Friends of Wyalusing State Park

Upcoming Event - Candlelit Walk or Snowshoe

The Friends of Wyalusing State Park and The Starsplitters of Wyalusing are co-sponsoring a candlelit hike or snowshoe walk on February 6, 2019. The event will be held near the Huser Observatory in Wyalusing State Park from 6PM to 9PM. The event will follow part of the Whitetail meadow trail and will be lit with candles and torches. Event goer will be able to warm up around a toasty campfire and enjoy cookies and warm drinks. There will be a heated building and outdoor toilets are nearby.

State Park vehicle admission is required. In the case of inclement weather, this event may be canceled or changed at the last minute. Please call the Park office at 608.996.2261 if in doubt

The Friends of Wyalusing welcome you to Wyalusing State Park is a private non-profit charitable organization. Our goal is to support and enhance your experience here at wonderful Wyalusing. As you explore the park, you will see nature trails, kiosks, guided hikes and nature programs that were made possible by the efforts of our organization.

These are tough times for state budgets and so our parks rely more and more on volunteer organizations like ours to provide funding for things that might otherwise not be possible. We work with the park staff to seek out grants and outside sources of funding to stretch our impact and make your park experience, and that of future generations, even better. Last year we were voted the “most successful local friends group” by the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks but we don’t plan on resting. We have big plans for the future and with your help, we can do even more.

Many of us think that “someday” we will step up and make a difference for the things we care about. There is no better “someday” than today. The Friends of Wyalusing State Park need your help. You don’t need a lot of time or money, you don’t need to live close to the park, you just need to care enough to get involved. There are a number of ways to help.
First, consider becoming a friend. Click on this link to print a Friends Membership form.

Second, consider the Friends of Wyalusing State Park in your charitable giving. We have set up an endowment fund that will provide support and programming into the future and donations are tax-deductible as allowed. Memorials and estate donations are a great way to make an impact that lives on. Click here for more information.

Wyalusing State Park is indeed a rare gem. You can help provide the polish that makes that gem shine.

Winter Fun at Wyalusing State Park

Lookout Point

Do you have “cabin fever”? Are you tired of shoveling snow and just watching the snow fall and the wind blow? With the return of snow to southwest Wisconsin, Wyalusing State Park offers a number of outdoor activities for all ages.

The cross country ski trails have been groomed and tracked and are in very good skiing condition. All ski trails at Wyalusing State Park are tracked for both classical and skate skiing. Whitetail Meadows is an excellent trail for beginners. Turkey Hollow Trail is a challenging trail for the more experienced skier. For those looking for a longer route, Cathedral Tree Drive is accessed via Turkey Hollow Trail at Homestead Picnic Shelter.

Views of the Mighty Mississippi can be seen through the trees along Cathedral Tree Drive. Parking for all ski trails is available at the Huser Astronomy Center, just past the park office on the right side of the road. Please, no dogs or hiking on the cross country ski trails.

Snowshoeing enthusiasts enjoy their silent sport along Sand Cave and Sentinel Ridge Trails. Both of these trails are accessed easily from adjacent parking areas. Both of these trails are popular with winter hikers as well as those snowshoeing. An excellent view of the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers can be found at Point Lookout, which is the starting point for Sentinel Ridge. A frozen waterfall can be found along the Sand Cave Trail. Pictured Rock Cave, located on Sugar Maple Nature Trail, also has a frozen waterfall. Getting to Pictured Rock Cave involves hiking or snowshoeing from the Park Office. Many people enjoy a walk through the Wisconsin Ridge Campground, part of which is plowed for winter use. The Wisconsin Ridge Campground is located 500 feet above the Wisconsin River.

The boat landing on the backwaters of the Mississippi River is a popular place for ice anglers. Ice fishing is by far our number one use in the winter. We do not monitor ice conditions.

Identification of wildlife tracks and searching for bird nests now visible in the leafless trees, are other ways to get out and enjoy winter at Wyalusing State Park. The park office bird feeders are usually stocked with sunflower seeds and suet. There is nothing as pretty as the bright red cardinals against a backdrop of snow laden trees. Juncos, chickadees, blue jays, mourning doves, goldfinches, nuthatches, red-bellied, downy and hairy woodpeckers as well as an occasional pheasant round out the winter residents taking advantage of the feeders.

All vehicles entering a Wisconsin State Park are required to have an admission sticker. This is an excellent time of the year to purchase an annual sticker as it affords entrance for the entire year to any Wisconsin State Park or Forest. Daily sticker and hourly stickers are other options. Please use the self-registration at the park office to purchase stickers if the office is not staffed. For more information, please visit our website at www.wyalusing.org or call 608-996-2261.

It’s So-o-o Quiet!

Something magical happens during the winter at Wyalusing State Park. Simply put, it’s quiet.

The summer weekends and days bring families to the park. Sitting next to a fire in the evening, listening to children and adults telling stories, making Some-Mores, and the evening sounds were magical. However, the winter brings a solitude, that one can only enjoy by being here.

A breeze through the pine plantation, the cry of winter birds, are magnified ten fold. Gone is the high-pitched drone of the mosquito!

Gaze through the open branches up the Wisconsin River Basin. One can see for miles since the foliage is gone for the winter.

Winter camping is still available at Wyalusing State Park. Wisconsin Ridge campground roads are plowed. A winter camper will have to clear the snow from a camp site. Water is available.

Wyalusing Winter Camping

If you have the right equipment and warm clothes, Winter is a great time for camping at Wyalusing State Park. There are no crowds and no bugs, and there's plenty to do—cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, animal tracking, bird watching, ice fishing, and enjoying a warm fire.

Wyalusing State Park has 55 out of 104 sites available for winter camping. Six of them are plowed. Electric hookups are available. Water is available, as well as outdoor bathrooms. During winter, campsites are available on first come, first served basis. The campsites are located on Wisconsin Ridge.

Access water in Winter at winterized water hydrant East of Shower Bldg. (Click to enlarge.)

Winter Water Access
A winterized water hydrant is located near the sidewalk on the east side of the shower/flush toilet building. The building is closed for the winter season. If in an RV, the driver can pull off of the main road onto an adjacent parking lot. A hose of at least 30 feet will be needed to fill the RV. Depending on plowing conditions, RVers needing water, at the winter hydrant, may have to back after filling up with water. The road to the dump station is not plowed and usually blocked.

Green line = Plowed; Red Dashes=may be plowed; Red=not plowed. Click map to enlarge.

Winter Driving Access
Roads from the main office, to the boat landing are plowed and sanded. The road to Wisconsin Ridge is plowed as well as the first camping loop. At times, Point Lookout parking lot is also plowed. The blacktop trail to point lookout may be plowed as well.

The author would love to hear from campers who have stayed at Wyalusing State Park during Late Fall or Winter Camping. New Blog will focus on these topics.