Friends of Wyalusing State Park

Learn to Ice Fish

Event has been postponed due to weather.

First, it will be an “open house” here at Wyalusing which means no vehicle sticker will be needed for the day. People will be able to come enjoy winter activates(eagle watching, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, etc) that day.
The learn to ice fish will start at 10:00 am at the shop. This will be a time for kids and adults to learn how to ice fish and after lunch (which will be provided) the group will then go to the boat landing and learn to ice fish with a mentor. If someone is interested we have a limited number of spaces people are encouraged to call the park to sign up ahead of time. Usually, we will fish for a couple of hours wrapping up around between 2 pm and 3 pm depending on the weather that day.

Marine Credit Union of Prairie du Chien, WI, donates $200.00 towards Naturalist Program at Wyalusing State Park. (Left to right) Bruce Klang-President of Friends of Wyalusing, Amber Walz - Marine Credit Union Member Service Representative, Shana Gillitzer - Marine Credit Union Member Service Supervisor, April Ammann, Wyalusing State Park Ranger. Wyalusing State Park and Friends or Wyalusing with the Wyalusing Starsplitters are hosting a Candlelit Hike Saturday, Feb. 16th from 6-9 PM. Details can be found https://www.facebook.com/friendsofwyalusingstatepark/

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.