Great Wisconsin Birding& Naturetrail
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Great Wisconsin Birding& NatureTrail Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Region RJ & LINDA MILLER Welcome Welcome to Wisconsin, where a wonderful world of wildlife watching awaits you. Environmental tourism has become an important part of our diverse mix of outdoor recreation. Extensive wetlands, millions of acres of wild places, a broad range of natural habitat, and a commitment to environmental stewardship have made Wisconsin an outstanding regional birding opportunity. More than any other state in the Great Lakes basin, Wisconsin is positioned to promote and enjoy this popular activity. To that end, we have launched the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail. This project divides the state into five wildlife- viewing regions. Driving trails that link important wildlife sites within each region are being developed. The program will also produce a series of birding guides to these regions – one each year. This is the second in that series, a guide to the Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Region. Wisconsin – life’s so good. Jim Doyle, Governor Riecks Lake Park near Alma in Buffalo County. Contents Introduction __________________________________ 2 State Natural Areas ____________________________ 3 Code of Ethics ________________________________ 3 Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Region Map __________ 4-5 Using the Guide________________________________ 5 Waypoint Index ________________________________ 6-7 County Profiles Buffalo County ____________________________ 8-10 Chippewa County __________________________ 11-13 Crawford County __________________________ 14-17 Dunn County ______________________________ 18-21 Eau Claire County __________________________ 22-25 Grant County ______________________________ 26-29 Jackson County ____________________________ 30-33 La Crosse County __________________________ 34-37 Pepin County ______________________________ 38-40 Pierce County ______________________________ 41-44 St. Croix County ____________________________ 45-48 Trempealeau County ________________________ 49-51 Vernon County ____________________________ 52-55 More Sources of Tourism Information______________ 56 Wisconsin Welcome Centers ____________________ 57 1 Wing your way through Wild Wisconsin The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail is your invitation to observe the fascinating and diverse world of wildlife that exists in every corner of the state. By 2008, the Wisconsin DNR Endangered Resource Program will have developed MIKE MCDOWELL a series of five highway-based viewing guides, each highlighting unique regional ecosystems of Wisconsin. Each will link a set of waypoints, refuges and wild Least Bittern. places that offer the best birding and wildlife watching opportunities. This is the second of those five guides; the Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Birding and Nature Trail. It covers thirteen Wisconsin counties in the Mississippi or Chippewa River watershed. Opened in 2005, it includes 67 waypoints from the sandbar sloughs of the Mississippi River to the trout streams of Grant County. In 2006, the Lake Michigan Birding and Nature Trail will debut followed in successive years by the Central Sands Prairie and Southern Savanna Trails. The first guide in the series, the Lake Superior Northwoods edition, was released in 2004 and is still available in limited numbers. Waypoints on each trail will be marked with the pro- gram’s distinctive Sandhill Crane logo. As you travel, watch for these signs – they are your invitation to the fasci- nating world of Wisconsin Waypoint marker. wildlife. 2 State Natural Areas Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas (SNAs) protect outstanding exam- ples of native biological commu- nities such as prairies, pine bar- rens, bogs, and boreal forests. They also preserve significant geological and archaeological features and are often the last refuges in Wisconsin for rare species of animals, plants, fungi, lichens, and a host of other organisms. Code of Ethics The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail is your gate- way to the natural world of Wisconsin. The Code of Ethics serves to guide you as you seek your favorite waypoint sites across the state. ● Treat birds and other animals with respect, never disturbing or collecting anything in their habitat. ● Trails, roads and paths found at the sites provide good access to the property. Avoid leaving them unless you are in a wilderness area. ● Wisconsin has strict trespass laws. Private property does not have to be posted or fenced in Wisconsin. MIKE MCDOWELL Ask permission if you want to enter private land. Know where you are – pay attention to posted property boundary signs. ● Dogs must be leashed on all state lands during the bird-nesting sea- Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. son from April 15 through July 31. ● Lead by example. Leave the property litter-free and in good condition for the next traveler. ● Give nature a voice. Thank the property owner, manager or staff person for the opportunity to enjoy nature at their site. 3 Rice Lake St. Croix Bruce 8 35 BARRON Falls Barron Cameron Ladysmith 8 St. Croix Turtle Lake 65 County 27 Pgs. 45-48 40 Osceola 46 Dunn County 7 New New 6 Holcombe 55 53 Pgs. 18-21 Auburn 56 Richmond 64 64 Cornell Gil Somerset ST. CROIX Bloomer CHIPPEWA 57 58 63 Chippe 9 Hudson DUNN Chippewa 8 Count Falls Cadott Pgs. 11 St. Paul 94 Knapp 18 54 29 Menomonie 19 61 48 River 23 Prescott Eau Claire 10 Falls Elmwood 20 Downsville 26 Eau wa 22 Ellsworth PIERCE ippe 24 Co Ch 21 47 16 EAU CLAIRE 25 Pgs 35 52 50 17 Augusta 43 46 63 Bay 49 10 City PEPIN Durand Maiden Eleva Osseo Fairchild Pierce Rock 44 51 85 Mondovi County Red Wing 45 Pgs. 41-44 Stockholm 4 93 94 Nelson 12 Pepin ck BUFFALO Hixton la M 35 B 52 Pepin is Independence Wabasha sis 3 Whitehall County sip JACK pi Alma Pgs. 38-40 61 1 Black 3 95 River Falls 5 53 35 63 Buffalo 2 TREMPEALEAU Millsto County R Fountain iv City Pgs. 8-10 er 54 27 14 Rochester 62 Trempealeau 60 14 Trempealeau LA CROSSE 59 40 Onalaska Sparta County 61 90 Pgs. 49-51 42 W. Salem 39 La Crosse La Crosse 90 38 County 61 41 52 Pgs. 34-37 14 63 Stoddard Westby MINNESOTA Genoa 63 VERNON Vernon 56 66 Viroqua County Pgs. 52-55 64 82 Rea De Soto Lansing o o 14 p a k 35 c i IOWA 61 K 61 Lynxville 27 CRAWFORD 13 10 11 52 Wauzeka Prairie 15 B 18 du Chien 12 30 18 Bridgeport 18 31 GRANT 27 63 Grant 52 Lancaster County 133 Pgs. 26-29 29 61 Cassville Potosi 4 Waterloo Dubuque 20 13 i W TAYLOR M man 64 MedfordGreat Wisconsin ewa ty -13 AbbotsfordBirding& NatureTrail 29 Mississippi/ChippewaMARA Rivers Region Unity u Claire M ounty CLARK . 22-25 Spencer r e v Marshfield i R Using the Guide Neillsville 13 Information for this guide was WOOD Pittsville gathered locally from Wisconsin KSON DNR and federal Forest Service 54 W 32 37 Nekoosa personnel, from naturalists, birders, 34 33 Babcock and a range of wildlife enthusiasts. 36 n on si Each site was nominated locally and Jackson80 n co is County W evaluated as part of the regional Pgs. 30-33 21 project. A Tomah JUNEAU Site information includes a 0 12 MONROE contact phone number, driving New Lisbon 71 Wilton directions, a small locator map, a Mauston description of the property, common Ontario Union 94 Center 90 and rare birds and wildlife, and a 67 33 y er Web site if available. Except as v 65 N i R 82 Hillsboro La Valle noted, admission to these properties a Reedsb is free. Hours are included, even 80 adstown though most properties are open 14 SAUK CrawfordRICHLAND 23 24/7. County Richland Prairie d As you would expect, most of CenterPgs. 14-17 Spring these waypoints are remote, wild Green 60 locations. While every effort has 28 Muscoda Black E Boscobel been made to provide accurate driv- 80 Barneveld Mt ing instructions, we recommend that IOWA Fennimore Bl you bring a county map or gazetteer Moun Dodgeville to help in finding these sites. Other 80 Mineral Point prudent equipment would include a 23 78 1 compass, flashlight, water, a granola Belmont LAFAYETTE bar or two, insect repellant, and a 151 Platteville 81 Dickeyville Darlington good pair of walking/hiking shoes. Cuba City Gratiot 11 5 Waypoint Index Page Buffalo County 1. Buena Vista Park, Alma________________________________________________8 2. Merrick State Park, Fountain City ______________________________________9 3. Riecks Lake Park, Alma ________________________________________________9 4. Tiffany Bottoms State Wildlife Area, Nelson_____________________________10 5. Whitman Dam State Wildlife Area, Buffalo _____________________________10 Chippewa County 6. Brunet Island State Park, Cornell _______________________________________11 7. Chippewa Moraine Ice Age National Scientific Unit & Interpretive Center, New Auburn _________________________________________________________12 8. Lake Wissota State Park, Chippewa Falls ________________________________12 9. Old Abe State Trail, Wildflower Trail, & Lake Wissota State Park Trails ____13 Crawford County 10. Hogback Prairie State Natural Area, Stueben____________________________14 11. Kickapoo River State Wildlife Area - Wauzeka Unit, Wauzeka ____________15 12. La Riviere Park, Prairie du Chien _______________________________________16 13. Lock and Dam 9 & Pool 9, Lynxville/Genoa ______________________________16 14. Rush Creek State Natural Area, Ferryville _______________________________17 15. St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien ______________________________________17 Dunn County 16. Caryville Savanna State Natural Area, Eau Claire ________________________18 17. Dunnville State Wildlife Area, Downsville _______________________________19 18. Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area, Menomonie