I crossed a line

 My GPS said, 
"You are now entering Iowa."

Well, I knew that, I was on my way to a State Park just over the border called Pike's Peak. Iowa's State Parks do no require a fee to enter. I don't know how they do that but I'd noticed on my map that it was almost directly across from Wyalusing State Park on the Wisconsin side.

If you can se that bump across the river, that was where I was standing in October, November, and January gazing out at the confluence of the Mississippi and the Wisconsin Rivers. 

I did a search of State Parks in my area and ended up with Pike's Peak which advertised a few really cool things to see. One being a few lookout areas over the rivers from 500 feet above them.

What better time to go exploring than on a slightly chilly day during the week. I'd left Charlie at home, he'd gone with me on Wednesday exploring the Reserve. I wanted to change things up and I let him have a recovery day while I got the low down on the State Park.

Dogs are welcome on a leash. So he can go next time. 

This was an expedition for me. I haven't gone this far from home for a hike or anything in more years than I can recall.

Across the rivers where that hump is in the distance is the Wyalusing State Park. In fact here is a long lens shot of the look out at Wyalusing. I was able to actually see the rock wall they put up for safety and the bench one can sit at and view Iowa.

Here is the shot of the Wyalusing Lookout with my long lens.

Photo of one of my grand kids in 2016 taking a photo at the Wyalusing Lookout.

I studied the map and then I decided to go ahead and follow the well marked trails and explore.

There is a really nice walkway that was built so that people wouldn't end up going on the bluff and falling 500 feet.

Going down.

Looking back up.

Bridal's Veil Falls

Overlooking the gorge.

Apparently during the summer and also during the frigid weather, this is spectacular. It still was worth the hike there and to listen to the sound of the water flowing.

This area is very steep and has built in wooden stairs with a railing to help going up and down in this section.

For most of the rest of the hike, I just followed the Hickory Ridge Mound trail to the end and circled back to join up with the Weeping Rock Trail to the parking area. 

The clouds started moving in and the temps started to drop so I decided to eat my snack and put this down for a revisit on another day. This map below is just a small part of this park.

For a point of interest. The Hickory Ridge Mound Trail circles burial mounds and one of them is in the shape of a bear if seen from 40 feet up. I would have loved to have seen that.

As you can see from the map below, there is a lot more to explore. This is the northern half of this park.

There will be quite a bit more to see this year. I've added one more State Park that is only an hour from my house. 
There are 4 that I've visited so far. There are 3 more within decent driving distance on either side of the river to explore. This doesn't include the numerous State Natural Areas that dot this part of Wisconsin.

The line I crossed was different this time. This is the first time I've gone off to a place that was not only in another state [yes we have close borders] but it felt like I broke through something that had been holding me back for so many years.

It was an overwhelming sense of freedom -- intense joy -- intense anxiety -- and intense sense of well being and peace. 

I chose where to go, what to do, and had no worries about time constraints. 

Holding onto that feeling has felt very good. Sure, it will fade. But for the moment, I'll take it.

"You are now entering Iowa" changed everything. Such a simple and strange way for it to happen.

I say.

Go for it

SNA is

State Natural Areas. They are protected areas of WI native landscape that well, are very unique and protected from development.

My first ever visits to SNAs were Parfey's Glen and Pewitt's Nest. They are very well known ones near Devils Lake State Park.

This weekend I was treated to view two more known but...unknown places along the Mississippi River called Sugar Creek and Rush Creek. 

This widened areas I'd like to explore. 

I also joined a group that does weekend hikes. I plan my first hike with them in the LaCrosse area December 13th. There are gobs [I don't know what else to call them of trails in and around LaCrosse area. The group is called Blufflands Hiking Group.

Why not? Hiking in groups and discovering cool trails I've never even heard of sounds like a fun thing. I can always discover places and trial heads and then go back on my own. 

So Jason came Friday afternoon and we headed out early Saturday morning. He wanted to take a couple of rather easy hikes because  his dog Felix who isn't able to do very long hikes any more. He drove and I got to be the passenger.

We were headed to the Mississippi River.

Here are his dogs. Piper is in orange and Felix is behind her. He loves to refer to them as Tumble and Weed.

We visited Sugar Creek and Rush Creek SNA's above the bluffs of the great river.

The first view is from Sugar Creek.

To the south, an incredible intoxicating view.

Below. Looking the other direction. Highway 35 runs along the river and is also referred to as The Great River Road.

And from these views, indeed it is.

Next stop was Rush Creek.

I'd never gone to explore this area as it is 45 minutes from our house and basically I had no idea how to find trails.

Jason knew of a place we could drive to and park and take a very short walk out to the bluff.

He has climbed the bluff in the first shot below and encountered rattlesnakes in the areas in the grassy west facing hillside.

No thanks. I will go and hike the upper part and avoid the snake-y areas. And I will avoid the times of year that snakes are active.

Looking across the river from the same viewpoint.

A much closer look at Lansing Iowa across the river. The white part in the middle is the last of the metal bridges. It is now closed to traffic as they work on a new bridge.

This old bridge had a metal deck and was fondly called the Singing Bridge.

It also was the main throughfare for those in Iowa or Wisconsin to get back and forth to work. There is a ferry currently running, but I imagine when things freeze up those who have to travel an extra 40 miles one way to cross the river will not be happy. 

We then drove out to Bell Center [Kickapoo River Wildlife Area]. We took a short walk to check it out. I will probably go back after hunting season or in the spring. The area consists of open prairie and hills. It is stocked with Pheasants from a volunteer group.

This looks like it could be another neat place to explore.

I'm thinking it could be fun to snowshoe. It would be an easy place to get out of winter winds while hiking/snowshoeing/cross country skiing. Of course I would have to break my own trail.

The forest and open prairie look quite inviting.

It looks like my feet shall remain busy. 

This is a good thing.

OH!!! One last thing. While we were standing on the last bluff the wind really picked up quite a bit. Something very odd happened. Oak leaves starting drifting upwards from the valley below.

So the saying of the day was--->

The Leaves are Falling UP!