Autumn hikes on Minn.-Wis. border, Part I

Mount Charity, Minnesota

If living in a border county or traveling near the Wisconsin-Minnesota state line, plenty of great autumn trails await.

Southern and central Minnesota’s border with Wisconsin follows the Mississippi River from Prescott, Wis., south to the Iowa border. Maple, basswood, oak, aspen and birch dominate.

Minnesota

Dakota County
Day hikers can enjoy modern sculptures in a forest setting at the Caponi Art Park in Eagan. A variety of pathways head through the 60-acre site that in autumn is made all that more magical by the changing leaves of birch, maple and basswood. Most of the sculptures were created by Italian-born Anthony Caponi, who as an adult adopted Minnesota as his home. From Interstate 35 in Eagan, take Diffley Road east. Turn right/southeast and park in the lot. The art park is on both sides of the highway with an underpass connecting them.

Goodhue County
Hikers can traverse the top and the base of a bluff looming 430 feet above Lake Pepin at Frontenac State Park. The 2.6-mile Bluff Side Loop Trail offers impressive views as it heads up and down the steep bluff with a series of wooden stairs and switchbacks. Fall is a particularly good time to visit with the bird migration through the area at its peak and the leaves resplendent in an array of harvest colors. A couple of picnic spots along the way offer vistas of the lake below with the visible Wisconsin shoreline about two miles away. From the park entrance, go left/northwest on County Road 28; follow the road to its end, where it loops back upon itself and forms a parking lot.

Houston County
Among the most scenic hikes in Minnesota is the Root River State Trail, and that’s especially so in autumn. A range of fall colors line the trail, thanks to the great variety of trees that grow there. Riverside features black ash, willow, box elder, cottonwood and elm while the highlands boast maples, basswood and oaks. A great segment of the trail to hike begins in Houston and runs 2.3 miles west to a picnic area for a 4.6-mile round trip. From Minn. Hwy. 76 in Houston, turn north on Plum Street and park at the Houston Nature Center. The nature center, as well as the International Owl Center just two blocks away, are well worth a visit, and if you have little ones, they’ll love the playground near the trailhead.

Wabasha County
One of the best urban areas in the Midwest to enjoy fall colors in the small town of Wabasha. For seven weeks from September through October, the small town celebrates a harvest festival. You can enjoy the festivities and take a nice stroll on the 0.8-mile round trip riverwalk. The Wisconsin shoreline on the opposite side of the Mississippi River is lit up in golden hues, the perfect match to the streets’ autumn decorations. To reach the riverwalk, park in downtown Wabasha. Finding a spot on Big Jo Alley near Pembroke Avenue is best, as the National Eagle Center is at the corner of those two streets. The riverwalk is behind the center.

Washington County
The fresh scent of pine needles upon the pathway and the gentle rush of water along the river’s rock walls instantly lulls you into a feeling of serenity on the Riverside Trail at William O’Brien State Park. The 1.5-mile trail loops through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. Roughly half of the trail follows the river, mainly through a good mix of hardwoods common to a floodplain forest in this region. During autumn, their leaves turn gold, red, orange and brown. Across the water is Wisconsin, and with the two undeveloped shorelines, tranquility reigns. From Marine on St. Croix, Minn., take Minn. Hwy. 95 north into the park. Turn right/east onto O’Brien Trail North/County Road 33. The road curves south, dead ending in a parking area alongside Lake Alice. The trail begins at the picnic grounds immediately east of the parking lot.

Winona County
A great view of the Mississippi River awaits at the Great River Bluffs State Park on the 2.2-mile round trip Kings Bluff Trail. After heading through a forest of white pine and the yellow to maroon-colored leaves of ash trees, the trail arrives at Kings Bluff, which offers a spectacular vista of the river valley below, a blue ribbon surrounded by the yellows of various birch and aspen. From Interstate 90 at the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, take County Road 3 north. Turn right/east onto Kipp Drive, which becomes Park Road. About two miles in, look for a small parking lot on the left/northwest. The trail heads northwest from the lot.

Wisconsin

Pierce County
Hikers can walk through a rare old growth oak forest on the Purple Trail at Kinnickinnic State Park. The 1.2-mile loop sits near the confluence of the St. Croix and Kinnicknnic rivers. Pioneers and 19th century logging companies cut most of the trees in this part of Wisconsin, but the trail passes through one of the few woodlands to escape the ax. The oaks are majestic, especially when their leaves turn tan, orange and brown in autumn. The trail includes a deck overlooking the confluence where eagles can be spotted. From Prescott, take Wis. Hwy. 29 east then turn left/north County Road F north. Turn left/west onto 820th Avenue then left/south into the park; follow the entry road west all of the way to its end and park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

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Amber, orange and crimson leaves surround and reflect off of the blue waters at Nugget Lake County Park east of Ellsworth. The Nook Trail and the Lake Overlook combine for a mile-long round trip that gets you up close to 117-acre Nugget Lake and to a great vista of it. From Ellsworth, take U.S. Hwy. 10 east. Turn left/north onto County Road CC then right/east onto County Road HH, which curves south. The park entry is on the road’s right/west side. Park in the lot where the road runs out.

Pepin County
Day hikers can explore a bluff steeped in majestic white oaks and legend high above Lake Pepin. The Maiden Rock Bluff Trail runs 1.4-miles round trip in west-central Wisconsin overlooking beautiful Lake Pepin. It’s located in the Maiden Rock State Natural Area, which preserves a blufftop prairie that turns golden in autumn. From Stockholm, take County Road J north. Turn left/northwest onto County Road E then go left/west into Long Lane. The road dead ends at a grassy parking lot on the blufftop. A trailhead is a few yards east of the lot and heads north from the road.

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Day hikers can enjoy a walk alongside a lake and through the woods on the Silver Birch Park Trail. The 0.6-mile round trip trail runs through Silver Birch Park to Holden Park Campground. As if it were a mirror, Silver Birch Lake impressively reflects the blue sky and clouds on days when the wind is low. The reflection seems to stretch forever – not surprisingly as the lake’s surface area covers 145 acres. A tree canopy covers the walking path, which makes for a nice autumn stroll when leaves change color. From Durand, head west on Wis. Hwy. 25 then turn left/south onto County Road P. Go left/south onto Silver Birch Road. At County Road NN/Round Hill Road, turn right/west. The next left/south is the park entry road.

Buffalo County
Day hikers can see ancient fossils on a spectacular vista that one time sat at the bottom of the sea. The 0.22-miles round trip Buena Vista Overlook Trail marks a must-see for anyone traveling the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River. Located in Alma’s Buena Vista County Park, it’s an easy walk and a spectacular one in autumn. From the vista, a rainbow of leaf colors lead downhill to large swaths of gold around the Mississippi River. From Wis. Hwy. 35 in Alma, turn east onto County Road E; known as North Street in town, it curves and becomes Second Street then curls again as ascending the bluff. Near the top, turn left/north onto Buena Vista Road. The road dead ends at the park entrance.

Trempealeau County
Great views of the Mississippi River await at Perrot State Park. The 2.4-miles round trip Brady’s Bluff West and East trails are particularly impressive in autumn. Start up Brady’s Bluff West Trail and pause at the hill’s summit, which offers impressive views of the Mississippi River Valley, a brilliant blue ribbon through a forest of golden leaves. Descending the summit via the Brady’s Bluff East Trail heads through a woods of russet-leaved oaks. From Wis. Hwy. 35 in Trempealeau, take 10th Street west. Turn right/north onto Park Road, which becomes South Park Road. Park in the lot before the boat launch; the trailhead is on the opposite side of the road.

La Crosse County
Hikers can head through an oak woodland to the top of a bluff at Wisconsin’s Hixon Forest Nature Center. The 3-mile round-trip Lookout Trail, reached via a segment of the Sumac Trail, sits at the edge of the La Crosse metro area. The trail is exceptional during autumn when acorns and leaves cover the trail beneath a harvest-hued canopy. Fall leaves in their expansive canopy range from brown and wine-red to orange-red on the white oaks and the golden leaves, which are far richer than the yellows of the sugar maple, of the shagbark hickory. Also look for the hickory’s fragrant, edible nut; it has a sweet flavor. From U.S. Hwy. 53 in La Crosse, go east on La Crosse Street. Turn left/north onto Wis. Hwy. 16/Losey Boulevard North then right/east onto Bluff Pass Road and right/south onto Milson Court. The road ends at a gravel parking lot.

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Autumn colors and great views await in the Greens Coulee-Savanna Oaks site in Onalaska. The Mississippi River Valley Conservancy's 81 acres includes a scenic bluff that rises 400 feet above the valley floor adjacent to the city’s Greens Coulee Park. A 1.4-mile lollipop-plus route heads to the bluff's peak, where reds, oranges and yellows fill much of the fall canopy along the way. From the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 53 and East Main Street in Onalaska, take the latter east. Turn left/northeast onto Green Coulee Road then right onto Clifford Drive. Look for the kiosk at the of the cul-de-sac, where parking is available.

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Hikers can walk alongside and cross a stream via five different bridges on the Halfway Creek Trail. The 3.4-mile trail connects Holmen to the Great River State Trail in Midway. Maple, aspen, oak and the occasional pine line the creek, making for a colorful autumn walk. Start at Halfway Creek Park in Holmen; the trailhead is on the park’s southwest side. One good turnaround spot to avoid crossing under U.S. Hwy. 53 is the connector trail to Judith Court for a 1.13-mile round trip and three bridge crossings.

Vernon County
Hikers can step back in time and walk through the woods as in the days of old at Wildcat Mountain State Park. The rugged 2.5-mile Old Settlers’ Trail includes 390-feet of elevation change as heading through a forest of sugar maple, basswood and oak, all very colorful in autumn. An additional 0.8-mile round trip spur goes to the Taylor Hollow Overlook, which offers a fantastic view of the village of Ontario in the coulee below. From Westby, take Wis. Hwy. 27 north. In Cashton, turn right/east onto Wis. Hwy. 33. Once in the park, go left/east past the park office and at the split turn left/northwest to the Upper Picnic Area. Park there; a connector trail goes north to the Old Settlers’ Trail.

Hike across Midwest’s largest earthen dam

Eau Galle Reservoir, aka Lake George, from an overlook west of the dam.

Eau Galle Dam Trail topo map

Day hikers can walk across the largest earthen dam in the Midwest on the Eau Galle Dam Trail near Spring Valley, Wis.

The 0.8-mile round trip hike sits in the popular Eau Galle Recreation Area, nestled on the borders of St. Croix and Pierce counties. To reach the trailhead, from Spring Valley, head west on Wis. Hwy. 29. In about a mile, turn right/north onto Van Buren Road then right/west onto Eau Galle Dam Road. Next, go right/southwest onto Overlook Road, which curves north; after climbing a hill, turn left into an overlook. Park there.

North of the lot is an overlook where you can take in a view of the 150-acre Eau Galle Reservoir, aka Lake George and on some government maps as Spring Valley Lake 64. The view is from the reservoir’s south shore northward across the lake’s center.

The lake boasts thriving populations of bluegills, crappies, largemouth bass, and sunfish. Anglers often can be spotted on boats and along the shoreline. Recreation here isn’t limited to fishing, though. A campground, playgrounds, beaches, and several hiking and equestrian trails also can be found. Many of those amenities are visible from the overlook, which sits about 100 feet above the lake.

A dirt footpath runs west from the overlook through a wooded area then curves north to another vista of the lake. From there, follow the asphalt road south before curving onto the earthen dam itself.

A rolled-earth and rock-filled dam, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ construction holds back the Eau Galle River. The waterway rises out of farm fields just south of Woodville, Wis. Fed by a 64-square-mile drainage basin, the river’s floods frequently devastated Spring Valley until the dam was built in the mid 1960s. The controlled river eventually makes its way to the Chippewa, which in turn drains into the Mississippi River.

The trail runs the full length of the dam, which is almost 2000 feet. It’s fairly wide, but the sides are steep. If heights are a problem for hikers, instead take the footpath to the left/west before crossing the dam; that route heads along the dam's west side to the lake’s shoreline.

After crossing the dam, retrace your steps back to the overlook parking lot.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County guidebook.

Trail heads 400 feet above Mississippi River

Great River Road Visitor Center  and the paved Interpretive Trail.

Great River Road Visitor Center Interpretive Trail map.

Day hikers can learn about the Mississippi River on the Great River Road Visitor Center Interpretive Trail in Prescott.

For those traveling south along ‘Ol Man River, the visitor center marks a good first stop. Prescott sits at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, with the Great River Road – Wis. Hwy. 35 – paralleling the latter waterway south to the Illinois border.

To reach the visitor center and trail, drive southeast of downtown Prescott on Hwy. 35. Turn right/south on Monroe Street. The center is in one block at Freedom Park.

The paved interpretive trail overlooking the river and the visitor center sit atop a bluff rising 400 feet above the Mississippi River. The trail offers fantastic views of the riverway, Prescott Island to the north, and raptors flying overhead. Elsewhere in the small park, century-old burr oak trees grow amid picnic tables and a playground.

Inside the center are several exhibits on bald eagles and river life. Presentations are offered throughout the year.

Starting as a creek flowing out of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, the Mississippi River flows 2,320 miles south to the Gulf of Mexico. It is North America’s second longest river, though arguably its most important.

The Mississippi is a muddy brown compared to the St. Croix’s brilliant blue, readily apparent if crossing the U.S. Hwy. 10 bridge into Prescott or if gazing north from the interpretive trail. Though the Mississippi was heavily polluted for much of the last century, today the brown is due to the large amount of sediment from the Minnesota River. In addition, the Mississippi’s riverbed is quite steep in Minnesota, dropping half of its entire elevation to sea level just between its headwaters and St. Paul, Minn.

The Upper Mississippi is much different than that of the South, whose gambling steamboats and rafts of Mark Twain fame fire the imagination. Through Minnesota and Wisconsin, the river is largely trapped between high, steep bluffs and often splits into back channels. By the time the river reaches central Illinois, it becomes a broad, meandering waterway with few bluffs or hills nearby.

Much of the Mississippi north of St. Louis has been reduced to a series of lakes thanks to an extensive lock and dam system. Largely constructed during the Great Depression, the locks and dams make the river more navigable while preventing major flooding. Lock and Dam No. 3 in Red Wing, Minn., forms the pool before the interpretive trail, which backs up to Lock and Dam No. 2 north of Hastings, Minn.

Among the center’s current projects is restoration of a goat prairie. These uphill meadows were common along this part of the Mississippi River until agriculture and urban development wiped them out during the 20th century. Among the plants in these prairies were the blazing star, Indiangrass, pasque flowers, and the prairie smoke flower.

The visitor center is closed on Mondays in fall and spring and Monday through Friday during winter.

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

Pierce County offers variety of great trails

Glen Park Trail waterfall beneath the swinging bridge in River Falls, Wis. 

For travelers to Wisconsin’s St. Croix County, several great trails await just across the border in neighboring Pierce County. A river delta, famous trout streams, and even the state’s largest cave are just a few miles from Interstate 94.

Kinnickinnic State Park
Among the trails at the state park (going from east to west):
• Red Trail – The 1.6-mile hike heads through prairie alongside a forest’s edge. Among the highlights is the Vulture’s Peak area. Near the park entrance, the set of two loops can be accessed from the park’s first two parking lot.
• Blue Trail – The 0.7-mile out-and-back trail (1.4-miles round trip) gives hikers the opportunity to explore gorges and coulees into the Kinnickinnic River Valley. Access the wooded trail from the second parking area past the park entrance. Add the 0.1-mile (0.2-miles round trip) Brown Trail, which serves as a sledding hill in winter, to extend the hike.
• Yellow Trail – The 1.2-mile loop edges a forest and prairie area. Watch for deer, pheasants and turkeys along the trail. The Kinni Overlook Lot is a good place to start; the trail can be extended by adding the Green, Orange or Purple trails.
• Orange Trail – A wooded out-and-back trail atop the Kinnickinnic River bluffs, it runs for 0.5 miles (1-mile round trip). Park at the Kinni Overlook Lot and access it via the Yellow Trail; add the Purple and Yellow trails for a longer walk.
• Green Trail – The trail loops about the outside of a prairie area under restoration and is an excellent place to spot partridge, pheasants and other birds. Access it via the Yellow Trail; from the Kinnic Overlook Lot, go left/north on the Yellow for a 1.6-mile round trip (The Green Trail itself is 1.1-miles long).
• Purple Trail – The 1.2-mile loop features a vista overlooking the Kinnickinnic’s confluence with the St. Croix River. The Kinnickinnic dumps much sediment in the St. Croix that the latter’s riverway narrows, forming a lake to the north.

River Falls
• Glen Park Trail – A swinging bridge and a cascades cuts through 500-million-year-old rock await day hikers in River Falls. The 0.25-mile round trip set of trails – christened here after the park they run through – sits close to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls campus.
• Manion Wildlife Area walkabout – If you enjoy bushwhacking or primitive trails, try this 158-acre property that includes restored grasslands. A parking lot sits on the south side of County Road FF east of 1130th Street.
• Jackson Preserve walkabout – Ditto for the adjacent Jackson Preserve, a 46-acre Kinnickinnic River Land Trust property on the north side of County FF. Use the wildlife area’s parking lot.

Spring Valley
• Crystal Cave Tour – Day hikers can explore Wisconsin’s longest cave just west of the village. The tour runs about 0.5-miles round trip through 1,300 feet of passageways, heading seven stories underground. Several deeper passages are closed to the public. The cave is a commercial venture, so a fee is charged to be part of a tour.
• Sinkhole Nature Trail – The free trail half-mile path on the Crystal Cave property passes two sinkholes, gooseberry brambles, and mossy banks. Trailhead is immediately north of the parking lot.
• Wildwood Trail – Among the most accessible and pleasurable parts of the trail runs 1.7 miles round-trip from near downtown alongside a small stream through a pleasant woods. The trailhead is off of Herb Avenue, north of County Road B (N. Second St.).

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

Pierce Co. trails a quick drive from freeway

Waterfalls on the Kinnickinnic River below the Glen Park swinging bridge.

For those visiting Wisconsin's St. Croix County, Pierce County offers several great day hikes that explore riverways and pretty woodlands. All are an easy drive from Interstate 94, which cuts through southern St. Croix County.

No trip to Pierce County would be complete without a stop at Kinnickinnic State Park. A number of trails crosscross the diverse park. Most notable among them is the Purple Trail, a 1.2-mile loop with a vista overlooking the Kinnickinnic’s confluence with the St. Croix River.

A swinging bridge and a cascades that cuts through 500-million-year-old rock await day hikers on the Glen Park Trail in River Falls. The 0.25-mile round trip set of trails – christened here after the park they run through – sits close to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls campus.

Day hikers can explore Wisconsin’s longest cave near the village of Spring Valley. The Crystal Cave Tour runs about 0.5-miles round trip through 1,300 feet of passageways, heading seven stories underground. Several deeper passages are closed to the public. The cave is a commercial venture, so a fee is charged to be part of a tour.

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

Tour heads to Badger State’s largest cave

Crystal Cave, Wisconsin's longest cave.

Crystal Cave map

Half-mile hike
heads 7 stories
underground

Day hikers can explore Wisconsin’s longest cave near the village of Spring Valley.

The Crystal Cave tour runs about 0.5-miles round trip through 1,300 feet of passageways. Several deeper passages are closed to the public. The cave is a commercial venture, so a fee is charged to be part of a tour.

To reach Crystal Cave, from Spring Valley take Wis. Hwy. 29 west. In about a mile after ascending the hill, turn left/south onto the cave entrance road. After parking, go into the gift shop to purchase tour tickets.

Sinkhole
In 1881, a teenage boy discovered the cave when pursuing a squirrel that disappeared down a sinkhole. The next day, he and his brother returned and with rope and lantern explored a small portion of it. During the early 1940s, a businessman had the clay and rock debris removed from the sinkhole and opened the cave to the public for tours; it was named for the quartz crystals that appear throughout the cave’s walls.

The cave runs through a chunk of dolomite, a type of limestone, that formed about 485 million years ago when this part of the world was a covered by a shallow sea; two fossils of nickel-sized snail-like creatures can be seen in cave’s floor. It is seven stories deep and 4000 feet long.

Your tour leaves from the gift shop, descending down stairs through the sinkhole discovered in the 1880s. Ramps then pass man-made pools that cleverly control the water draining into the living cave.

In short order, the tour enters the Ballroom, the cave’s largest chamber. Following that, several passageways head past stalactites, stalagmites and rippling flowstone.

Batcave
The cave is home to several bat species; both big and brown bats hibernate there in winter. Usually a bat or two can be spotted sleeping above you in a passageway.

Among the tour highlights is the Spook Room, where the tour guide turns off the lights to show just how dark the cave is. The darkness actually feels impenetrable.

From there, the tour heads to the Story Room, where a humorous story of Cave Man Charley is presented. Among the last stops is the Wish Room, whose walls are filled with coins; the rock walls contain a large amount of illite, a mineral used for a variety of disparate purposes, including cosmetics, dam repair, and medicine.

The cave remains a constant 50 degrees, so when visiting always wear a sweatshirt and pants, even on summer’s hottest days. Crystal Cave generally is only open from April through mid-October with slightly longer hours in late spring through summer.

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

See lower 48’s largest glacier on Mt. Rainier

Emmons Glacier flows off Mount Rainier, as seen from Sunrise.
Photo courtesy of Mount Rainier NPS.

Map for seeing Emmons Glacier, courtesy Mt. Ranier NPS.

Retreating ice can be spotted from famous mountain trail

Families can get a good view of the largest glacier in the 48 contiguous United States on a segment of the Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainier National Park.

The 93-mile trail encircles Mount Rainier, the Washington national park’s centerpiece. A few access points, however, allow small portions of it to be day hiked; among them is a 3.3-mile round trip in the Sunrise area.

About 650 inches of snow annually falls on Mount Rainier. Given this, August marks the best weather to visit the Sunrise area, which boasts a visitor center and day lodge. With such a narrow window for hiking the area, a lot of other backpackers will be at Sunrise as well.

Two retreats
To reach the trailhead, from Yakima take U.S. Hwy. 12 north, and turn north on Wash. Hwy. 410. Come into the park at the Nisqually Entrance and go left/east onto White River/Sunrise Park Road. Follow the road up the mountainside to Sunrise, parking at the visitor center. You’re at 6400 feet elevation, more than a mile above sea level.

From the southside of the parking lot where Sunrise Park Road ends, take the Sunrise Rim Trail south. Emmons Glacier – the largest in the lower 48 – is visible from the trail the entire way. It is the lowest sweep of snow and ice approaching Sunrise on Mount Rainier’s northeast flank. To the glacier’s left is Little Tahoma Peak; to its right is Steamboat Prow.

In about 0.1 miles, at the junction with the Emmons Vista Nature Trail, the Sunrise Rim Trail veers right/west. Follow the Sunrise Rim for 0.5 miles to the Wonderland Trail. At the Wonderland Trail, go right/east toward Sunrise Camp.

The Emmons Glacier at least twice was much larger than currently. During the 1930s, scientists determined that the glacier was retreating. A rockslide in 1963, however, covered the ice, slowing the melting, which led to the glacier’s actual advance in the early 1980s. Two decades later, though, Emmons began retreating again.

Glacier Overlook
From the Sunrise Rim Trail to the Sunrise Camp, the Wonderland Trail runs about 0.8 miles Along the way, the trail passes Shadow Lake. With its bottom dug out by a glacier, the remaining meltwater formed a lake. Surrounded by a meadow, it’s a popular spot for deer and mountain goats.

Once past Sunrise Camp, go left/south and walk alongside the looping Sunrise Park Road. On the opposite side of the loop, pick up the Burroughs Mountain Trail.

Follow the Burroughs Mountain Trail about 0.25 miles to Glacier Overlook. The overlook gives day hikers perhaps the best view of the Emmons Glacier. The glacier starts flowing from a height of 13,880 feet above sea level, just below Mount Rainier’s peak. Emmons covers 4.3 square miles.

From the overlook, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Wildwood Trail segment passes trout stream

Wildwood Trail. Photo courtesy of St. Croix County Community
Development Department.

Day hikers can enjoy a walk beside a trout stream through a pleasant woods on a segment of Wisconsin’s Wildwood Trail.

The seven-mile hiking, biking and snowmobiling trail runs between Spring Valley and Woodville. Among the most accessible and pleasurable parts of the trail runs 1.7 miles round-trip from near downtown Spring Valley alongside a small stream through a pleasant woods.

To reach the trailhead, from Wis. Hwy. 29 in Spring Valley turn north on McKay Avenue then left/west onto County Road B (N. Second St.). In four blocks, turn right/north onto Herb Avenue. As that street curves east, park in the small lot off its left side. The trail heads west from the lot.

A former railroad right-of-way, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway Company trains used the route until the mid-20th century. In 1970, St. Croix County purchased most of the trail that runs north of Spring Valley.

The trail segment in Spring Valley parallels Mines Creek most of the way. A Class II trout stream that flows east into the Eau Galle River, Mines Creek’s adult trout have a good survival rate though sometimes they must be restocked for sport fishing.

About a third of a mile from the trailhead, the walking path enters a more wooded area. As a former rail grade, though, the trail is wide and often open, so be sure to don sunscreen or a brimmed hat.

In about 0.16 miles, the trail crosses Mines Creek and then veers into a hillside forest as the village and county road fall away in the distance.

The trail in another 0.38 miles reaches the intersection of 250th Street/Van Buren Avenue. This marks s good spot to turn back. If you have a little extra energy, however, the trail does continue onward for another 6.15 miles, veering north toward Woodville.

Motorized vehicle traffic – except snowmobiles in winter – are prohibited on the trail.

• Trail map

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

Wisconsin trail heads into ancient meteor crater…and UFO hotspot

County park trail
runs through Rock
Elm Disturbance

Day hikers can walk across a 430-million-year-old meteor crater that may be attracting UFOs to the region at western Wisconsin’s Nugget Lake County Park.

The segment of the appropriately named Black Trail runs 1.5 miles round trip into the southern boundary of the Rock Elm Disturbance, a circular region about four miles across, where a meteor slammed into the earth long before there were dinosaurs. The rock was an estimated 557 feet in diameter and hit the ground at nearly 25 miles/second.

To reach the park, from U.S. Hwy. 10 in Plum City head north on County Road S. Turn left/northwest onto 150th Street. At 430th Avenue/County Road HH, go left/west. Once the road curves north, the park entrance is on the left/west. Follow the entry road to the first parking lot, on the left/west side.

UFO Capital of Wisconsin
From the lot, take the Black Trail north alongside Plum Creek and cross the stream over a footbridge. At the first intersection upon crossing the creek, go straight/west rather than take the Black Trail’s southern segment. Going north takes you deeper into the ancient meteor crater.

The crater has filled in over the eons, so unless a scientist with the right equipment, you probably wouldn’t even know a meteor had shaped this landscape. But some say extraterrestrials know.

Indeed, the crater sits in what has long been a UFO hotspot. Since the 1950s and peaking in 1975-77, a number of bizarre flying saucer sightings and interactions have been reported across the region. Today, the nearby town of Elmwood calls itself the “UFO Capital of Wisconsin” and each summer hosts “UFO Days.”

For as many sightings there have been there are almost as many turns in the Black Trail as it meanders into the crater. After crossing the creek, the trail curves north and intersects the Orange Trail. Following that turn, continue straight/north rather than turn left/west to the overlook.

Saucer fires on cop
In one nearby sighting, a flying saucer landed on a country road in front of a mother and her three children in a car. They ran into a neighbor’s house seeking help, and when the homeowner followed them back home, the saucer pursued.

Another incident involved Elmwood’s chief of police, who upon seeing a brilliant light descend over a hill thought a plane had crashed. When he investigated, though, he saw a hovering saucer the size of a football field.

Almost a year later in 1976, the police chief again spotted a saucer. This time, though, the UFO fired a blue ray at his squad car, knocking out Wheeler and frying the vehicle’s sparks and plugs.

Other sightings have occurred in neighboring communities and the countryside south to Plum City and Maiden Rock – as well as at Nugget Lake.

Swamp gas?
After passing the stem to the Overlook, the Black Trail continues north, again crossing Plum Creek and then veering west. It junctions with a stem trail to the Underlook and then to the Blue Trail; stay on the main path, which shifts north and heads alongside Plum Creek.

Some say the Rock Elm Disturbance attracts the saucers to the area. Perhaps the aliens simply hold a scientific interest in the crater or they somehow use the magnetism from the buried meteor rock to power their craft.

The Black Trail soon junctions with two connectors to the Blue Trail; stay on the Black Trail, which next comes to a bridge crossing Rock Elm Creek, a tributary to Plum Creek. This marks a good spot to turn back. If you have some extra energy, on the way back take in the stem trails for the Underlook (0.1 miles round trip) and the Overlook (0.12 miles round trip); the Overlook stem is the better of the two for its vista view.

Of course, maybe the flying saucers are all just swamp gas. Over the eons, clay-rich sediment has filled the crater, resulting in boggy soil that can generate methane, also known as swamp gas – which when breathed can lead to mental disorientation or flare if ignited by lightning.

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

Trail crosses swinging bridge over gorge

Glen Park swinging bridge

Glen Park Trail

A swinging bridge and a cascades that cuts through 500-million-year-old rock await day hikers on the Glen Park Trail in west-central Wisconsin.

The 0.25-mile round trip set of trails – christened here after the park they run through – sits close to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls campus. Because of that, parking can be difficult to find, so a visit is best done during summer when the student population shrinks.

Tropical sea
To reach the trailhead, head south from downtown River Falls on South Main Street. At West Cascade Street, turn right/west. Street parking is available between Main Street and Winter/State Street. The trailhead is west of Winter/State Street and heads southwest into a wooded area.

You’ll immediately come to the Glen Park Swinging Bridge, a River Falls icon. A swinging bridge was constructed in 1925 and though a replica now stands there, parts of the original stonework marking the entrance remains.

As reaching the bridge’s center, look over the side at the gorge below. You’ll be able to hear and see part of the rapids. The South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River rumbles through sandstone that settled there some 500 million years ago when that part of the world was covered by a shallow, tropical sea.

The world looked much different then. With life limited to the sea, the coastline about 60 miles to the north would have been barren and hot with daytime temperatures often hitting 100 degrees F. Days were shorter, too, lasting only about 20 hours.

Trout steam
Upon crossing the swinging bridge, you’ve entered Glen Park, a favorite spot for local residents to picnic since the 1860s, and the city’s oldest park. Take the trail right/northwest through a shaded area then downhill to the gorge’s bottom. Once there, walk southeast toward the rapids.

The South Fork rushes north into the Kinnickinnic River, a major trout stream in the region. Fishermen casting rods often can be spotted in the gorge, which at one time was considered a glen (hence the park’s name).

When done looking about, return the way you came. You can extend the hike slightly by staying on the trail rather than turning back onto the swinging bridge. The park also contains a playground.

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

Great trails abound at Kinnickinnic S.P.

Kinnickinnic River Delta, from the Purple Trail. Photo courtesy Wis. DNR.

For residents of the eastern Twin Cities and west-central Wisconsin, Kinnickinnic State Park offers a convenient central location to escape back to nature for a day.

The park is located on the St. Croix and Kinnickinnic rivers, almost equidistant from River Falls, Hudson, and Prescott, Wis. The latter two communities offer bridge access into Minnesota.

Among the trails at the state park (going from east to west):
g Red Trail – The 1.6-mile hike heads through prairie alongside a forest’s edge. Among the highlights is the Vulture’s Peak area. Near the park entrance, the set of two loops can be accessed from the park’s first two parking lot.
g Blue Trail – The 0.7-mile out-and-back trail (1.4-miles round trip) gives hikers the opportunity to explore gorges and coulees into the Kinnickinnic River Valley. Access the wooded trail from the second parking area past the park entrance. Add the 0.1-mile (0.2-miles round trip) Brown Trail, which serves as a sledding hill in winter, to extend the hike.
g Yellow Trail – The 1.2-mile loop edges a forest and prairie area. Watch for deer, pheasants and turkeys along the trail. The Kinni Overlook Lot is a good place to start; the trail can be extended by adding the Green, Orange or Purple trails.
g Orange Trail – A wooded out-and-back trail atop the Kinnickinnic River bluffs, it runs for 0.5 miles (1-mile round trip). Park at the Kinni Overlook Lot and access it via the Yellow Trail; add the Purple and Yellow trails for a longer walk.
g Green Trail – The trail loops about the outside of a prairie area under restoration and is an excellent place to spot partridge, pheasants and other birds. Access it via the Yellow Trail; from the Kinnic Overlook Lot, go left/north on the Yellow for a 1.6-mile round trip (The Green Trail itself is 1.1-miles long).
g Purple Trail – The 1.2-mile loop (when combined with a segment of the Yellow Trail), offers great views of the Kinnickinnic River Delta and the St. Croix River, as well as access to a swimming beach along the St. Croix. Park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

Read more about day hiking the scenic riverway in my guidebook Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Hike offers great view of river delta, valley

Kinnickinnic River Delta. Photo courtesy Wisconsin DNR.

Purple Trail

Day hikers are certain to spot wildlife on the Purple Trail at the southernmost state park along the St. Croix River.

The 1.2-mile loop, which includes a segment of the Yellow Trail, takes hikers along a first-class trout stream at Kinnickinnic State Park in Pierce County, Wis. Though a compact park at a little more than 1200 acres, it contains an old-growth oak forest, restored prairies, and a river delta.

To reach the park, from Wis. Hwy. 29 northeast of Prescott, Wis., take County Road F north for about 5.5 miles. Turn left/west onto 820th Avenue then left/south into the park; follow the entry road west all of the way to its end and park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

An access trail to the main course begins in the lot’s western corner. Upon reaching the Purple Trail, turn right/north. Most of the trees in this area of Wisconsin were cut by pioneers and 19th century logging companies, but the trail here passes through one of the few woodlands to escape the ax.

Wildlife abounds as well in this area. Watch for whitetail deer, raccoon, rabbits and squirrels. Hikers have spotted weasels, gray fox, red fox and even beaver nearby.

Restored prairie
In about 600 feet from the access trail, you’ll pass a path to the swim area. Continuing on the main trail, the woods soon gives way to a restored prairie.

This region was plowed under by the area’s first white settlers but since 1972 (when the state park was established) have been among 50 acres of land at the park restored to original prairie. Watch for partridge, ringneck pheasants and other birds that prefer grasslands.

You’ll soon reach a junction with the Yellow Trail; go right/south on it through more prairie. In about 600 feet, you’ll cross the park entry road, so make sure any little ones with you watch for traffic.

Rivers below
The Yellow Trail then rejoins the Purple Trail; go right/south onto the latter. After a junction with the Orange Trail, the Kinnickinnic River should come in view to the left/south. You’re on a bluff overlooking the river; don’t get too close to the edge, though, as the limestone cliff is a straight drop down.

White pines line the river, which is popular with anglers for its brown trout. Watch for mink slinking along the banks looking for food.

Rounding the picnic area, head into the overlook on the left/west to see the Kinnickinnic River Delta with the St. Croix River. Sediment from the Kinnickinnic reduces the St. Croix’s width here by about 75 percent.

The result is a faster current, which during winter leaves the St. Croix ice-free. Because of that, bald eagles enjoy a year-round fishing area, so keep your eyes to the sky for the bird of prey.

The access trail to the parking lot is directly across from the overlook.

Good options
If time and energy allows, consider extending the hike by adding the rest of the Yellow Trail; to do that, at the first junction of the Purple/Yellow trails, go left/north onto the latter. The 1.2-mile Yellow Trail (You’ll only do about a mile of it for a 1.8-mile hike total.) loops along the forest and prairie edge. A flat trail, it offers the opportunity to spot wild turkeys. When the Yellow rejoins the Purple, go left/south onto the latter.

Alternately, enjoy a dip into the St. Croix River at its swim area that the Purple Trail passed at its start. There’s a small sand beach at the swim area, and the St. Croix is one of the Midwest’s cleanest waterways.

Read more about day hiking the scenic riverway in my guidebook Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.