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

Wyalusing trails: Old Immigration Trails and Old Wagon Trail

We arrived just as a snow squall/sleet settled in for the first 20 minutes or so of our hike. I figured it was perfect weather for us to tackle the steep trails.

So we did.

I'd forgotten Charlie's orange canvas safety jacket last week when we hiked at KVR, but we never saw or hear another human.

This was the case here too. We started before 10 am and finished at 12:30pm. Again, we were not in a hurry, we were browsing the Park instead of working for pace. 

Charlie picked the pace once more, so there were stops for sniffs and stops for photos. A few times I just stopped and watched a Kingfisher, Juncos, and Redtail Hawks down by the Wisconsin River. There was no hurry to get anywhere.

I'm still trying to get used to that feeling. I followed the Sentinel Trail past the connection to the trail I wanted so I could check a lookout. 

This is where it can get confusing. Sentinel Trail has a branch to Old Immigrant Trail. I wish they still handed out paper maps of the trails.

Don't try to read this map, I'm sure it is too little. However before I went I circled the areas on a pdf file that interested me for this time out and had it on my cellphone.

I returned to the Old Immigration Trail which went down to the confluence of the two rivers and headed along the backwaters of the Wisconsin River to join up the the Old Wagon Trail. Going up or down the bluff is a real workout.

I ascended 821 feet and descended 824 feet. Yeah. The ascending was a bit of a puffer.

There was so much to see and admire with the leaves gone. Tumbled boulders, cliffs, bluffs, birds, and backwaters.
I'd recommend the trail by the river and backwater  NOT be hiked during mosquito season. I found evidence of a lot of spring wildflowers along the river too. 

So this trail is definitely worth the walk in early spring since I found Hepatica, Anenome, and Ginger leaves along the trail. Imagine nearly 3 miles of wild flowers next to the river! 

Imagine a spring hike along this trail!

Below is a map of the hike I did. I really enjoyed it so much. One would think there was nothing to see this time of year. But I found so much to look at.

Here is the V in the trail behind Charlie. This is one of the areas where the hiker drops below some very incredible bluffs.

I understand that some of them develop ice sheets in the winter and there are climbers who climb the ice formations.

[That is JUST nuts!]

In places, there were stairs made out of stones and railroad ties. Lots of stairs to prevent erosions from foot traffic and keep the trail from being slippery.

If a person had bad knees, this would not be a happy trail for them. 

From the look out points, the scenery was pretty amazing  even with the grey skies. I was so taken by the reflections in the backwaters of the Wisconsin River.

When I got down next to the backwaters, the scenes were pretty breathtaking too. The first shot is taken looking west towards the railroad.

The second was taken looking north in the same area I'd looked down on from the lookouts.

It is stark and brown, but I found it beautiful in its own way. I think this could be a good area to watch for birds in the spring.

Our hike was 5.41 miles according to the Garmin Smart Watch I was using that tracked my route and steps. 

The route was not super difficult but there is a lot of ascents and descents that would tax most hikers.

The views and scenery is beautiful and well worth it.

Charlie and I made it back to our vehicle and we sat in the parking lot and had our packed lunch.

By noon thirty people started showing up. I counted 2 other vehicles.

I rather liked hiking on a Monday with some snow and sleet and cold weather. We had a great time.

Charlie was tired and actually slept in his new to us doggy car seat.

I have only a few days before hiking stops for a while. 

I may have to break out my Lego set to do while I what for the hunters to leave the state parks, private lands, and state natural areas.

Wyalusing State Park

The last time and only time I was at this State Park was in 2016, some neighbors and I got together and decided to explore Wyalusing.

Side note: My father had some great stories about working in the CCC Camps when he was young.

My grand daughter, Lily, was with us and the first place we went to was the overlook. I wrote about it in a blog back then called To There and Back. I'd let Lily use my camera to take a shot from the overlook. The trip was in August and we'd had a rainy year.

2016

Lily's photo:

My photo 2016:

November 5, 2025.

It sure looked different! The bridge in the distance goes across the main channel of the Mississippi at Prairie du Chien and crosses to Marquette Iowa. The bridge in the foreground crosses the Wisconsin River and heads through Prairie in the distance.

It was rather cold and windy on the bluff, so I decided to take a trail that went down into a valley.

Charlie was the perfect gentleman and walked as is he'd been leash trained all of his life. We went a trailed called The Sand Cave Trail which is a 2.4 mile loop with two little Sand Caves or as I'd call them, Ice Caves in the winter.

The trail is well worn and well marked. The only issue I would see is the roots that could make it difficult for others to navigate.

It was also a beautiful trail.

Just before we got to the Big Sand Cave, we were lucky enough to have this guy pose for us.

The Big Sand Cave:

I didn't take any photos of the second Sand Cave. I would like to go back and see it in the winter.

I wanted to get back to the Long Valley Road and walk down to see the boat landing and come back up the Sentinel Trail.

The trek is surrounded by the pink line below on the map.

Well, we almost made it. We made it to the purple area I think. 

Charlie was pooping out and I decided to walk back up the road to the parking area instead of navigating the rougher trail with him. 

Charlie got a lift part of the way back up the Long Valley Road.

The road that went down to the boat launch was mesmerizing.

Look at the amazing curves in the road!

It reminds me of the stretch of curvy road in Door County that is Highway 42. It is one of the most photographed stretches of road in Wisconsin and supposedly was influenced by a landscape artist.

This road is not as dramatic as the photos I've seen of Hwy 42, but I think I discovered something pretty special. Not only that, I didn't have to drive to Door County to see it.

I found it undeniably beautiful with its shadows and colorful foliage.

We had an amazing day and look forward to exploring all of the other trails. 

My Garmin did indicate that we traveled 7.56 miles on foot. 

Road Trip

Off I went. Morris scrambled and barked in his crate as I shut the door and got into the car.
The rain was spitting down and the temperatures had suddenly become very fall-like.

Here was my 'big' trip to go see Lily and the rest of the gang.  I promised myself that this time when I crossed the Wisconsin River on Highway 21, I would take the time to pull into the wayside and get a shot of the river and the bridge.
The leaves have gone but the pines still are brilliant green against the dull backdrop of dormant trees.  Most oaks still have their leaves and the wild clouds all made for a fairly good photograph.

Although as I knelt by the river a very cold wind blew into my face. And I decided not to spend too long of a time there.

My real intent had been to go back to the Subaru and get a ND filter so I could have a long exposure of the sky, bridge, and the water.  I decided to heck with it and packed up.

I went to use the restroom and decided against that also.  The smell of the toilets were ripe even with the winds.
Note to self, the place is worth stopping at, but get a whiff of the bathrooms!

I headed east towards Coloma and stopped at the Ship Rock Wayside.  There are a few tables there and the garbage cans have been removed for the season.
I got out and was surprised that I was not cold.  In this area I was somewhat protected from the winds by the surrounding forest.

 

I went around to the backside of the 'rock' and found some exotic looking fern growth on the side of mossy rocks.

Leaves had blown into a dip in the rocks and were the nearly the only fall colors left.

I stopped for coffee before getting on the interstate and headed to Wausau to meet with my son and see Elena and Sterling before he had to go to work.

After I checked in to my motel I got a text from Lily.  Her mom would drop her off with me after she finished her CCE classes!

When Lily showed up we headed to the motel pool.  I sat on the edge of the pool .... note to self... get a swim suit!
We talked and she swam and played.
By 9pm we thought we should retire.

We watched it snow outside for a bit and tried to thing of cool things to do while I was here.  Rib Mountain State Park or Dells of Eau Clair?