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| The vista from Lone Rock's northern side. |
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| Lone Rock Trail topo map, Plate 1. |
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| Lone Rock Trail topo map, Plate 2. |
The 6.2-miles round trip Lone Rock Trail heads to its namesake in Wisconsin’s Quincy Bluff and Wetlands State Natural Area. Surprisingly quiet, the trail offers that strong feel of isolation so many nature lovers seek.
To reach the trailhead, from Adams-Friendship, take Wis. Hwy. 13 south. Turn right/west onto Dyke Road (County Road E goes the opposite direction at the same intersection). In just under two miles, Dyke Road curves north and becomes 14th Drive. About a third of a mile from the curve is a small sand parking area on the road’s left/west side.
A wide two-track logging trail heads southwest from the lot. To the road’s west is a pine-oak barrens, a sandy terrain that mainly sports grass and sparse growths of trees while to the east is a woodlands. Once past a gate, go left/southwest when the trail splits.
The trail heads along narrow stretches of dry land amid wetlands. During warmer months, sandhill cranes often can be spotted and heard bugling there.
Glacial Lake Wisconsin
The barrens and wetlands sit on what during the last ice age was the bottom of Glacial Lake Wisconsin. Stretching from modern-day Wisconsin Rapids in the north to Wisconsin Dells in the south, the lake formed when an advancing glacier reached the Baraboo Hills to the south, damming the Wisconsin River. The water backed up until reaching a gap so that it could drain out to the Black River to the northeast.
When the glacier melted away from the Baraboo Hills, the ice dam holding the glacial lake thinned until only a sandy moraine and weak, ancient sandstone held the the water in place. Eventually that barrier broke, and the floodwaters swept southward, carving out the Wisconsin Dells’ deep gorges.
At 1.6 miles from the trailhead, the route follows a snowmobile trail south. The quality of the trail changes from an old road to more of a winding lane. In 0.2 miles is a wood bridge over a creek, and then the trail goes under a powerline.
Thanks to the glacial lake, most of the terrain along the trail and across Adams County is flat and sandy. At spots, the lake left up to 300 feet of sediment. The region’s many bluffs were islands in the glacial lake, and without its sediment, one might imagine the bluffs rising even higher out of the plain than they do today.
About 2.5 miles in, the northern tip of Lone Rock becomes visible over the tree line. Lone Rock rises 100 feet above the plain, and large raptors often can be seen riding the thermals around it. On the ground, the barrens gives away to woods as the trees thicken near Lone Rock’s base.
The trail splits in another 0.3 miles. Go right/south so that you are walking along Lone Rock’s western slope. A pine plantation is on the trail’s right side.
At 3 miles in, you’ll reach a T-intersection with a dirt road that is southwest of Lone Rock’s south side. Follow the lane running left/northeast up a slope through an oak forest to Lone Rock. Once at the base, go right/southeast for 200 feet to a 30-foot-wide break in the wall, which despite its size is easy-to-miss.
This canyon leads to Lone Rock’s top. While steep with a couple of high steps, during dry weather it’s the best and easiest route to the top, as pine needles cushion your steps. Be aware that in wet weather the pine needles can be slick.
Great vistas
The top of Lone Rock is more like a mesa of the American West, flat and round. A worn footpath circles the top. Be careful; the drop is straight down, and in some spots, such as the north end’s narrow point where sandstone juts out, are unsafe to walk upon.
Cooler than the barrens and breezy, the top offers great views. Rattlesnake Mound dominates the east while Quincy Bluff is to the west. From the north side, Roche a Cri and Friendship Mound are on the horizon.
Once taking in the view, descend the bluff’s canyon and retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
The trail is best hiked in spring and early summer on dry days. By mid- to late-summer, the trail can be overgrown, and in winter snow and ice often makes the route to the bluff’s saddle impassable. Autumn marks another great time to hike the bluff, as the bugs are gone and the grass a golden hue.
Much of the barrens lacks shade, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses on the trail. Insect repellent also is a must given the trail’s proximity to the wetlands. Pets are allowed if on a leash, however. Rock climbing is prohibited. As a state natural area, there are no public facilities.
