Winter
Fun at Wyalusing State Park
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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.