Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area - Baraboo

(Sauk Cty) see also Devil's Lake State Park

Anyone else misspelling the name of this park? It took me a while to realize that it's Parfrey not Palfrey. Not to mention that it is frustrating when the Baraboo area's websites take you to dead links. I'd rather be rickrolled. At any rate, since it is a State Natural Area, a sticker is required. If you plan to make the trip, make a day of it and get as much use out of that $18 that you had to spend (unless you have a spare $5 for a daily pass).

If being surrounded by rocks makes you a bit squeamish this place is not for you. When I was climbing around Horicon Ledge (Dodge Cty Ledge), the thought occurred to me that the forces of nature will eventually make these rocks unstable and today could be that day.

My curiosity of course won out, and I lived to see another day.



Flickr seems to be the only place online to find the best photos of the places I love to visit, and until I get a decent camera (or learn how to take good pictures, that might help) I will pay my due diligence by paying homage to the author of these wonderful images.


Wheretofind: Travel time is about 1 hour, 50 minutes from Oshkosh, only a 1/2 hour from Wisconsin Dells and 15 minutes from Devils Lake State Park.

What to expect: Rocks, slippery moss, jutting rocks, and boulders that kids will have a tough time staying away from. * Park Permit required (day passes can be purchased). 

If you are a parent and are worried that you kids may hurt themselves, let me just say that they can get hurt here, but unlike Horicon Ledge, there is no Ledge because they hiking at the bottom of the ravine as opposed to having free access to the top of the ledge. If I am wrong, please let me know.

High Cliff State Park - Sherwood

Sherwood,(Calumet Cty)

On the northeast shore of Lake Winnebago, this beautiful hunk of rock was once a working limestone quarry where Hungarian immigrants were housed during the excavations from 1895 to 1956. At the base of the hill (can't miss it) is the only standing building from that operation and tells the story of the miner and laborers and how they fared during this time period.

Apparently there is a 12 foot statue of Winnebago Indian Chief Red Bird. Right now I am racking my brain as to where it is located. I am thinking it is on the upper section by the ranger tower (it's not). On the DNR site, the statue has the power to give us pause to consider the past....(wait for it)... and the future. Was the statue Wisconsin's gift to the Ho-Chunks for allowing their Chief to die a common prisoner? History is strangely mute on the subject.

Wheretofind: Travel time from Oshkosh area is about 40-45 minutes from Hwy 41 North to Cty Hwy 10/114.  From Fond du Lac it's almost an hour from Hwy 55 North to Cty Hwy 114.  Entrance is at Pigeon Road.

What to expect: * Park Permit required (day passes can be purchased). Upper/Lower sections that have natural and paved trails (see map), ranger tower, camping and picnic areas, ruins of limestone kiln, Indian effigy mounds and letterboxing locations!. And there's cliffs.  On the lower section there is a General Store/museum that sell candy and ice cream. I seem to recall also an independently owned shop that sells concession type foods like hot dogs, burgers, ice cream and soda.  This is also on the lower area, nearby a small cemetery.  

Before I forget, there is non-profit organization called Friends of High Cliff whose members help support the park by fundraising events in order to pay for a year round naturalist to provide educational workshops and are responsible for the efforts in preserving it's history.

State Parks

I have a major blindspot for state parks, probably because I hate shelling out money for a park sticker that I may use maybe 1-2 times a year. That being said, there are state parks here that deserve acknowledgment and I would be remiss if I avoided posting those places.