Hike major bird habitat in Crex Meadows

Hay Creek Trail

A plethora of trails run through the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, an expansive, 30,000-acre wetlands in southwest Burnett County, Wis. Among the most popular of those walking paths is Hay Creek Trail, a 1.5-mile loop.

To reach the trail, from Grantsburg, take the road north at the Hwys. 70. 87 and 48 intersection. Watch for and follow the yellow goose painted on the roadway, which winds you through town until reaching the intersection of County Roads D and F. Turn right onto County Road D then take the next left into the visitor center parking lot. The trailhead is behind the center.

Pine barrens
Take the trail clockwise. It heads through a forested area to the Lower Hay Creek Flowage. A flowage is a lake created when a river or creek is dammed, typically to prevent flooding, but when in an urban setting often for hydroelectric power.

The forested area is among the higher elevations of land in Crex Meadows. The wildlife area preserves sedge marshes and brush prairie habitats, and boasts the largest remaining section of Wisconsin’s endangered pine barrens ecosystem.

The pine barrens once stretched for about 1500 square miles across northwest Wisconsin. When the last ice age’s glacier retreated some 13,000 years ago, it left a sandy plain; the marshes in the area are all that remain of Glacial Lake Grantsburg. Red and jack pines along with prairie grasses dominate the barrens.

Migrating birds, butterflies
Today, the protected ecosystems ensure that Crex Meadows annually is a major stop for migrating birds. Indeed, more than 270 bird species – including sandhill cranes, whose wingspans can reach up to seven feet – inhabit the wildlife area. Their stop off here in October draws birdwatchers from around the world.

Nearly 100 types of butterflies can be found here as well. Otters, black bears, wolves and a number of other animals also call the wildlife area home.

If you have a family dog, Rover is welcome on the trail. From April 15 to July 31, dogs must be leashed, though.

On the way back to the parking lot, stop at the visitor center for displays of local animals. A warning if children are with you: There’s a gift shop at the center.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Central Crex Meadow trails make great hikes

Sedge meadows line the back of a flowage
at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Wisconsin.

Often when traveling to Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, day hikers often stick to the popular ones near the visitor center. Yet just a few miles drive away in Crex Meadows’ central area are a number of jeep trails that make great hiking paths.

Among those trails:
g Sandberg Flowage Trail – The jeep trail runs 0.4 miles round trip to wetlands on the north side of Sandberg Flowage. To reach the trailhead, from Kylingstad Road north of North Fork Dike Road, turn left/west onto the jeep trail. The parking lot is at the jeep trail’s end, between Sandberg Flowage to the south and the Middle North Fork Flowage to the north. Hike the out-and-back trail with a walk back to Kylingstad Road.
g Reed Lake Trail – A beautiful blue lake in front of a massive sedge meadow await day hikers on this brief trail. To reach it, from the visitor center take County Road F north. After passing Currey Pond, turn right/east onto Reed Lake Road. Past North Refuge Road, a jeep trail heads right/south to Reed Lake. Drive the trail to the lake’s northshore, where there’s a parking lot. Hike the jeep trail back to Reed Lake Road then to the parking lot for an easy 0.45-mile round trip.
g Reed Lake Meadow State Natural Area Trail – Day hikers can see the elaborate dances of sharp-trail grouse on this trail during late March through May. To reach the trail, from the visitor center take County Road D east. Turn left/north onto Rylander Road then right/east onto North Fork Dike Road. North Fork Dike becomes Kylingstad Road. At the next junction, turn left/north onto Hildas Road, which becomes James Road. A jeep trail is about 0.4 miles north of Klotts Road on the left/east.
g Upper North Fork Flowage Trail – You can hike to and from the top edge of the Upper North Fork Flowage on this 0.6-mile round trip jeep trail. From Highline Road north of Lincoln Road, turn left/west onto the jeep trail opposite of Lhotka Road. Park at a lot on the flowage’s northeastern end. For an out-and-back trail, hike back to Highline Road. Though public property, Lhotka Road is not part of Crex Meadows.
g West Paulson Flowage Trail – The 0.6-mile round trip jeep trail runs through woodlands north of West Paulson Flowage to Klarquist Road. To reach the trailhead, turn left/west onto the jeep trail from Klarquist Road, north of Corner Road. A parking lot is at the end of jeep trail well north of West Paulson Flowage. For an out-and-back trail, hike back to Klarquist Road. To extend the walk by up to 0.6 miles, cross the road to the Eastern Boundary Trail.
g Eastern Boundary Trail – A walk through the woods await day hikers on this 0.6-mile round trip jeep trail. From Klarquist Road, north of Corner Road, turn right/east onto the jeep trail. The parking lot is at end of the road south of a wetlands near Crex Meadow’s eastern boundary. Hike back to Klarquist Road for an out-and-back trail. To extend the walk by up to 0.6 miles, cross the road to the West Paulson Flowage Trail.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Crex Meadows birding opportunities abound

Erickson Flowage, Crex Meadows Wildlife Area

With spring’s arrival, tens of thousands of rare and endangered birds are gathering on their annual migration at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area. A plethora of trails run through the wildlife area, an expansive 30,000-acre wetlands in southwest Burnett County, Wisconsin.

The wildlife area owes its modern landscape to the last ice age. As glaciers melted some 13,000 years ago, Glacial Lake Grantsburg stretched from this region into central Minnesota. The result was a deposit of sandy sediment that covers the ground. As the meltwater lake drained away, it left wetlands and brush prairie in its wake – all territory that waterfowl and many other bird species particularly appreciate.

Crex Meadow is most recognized for the major role it plays during waterfowl migrations each spring and autumn. The National Bird Conservancy lists the area as among the 500 Globally Important Bird Areas in the United States of America. In all, 270 different bird species have been spotted in Crex Meadows.

A number of those species can be seen there during any time of the year. Among them are endangered eagles, ospreys, and trumpeter swans.

Other birds prefer to make Crex Meadows their seasonal home. They include Caspian terns, great egrets, and peregrine falcon.

Migrations mark the greatest abundance of waterfowl in Crex Meadows. Perhaps the most spectacular of the arrivals are sandhill cranes. They can grow up to four feet tall with wingspans of up to seven feet wide. Migration seasons vary from year to year, but sandhill cranes (and other traveling waterfowl) generally can be spotted from April through mid-May on their way north and mid-September through October on their way south.

Many of the wildlife area’s human visitors come primarily to see sandhill cranes. The cranes typically stay in the wildlife area’s wetlands at night and then feed in nearby farm fields during the day. Your best bet for spotting a one is to catch them on their flights to and from these locations about an hour to 90 minutes after sunrise or before sunset. Good trails for these sightings are those along East Refuge Road, Main Dike Road, and Phantom Lake Road.

Other intriguing birds you’re likely to spot in Crex Meadows includes blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, loons, mallards, prairie chickens, ring-necked ducks, sharp-tailed grouse, and wild turkeys.

Regular updates on which birds and other wildlife can be seen at Crex Meadows are available online.

How to Get There
From either Minneapolis-St. Paul or Duluth, Minn., take Interstate 35 to Pine County. Exit on Minn. Hwy. 70 south of Pine City and head east over the St. Croix River, where the road becomes Wis. Hwy. 70; continue on to Grantsburg.

For Chicago and southern Wisconsin residents, take Interstate 94 north to Hudson, Wis. Exit onto Hwy. 35 and head north. In Siren, go west on Hwy. 70 to Grantsburg.

From Grantsburg take the road going north at the Wis. Hwys. 70, 87 and 48 intersection. Watch for and follow the yellow goose painted on the roadway, which winds you through town until reaching the intersection of County Roads D and F. This is the wildlife area’s southwestern corner and the visitor center’s location.

When to Visit
The best months to day hike Crex Meadows are May through September. Depending on the year, April and October also can be pleasant.

Most migrating birds can be spotted from April through mid-May and from mid-September through October. Migration seasons vary from year to year.

As with the rest of the Midwest, summers can be humid, especially July and August. Rain also can occur during the afternoon even when the morning is sunny, so always check the weather forecast before heading on a hike.

Hours and Admission
The wildlife area always is open and there is no fee to enter, park your vehicle, or to hike. Various events and activities may require a fee, however.

The visitor center located at Crex Meadows’s southwest corner – the junction of County Roads F and D, does have limited hours:
g Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. except major holidays
g Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April through October

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Watch sharp-tailed grouse mating dances

Sharp-tailed grouse

Day hikers can see the elaborate dances of sharp-tailed grouse on the Reed Lake Meadow State Natural Area Trail in Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

Late March through May provide ample opportunities to spot the birds during their morning mating displays.

Largest sedge meadow
To reach the trail, from the visitor center take County Road D east. Turn left/north onto Rylander Road then right/east onto North Fork Dike Road. North Fork Dike becomes Kylingstad Road. At the next junction, turn left/north onto Hildas Road, which becomes James Road. A jeep trail is about 0.4 miles north of Klotts Road on the left/east.

Take the jeep trail to the parking lot, which overlooks the largest sedge meadow in the wildlife area. Reed Lake is to the north with North Fork Flowage to the south. Much of the sedge meadow, including Reed Lake, is protected as part of the Reed Lake Meadow State Natural Area.

From the parking lot, hike to and from James Road for a 0.46-mile round trip.

As walking, watch the trail’s south side for sharp-tailed grouse. They like the mowed, brush-free areas, which allows females to more easily spot males and for both genders to more easily spot predators.

Courtship dance
Before sunrise, male grouse make their way to the mowed area, where each selects a small area in which other males are not allowed to enter. Then each male begins a mating dance with the aim of attracting a female. This mating arena is known as a lek.

Their courtship dance includes stamping feet 20 times a second, rattling tail feathers, and turning in circles or strutting forward while cooing. The males’ purple neck sacs also puff up and deflate.

The grouse live in the brush-prairie surrounding the mowed area. State environmental efforts restored much of this prairie ecosystem – which dominated the higher ground of Crex Meadows more than 150 years ago – during the past quarter century.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Diverse hiking opportunities await at Crex

Trailhead for Dike 6 South Trail

Migrating birds, rare plants await on number of great jeep trails

An array of short jeep trails at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area can be used for day hiking, offering the opportunity to see migrating birds and rare plant life.

Several of them can be found on Crex Meadow’s west side. To reach them, from Grantsburg, follow the signs and yellow goose painted on the roadway, to the wildlife area’s southwest corner. County Road F heads north along Crex’s western boundary while County Road D heads east, roughly paralleling Crex’s southern bounder for a few miles.

Jeep trails on west side of Crex Meadows that make great hiking trails include:
g Dike 3 Sedge Meadow Trail – Day hikers can walk near a wetlands once harvested to create carpet and furniture on this 1-mile round trip out-and-back-trail. The trailhead is on West Refuge Road. In less than a mile north of Main Dike Road, turn left/west onto a jeep trail; park in the lot at the end of the jeep trail. Walk it back to West Refuge Road.
g Dike 6 South Trail – A pleasant 0.8-mile walk along a jeep trail skirting a flowage’s shoreline awaits hikers on the Dike 6 South Trail. Park at the end of Abel Road just north of Main Dike Road; the trailhead is southwest of the parking area. The trail runs 0.4 miles to County Road F; at the highway, go back the way you came.
g Dike 6 Center Trail – From County Road F, take the second jeep trail on the right as heading north from Main Dike Road. The jeep trail heads to a parking lot near Dike 6’s narrow center. From there, walk the 0.2-mile out-and-back trail back to County Road F for a 0.4-mile round trip.
g Dike 6 North Trail – The jeep trail heads north from Dike 6, briefly skirting a dry run, to Larson Road for a 0.8-mile round trip out-and-back trail. To reach the trailhead, from County Road F turn onto Larson Road; where Larson Road veers north, take the jeep trail south to the parking lot alongside Dike 6.
g Furhman Lake West Trail – A sedge meadow along the west side of Furhman Lake await day hikers on this 0.6-mile round trip trail. To reach the trial, from North Refuge Road, east of Buggert Road, turn north on the trail. The trailhead is at the parking lot on Furhman Lake. An out-and-back trail, walk back to North Refuge Road. The trail can be extended by crossing North Refuge Road and following Rices Lake Road for an additional 0.4 miles.
g Furhman Lake North Trail – The 0.5-mile round trip out-and-back trail runs between Furhman Lake’s northwest shore and Buggert Road. To reach the trailhead, turn south from Buggert Road west of Murphys Road; the parking lot is near the lake’s shore.
g Rices Lake Trail – The trail runs to and from a sedge marsh southwest of Rices Lake. Reach the trailhead by taking the jeep trail heading south from North Refuge Road just east of Buggert Road. Park in the lot where the jeep trail reaches the marsh. Walk back to North Refuge Road then back to your vehicle for a 0.4-mile round trip.
g Whiskey Creek Flowage Trail – A jeep trail heads along the southern shore of Whiskey Creek Flowage for a 1.5-mile out-and-back walk. The trailhead is at Phantom Lake Road north of County Road D and heads to the southeast corner of Hay Creek Flowage. The hike can be extended by taking the intersecting Upper Hay Creek Flowage Trail.
g Upper Hay Creek Flowage Trail – This trail branching off the Whiskey Creek Flowage Trail can be reached in a couple of ways. The first option is to walk the Whiskey Creek Flowage Trail from its trailhead on Phantom Lake Road (north of County Road D) for about a half-mile to the Upper Hay Creek Flowage Trail junction. From there, head north another half-mile to the southern tip of the Upper Hay Creek Flowage for a two-mile round trip. A second option is to drive the jeep trails that make up these connecting paths. Rather than walk, drive the route described in the first option and park in the lot at the terminus next to the Upper Hay Creek Flowage. Treat the Upper Hay Creek Flowage Trail as an out-and-back trail, walking to and from its junction with the Whiskey Creek Flowage Trail for a one-mile round trip.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Waterfowl, rare birds await in Crex Meadows

Phantom Lake Trail

An array of short jeep trails at Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area can be used for day hiking, offering the opportunity to see migrating birds and rare plant life.

Several of them can be found in Crex Meadow’s central area. From Grantsburg, Wis., follow the signs and yellow goose painted on the roadway, to the wildlife area’s southwest corner. County Road F heads north along Crex’s western boundary while County Road D heads east, roughly paralleling Crex’s southern bounder for a few miles. Take County Road D east then turn left/north onto East Refuge Road.

Jeep trails that make great hiking trails in central Crex Meadows include:
g Phantom Lake Trail – The 2.2-mile round trip trail heads to Crex Meadow’s largest body of water – a 2,000 acre lake teeming with birds from spring through autumn. On East Refuge Road, just after Lundquist Road, park in the southern lot for the Upper Phantom Flowage Trail. Backtrack on East Refuge Road and take the jeep trail going west.
g North Fork Flowage Trail – A number of flowages host islands perfect for nesting waterfowl; you can spot a few of those rookeries by hiking the 0.75-mile round trip North Fork Flowage Trail. Park at the lot or the Upper Phantom Flowage Trail on East Refuge Road’s east side. Walk north on East Refuge Road and take the first jeep trail heading right/east to North Fork Flowage.
g Dike 1 Flowage Trail – The 0.5-mile round trip jeep trail heads to the sedge meadows north of Dike 1 Flowage. To reach the trail, from East Refuge Road, turn right/east onto the jeep trail just north of Main Dike Road. Park in the first lot on the north side of Dike 1 Flowage. Hike the jeep trail to the next parking lot for an out-and-back trail.
g Dike 1 Sedge Marsh Trail – Hikers can spot a plethora of rare and endangered birds on the 0.5-mile round trip Dike 1 Sedge Marsh Trail. From East Refuge Road, about 2.5 miles north of County Road D, turn right/east onto the jeep trail (If you’ve reached North Refuge Road, you’ve gone too far.). Park at the lot at the edge of a sedge meadow. Rare birds that can be spotted here include LeConte’s sparrow, Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow, and the Yellow rail.
g Monson Lake West Trail – A 0.2-mile jeep trail runs to Monson Road from the wetlands at the edge of Monson Lake’s west side. The jeep trail is on Monson Road (which appears as Town Hall Road on some maps) between North Refuge and Reed Lake roads; East Refuge Road ends at its junction with North Refuge Road; turn left/west onto North Refuge Road then right/north onto Monson Road. Park at the wetlands and walk to Town Hall Road on this out-and-back trail.
g Middle North Fork Flowage Trail – Day hikers can travel past one of the first pioneer-era trails in northwest Wisconsin on this 1.5-mile round trip. On Main Dike Road about a mile east of East Refuge Road, turn right/south onto a jeep trail. Park at the end of the trail alongside Middle North Fork Flowage; from the lot, walk to and then back from Main Dike Road for 1.5-mile round trip. The Tote Road was established north of the jeep trail in 1830.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Hike heads past nearly 200-year-old trail

Sandhill cranes are a common sight at Crex Meadows during the spring and
autumn migrations.

Flowage and sedge meadow highlight walk

Day hikers can travel past one of the first pioneer-era trails in northwest Wisconsin on the Middle North Fork Flowage Trail at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

To reach the trailhead, from the County Roads F and D junction, take County Road D east. Turn left/north onto East Refuge Road. In a little more than two miles, go right/east onto Main Dike Road. In about a mile, turn right/south onto a jeep trail. Park at the end of the trail alongside Middle North Fork Flowage.

Controlling water levels
From the lot, walk to and then back from Main Dike Road for 1.5-mile round trip.

The first quarter mile heads between the Middle North Fork Flowage on the right and a sedge meadow on the left.

Hikers may notice a stream of water running through the sedge meadow’s center. This water transfer ditch is one of several running through Crex Meadows’ various marshes. The ditches play an important role in maintaining the area’s wetland habitats.

A diversion pump helps control water levels. The ditches, along with gates that can be raised or lowered, are used to control the amount of pumped water and where it goes. Up to 20,000 gallons of water can be redirected per minute. In one day, that amounts to flooding 100 acres a foot deep!

First established trail
As the Middle North Fork Flowage ends, a sedge meadow appears on the right while the higher ground to the left becomes wooded.

At Main Dike Road, you’re near the first trail established by the U.S. government in the area. The military trail and mail route, beginning in 1830, ran from Fort Anthony in St. Paul, Minn., to the village of La Pointe on Lake Superior’s Madeline Island.

As settlers from the east arrived, the trail became a “Tote Road.” Smith’s Stopping Place – a spot where travelers could rest for the night, was established in the open area to the right of the jeep’s trail junction with Main Dike Road.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Spot rare bird species nesting near Dike 1

LeConte’s Sparrow.
Photo courtesy Wisconsin DNR

Hikers can spot a plethora of rare and endangered birds on the Dike 1 Sedge Marsh Trail in Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

To reach the trailhead, from the County Road F and D junction, take County Road D east. In about three miles, turn left/north onto East Refuge Road. In about 2.5 miles, turn right/east onto the jeep trail (If you’ve reached North Refuge Road, you’ve gone too far.). Park at the lot at the edge of a sedge meadow that a water transfer ditch runs through.

Take the out-and-back trail to East Refuge Road for a half-mile round trip.

Keep an eye to the north for flying ducks. Though Zalesky Pond can’t be seen through the trees, ducks love the potholes and the small wetlands surrounding that nearby waterbody.

During spring, you probably won’t see any female ducks in the air, as they’re tending nests in the grassy areas that they and their drakes have built. The drake defends the surrounding territory. After the eggs hatch, the pair lead their ducklings to larger bodies of water.

The massive sedge marsh east of the trail stretches from Dike 1 Flowage in the south to Reed Lake in the north. Several rare, endangered bird species reside in the marsh, including:
g LeConte’s sparrow – Among the smallest sparrow species in the United States, watch for it on the ground under the cover of tall grass.
g Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow – You may spy them probing in mud for insects to eat. They have a raspy trill.
g Yellow rail – A small, secretive bird, the yellow rail typically builds its nest on damp ground under the cover of dead grass. Birders often come to Crex Meadows each spring to spot these three species.

A variety of other, more common birds also can be spotted or heard on the trail near the sedge meadows, including American bitterns, bobolinks, sandhill cranes, sedge wrens, and Virginia rails.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Sedge meadow trail passes local history

Blanding's turtle at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area

Grass harvested
to make carpet,
wicker furniture

Day hikers can walk near a wetlands once harvested to create carpet and furniture on the Dike 3 Sedge Meadow Trail at Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

To reach the trailhead, from the County Roads F and D intersection, take County Road F north. In about two miles, turn right/east onto Main Dike Road. Just past Dike 3 Flowage, turn left/north onto West Refuge Road. In less than a mile, turn left/west onto a jeep trail. Park in the lot at the end of the jeep trail.

Walk it back to West Refuge Road for a 1-mile round trip out-and-back-trail.

Camp Five
The trail crosses a narrow bit of dry land between the sedge meadow for Rices Lake to the north and the Dikes 3, 4 and 5 flowages to the south. It crosses a water transfer ditch running from the refuge east of the trail to the Dikes 4 and 5 Flowage.

Southwest of the trail once was the sight of one of three carpet camps that existed in the wildlife area from shortly before World War I to the Great Depression’s early years. At that time, the Crex Carpet Company owned much of what is now the wildlife area, harvesting the sedge to make grass carpets and wicker furniture.

In fact, Crex Meadows garnered its name from that entrepreneurial era. The carpet company took its appellation from sedge grass’ scientific name, Carex, shortening it to Crex. Local residents called the marshes “meadows,” so when the carpet company was there, the area became “Crex Meadows.”

Nothing remains of Camp Five south of the trail – or of any of the other camps in what is now the wildlife area. Building foundations for Camp 6 still exist at the Fish Lake Wildlife Area southwest of Grantsburg, however.

Potholes created for ducks
As the trail nears West Refuge Road, watch for ducks, herons and kingfishers in the skies. Wildlife area officials bulldozed potholes, or small ponds, for ducks to nest alongside the road. In all, about 300 potholes exist across Crex Meadows.

Logs can be seen floating in a number of the potholes. Ducks like these loafing logs for preening and sleeping, while herons and kingfishers – as well as turtles and frogs – feed or sunbathe on them.

Where the trail meets Wild Refuge Road, to the west lies a 2,400-acre wildlife refuge that is closed to people. Migrating waterfowl come to the refuge by the thousands during spring and autumn.

As the flowages are human constructions, water levels in the wildlife area can be raised and lowered. The management pool on the road’s opposite side is lowered during waterfowl migrations to create shallow ponds and mud flats; this makes feeding on aquatic insects and various other invertebrates easier for the migrating birds.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Observe waterfowl nesting islands on trail

Trumpeter swans take flight at Crex Meadows.

A number of flowages at Crex Meadows host islands perfect of nesting waterfowl. You can spot a few of those rookeries by hiking the North Fork Flowage Trail.

To reach the trailhead, from the County Roads F and D intersection, head east on County Road D. In about three miles, turn left onto East Refuge Road. Just north of the junction with N. Fork Dike Road, park at the lot on the road’s east side for the Upper Phantom Flowage Trail. Walk north on East Refuge Road and take the first jeep trail heading right/east to North Fork Flowage.

The out-and-back trail runs about 0.75 miles round trip to a boat landing on North Fork Flowage’s northwest shore. This mileage includes the walk along East Refuge Road to the trailhead.

From the boat landing, you’ll see islands to the southeast in the middle of the flowage. Crex Meadows regularly burns the islands’ vegetation to ensure they remains grassy rather than covered by woody brush. This creates a better environment for waterfowl nesting.

Predators such as raccoons, skunks and foxes will feed on eggs or hatchlings in rookeries. The islands, however, provide protection against such predators. Ducks and geese mainly use the habitats as rookeries.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Man’s effect on ecosystem visible on trail

A beautiful blue lake in front of a massive sedge meadow await day hikers on the brief Reed Lake Trail in Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

The trail sits in Crex Meadow’s remote northeast corner. To reach it, from the visitor center take County Road F north. After passing Currey Pond, turn right/east onto Reed Lake Road. Past North Refuge Road, a jeep trail heads right/south to Reed Lake. Drive the trail to the lake’s northshore, where there’s a parking lot.

Hike the jeep trail back to Reed Lake Road then to the parking lot for an easy 0.45-mile round trip.

Pine-oak forest
On the trail’s west side is a pine-oak forest. That’s a much different habitat than existed here before pioneers arrived during the late 1800s.

At that time, the forest was a brush-prairie consisting mainly of brush grasses and forbs with a few scattered red and jack pines. Because settlers did not allow wildfires, the brush-prairie community that depended upon such blazes to maintain itself gave way to woodlands.

The sedge meadow south of the trail and Reed Lake stretches for more than three miles. In such wetlands, the soil is saturated with moisture with the water table very close to the surface.

While a variety of plants grow in these meadows, sedge often dominates. Though similar in appearance from a distance, sedge tends to be triangular and solid while grasses generally are hollow cylinders.

Sand blow
Following the hike, drive to the observation platform on the side of the sedge meadow east of the lake (Take Reed Lake Road east and turn south on James Road; the platform is less than a quarter mile on the right/west side.). The platform overlooks a sand blow.

The site sits atop about 80 feet of sand left by a glacial lake that covered Crex Meadows at the end of the last ice age. Pioneers tried to farm this area shortly after 1850, leaving behind asparagus, box elder trees, and the sand dune. Since pioneers disturbed the soil, wind whips up the sand granules, preventing mosses and grasses from taking root. A house once stood on the sand dune.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Trail offers view of migrating sandhill cranes

Sandhill crane. Photo courtesy of Wisconsin DNR.

YCC Hiking Trail loops through wildlife area

Day hikers can view waterfowl galore inhabiting Crex Meadow Wildlife Area’s vast wildlife reserve from an observation platform along the YCC Hiking Trail.

The YCC Trail runs 0.75 miles in a loop. Autumn marks the best time to visit, as sandhill cranes and other migrating waterfowl are plentiful in the reserve and the Rest Area Flowage the northern part of the trail passes through. Bug populations also are down as cooler temperatures take hold.

To reach the trail, from Grantsburg follow the signs and yellow crane painted on the roadway north to the intersection of County Roads F and D. Turn right onto County Road D. After about three miles, turn left/north onto East Refuge Road. In another four miles, turn left/west onto North Refuge Road. Past the Monson Road junction, look for the rest area on the right side. Parking is available there.

Observation platform
The trailhead begins near the restrooms. Head clockwise or west through the woods.

About a quarter of a mile in, at the trail’s southwestern corner, a short stem trail leads to an observation platform, which looks out onto Reisinger Lake and the Crex Meadows State Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge, which people aren’t allowed to enter, annually attracts an amazing number of migrating birds. During mid-October, thousands of ducks and geese and up to 10,000 cranes inhabit the refuge.

To help attract waterfowl and other wildlife to the refuge, the state plants about 120 acres of corn, rye, buckwheat and other plants east of Reisinger Lake.

The platform offers a great spot to see the migrating waterfowl. Be sure to bring binoculars.

Picnic lunch
Standing atop it also will give you a good sense of what the area looked like before pioneers arrived in the late 1800s. Much of this region was prairie and wetlands that has been restored during the past few decades.

From the stem to the platform, the trail loops through the southern end of the Rest Area Flowage. It returns to the rest area, where you can enjoy a picnic lunch; picnic tables and fire grates are available. Camping also is permitted at the rest area Sept. 1-Dec. 30 with registration required at the Visitor Center.

The trail is named for the Youth Conservation Corps, which provides high school students with hands-on outdoor experiences during the summer. A YCC camp is located outside of Grantsburg.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Begin (or end) Crex Meadows visit with walk

Birdhouses on Norm Stone Prairie Trail

A great way to begin – or end – any day hike at Northwest Wisconsin’s Crex Meadows Wildlife Area is with a stop at the visitor center. As part of that visit, enjoy a brief walk on the Norm Stone Prairie Trail.

To reach the center, turn onto County D at its junction with County Road F then take the very first left. It offers exhibits on Crex Meadows’ history and a gift shop as well as a library, auditorium and classrooms. The prairie trail sits in front of the center.

Only a couple of dozen yards in length, the handicapped accessible trail circles a garden of prairie plants. Throughout spring and summer, the varied wildflower blossoms make for spectacular displays and attract a number of butterflies from a variety of species, including some that migrate.

Most of the grasses and wildflowers are native to Wisconsin. Since the original seeding, some non-native species have taken root. Interpretive signs give names of the plants.

You’re also certain to notice the tall post of bird houses towering over the gardens. Bluebirds and flickers nest there.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Array of waterfowl await hikers on lake trail

Eastern trailhead, off of East Refuge Road,
for Phantom Lake Trail.

Day hikers can walk to the largest body of water – a 2,000 acre lake teeming with birds from spring through autumn – at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area via the Phantom Lake Trail.

A pleasant day in August or early September marks the best opportunity to see a variety of waterfowl and their spring chicks.

To reach the trailhead, from the County Roads F and D junction, take County Road D east. Turn left/north onto East Refuge Road. Just after Lundquist Road, park in the southern lot for the Upper Phantom Flowage Trail. Backtrack on East Refuge Road and take the jeep trail going west.

The 1.2-mile out-and-back trail (2.4-miles round trip) heads through a wooded area then skirts a wetlands before reaching the southeast edge of Phantom Lake, Crex Meadows’ largest waterbody.

Before the mid-1950s, no lake existed here. Instead, it was a shallow marsh until when farmers drained it to create fields in the early 1900s.

That changed in 1954, though, with the construction of a 2.6-mile long dike so that waterfowl would have a protected wetland to use. Phantom Lake Road on the flowage’s west side runs atop that dike.

Much of Crex Meadows follows the same history – a wetlands drained for farming then converted to a set of flowages. Since the end of World War II, earthmovers have constructed more than 23 miles of dikes, creating 30 flowages that total 8000 acres in size, at the wildlife area.

Today, Phantom Lake – like Crex Meadows’ other flowages – is the perfect spot to view waterfowl.

Beginning in spring, watch for red-necked grebes, which typically nest southeast of Phantom Lake. Marsh wrens, yellow-headed black birds, and even the least bittern nest in stands of cattails and bulrush near the flowage.

From May through August, you can expect to spot trumpeter swans, as well as baby geese and ducks with their parents. Be aware that the adult geese can squawk and chase to protect their young, so don’t too get too close to the brood.

During June through August, watch for swans, geese and ducks flying over the flowage’s northern half. What may be Wisconsin’s largest wild rice stand grows there and serves as a major food source for the three species and other birds.

By August, the wild rice stand spreads across the entire flowage. From then through autumn, the mature rice seeds attract large populations of blackbirds, coots, ducks and rails.

Upon reaching the lake’s southeastern edge, the jeep trail turns to a gravel road. Continue on to the boat landing, which marks a good turnaround spot.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

See pre-pioneer prairie on NW Wisc. trail

Erickson Flowage off of Abel Road, near the Abel Prairie Trail

Day hikers can discover what northwest Wisconsin’s grasslands looked like in pre-pioneer days with a walk along the Abel Prairie Trail in Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.

The easy half-mile (1 mile round trip) out-and-back trail follows the western and southern shores of Zulliger Flowage as skirting a restored prairie area.

To reach the trail, from Grantsburg, take the road north at the Hwys. 70. 87 and 48 intersection. Watch for and follow the yellow goose painted on the roadway, which winds you through town until reaching the intersection of County Roads D and F. Remain on County Road F, then turn right/east onto Abel Road. Park in the lot just north of the Abel Road intersection with Phantom Lake Road. The trailhead is off of Abel Road just southeast of the Abel/Phantom Lake roads intersection.

The prairie area looks much like it did in the 1800s before pioneers settled the region. Grass and wildflowers cover it, making excellent habitats for prairie grouse and water fowl.

Such an ecosystem, however, requires wildfires to maintain its cycles. When pioneers set up farms in the area, they put out the wildfires, opening the way for jack pines and oaks to dominate. Their cover prevented many of the prairie plants from being able to grow.

To restore the original prairie west and south of the trail, Crex Meadows used control fires to kill trees and brush then replanted grasses and flowers that once lived here when it was a prairie. The openness ensured prairie plants received full sunlight, allowing them to flourish.

About 3500 acres – or half of Crex Meadows’ restored prairie – is now burned annually. The burnings typically occur in spring but may occur during any other seasons as needed.

The area west and south of the Abel Prairie Trail for several decades was a farm field until the late 1980s when it was planted with prairie flora.

Signs of the prairie burns can be found along the trail. Watch for burned twigs on the trail and fire scars on logs and trees you pass.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Day hike across former Ice Age lake in Wisc.

Upper Phantom Cross Country Ski
and Hiking Trail trailhead along
East Refuge Road

Day hikers can walk across what once the bottom of an Ice Age lake and now is a rare, vanishing ecosystem on the Upper Phantom Cross Country Ski and Hiking Trail at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Burnett County, Wis.

The longest trail at the wildlife area reserved solely for walking (or cross country skiing in winter) actually is a 3.7-mile set of three loops with two stems linking it to parking areas. Families with children can shorten it to a 2-mile walk that can be extended a half-mile without much backtracking.

To reach the trail, from Grantsburg, take the road north at the Hwys. 70. 87 and 48 intersection. Watch for and follow the yellow goose painted on the roadway, which winds you through town until reaching the intersection of County Roads D and F. Turn right onto County Road D. In about four miles, turn left onto East Refuge Road. Within two miles you'll pass North Fork Dive Road; a quarter mile after that is a parking lot on the road’s left side.

Glacial Lake Grantsburg
From the parking lot, take a stem trail west. In about 0.15 miles, you’ll come to the Middle Loop. Go clockwise (left/south).

The Middle Loop heads through a forested area. Most of the trees here are a typical mix of Northern hardwoods and evergreens. In autumn when leaves change color, it can make for pretty walk.

In about 0.4 miles, you’ll come to a connector trail for the South Loop that heads left/south. If you have a lot of energy, go ahead and take the loop, which runs for about a half-mile. Otherwise, continue on the Middle Loop.

A fairly flat trail, as reaching the Middle Loop’s northern end you’re walking on what once was Glacial Lake Grantsburg. About 10,000 years ago as the last glacier to cover these parts retreated, meltwater was trapped between the glacier’s lobes. The lake ran from Grantsburg all the way to St. Cloud, Minn. The result today is a flattened and sandy landscape, like what you would find on a lake bottom.

In about 0.4 miles, the trail comes to junction with the West Loop. Go left/north onto the West Loop.

Rare pine barrens ecosystem
The West Loop crosses the rare pine barrens ecosystem. Due to the dry, acidic soil, few plants can grow here. Small and medium-size pines typically are the tallest trees, with most of the ground layer covered by various grasses, forbs and low shrubs. Sometimes larger oaks can be found as well.

After about 0.25 miles, you’ll reach the junction with the Dike Trail, a stem trail that leads to the aforementioned second access point, a parking lot off of Main Dike Road. Take the Dike Trail for 0.15 miles for a view of the Upper Phantom Flowage.

At nine acres, the Upper Phantom Flowage is among Crex Meadows’ smaller reservoirs. Because of its easy access, it’s popular among bird enthusiasts.

Head back to the West Loop, turning left/east onto it. In about a quarter mile, you’ll reach a second junction with the Middle Loop (the West and Middle loops share part of their trails). Go left/east onto the Middle Loop.

In 0.25 miles, you’ll reach the stem trail that heads back to the parking lot.

Read more about day hiking Crex Meadows in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Crex Meadows Wildlife Area guidebook.

Quality trails abound near Grantsburg, Wis.

Upper Phantom Cross Country
Skiing & Hiking Trail

Cabin-goers in the Grantsburg, Wis., area can enjoy several great day hiking trails. Among them:
• Cedar Interpretative Trail – Though short at 0.7 miles, this trail in the Governor Knowles State Forest heads through five major lowland plant communities amid a cedar grove. You’ll likely spot the activity and impact of beavers on the landscape.
• Fish Lake State Wildlife Area trail – From County Road O, a jeep trail makes a 3.2-mile loop past marshes. Eagles, sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans grace the wildlife area.
• Grantsburg Nordic Ski Trails - Stacked loops totaling 6.5 miles in length can be skiied in winter or hiked the other three seasons. From Hwy. 70 in Grantsburg, take Olson Drive to the parking area, which overlooks the Wood River dam; cross the dam via North Park Street to the trailhead at edge of Cattail Pond. Note: The Lower Loop, which heads through a wooded area, currently is the only open trail.
• Grettum Trail - A stem trail leads to a pair of loops over gently rolling terrain that double as a cross country ski trail in winter. A total of 2.2 miles long, the trailhead is off of Hickerson Road north of Grettum Dike Road.
• Hay Creek Hiking Trail – A 1.5-mile trail meanders through woodland at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area near Hay Creek. An observation platform at the trail’s end allows hikers to spot several waterfowl.
• Trade River Trails – A series of loops, including a large one around a meadow, sit near the Trade River in neighboring Polk County. The wide trails head over easy, rolling terrain.

• Upper Phantom Cross Country Skiing & Hiking Trail – A set of four loops offer a hike of up to 3.7 miles in length at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area. The wildlife area is part of one of the largest remaining pine barrens in the state.

• Willard Munger State Trail – The Boundary Segment of this trail runs in Chengwatana State Forest, across the St. Croix River in Minnesota. Tamarack and burr oak dominate the forest, which boasts wild turkeys, beavers, mink and muskrat.

Read more about day hiking Burnett County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Burnett County, Wisconsin guidebook.