.  Egg sacs of both species produce young in the spring, and the cycle begins again. 

Images - Marge Loch-Wouters

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