7 Stunning Sauk County, Wisconsin Nature Preserves

From sweeping views and deep gorges, to wooded wonderlands and rock formations, Sauk County has a whopping 26 State Natural Areas ready to be explored by you and your crew. Here are seven that are perfect for an outing with your favorite people. 

Spring Green Preserve – Spring Green

Most of the 1,104 acres within the Spring Green Preserve stretch across rolling sandy soil which supports various desert-like plants, including prickly pear cactus. Openings in the green reveal small dunes that shift with the breeze. Follow scenic trails together through dry terrain that nevertheless hosts an abundance of wildflowers and rare birds such as the dickcissel, a small yellow-breasted sparrow-like bird. Look out for other wildlife, too, such as gophers, deer and more.

Ferry Bluff – Sauk City

Visit Ferry Bluff State Natural Area with your group for a sprawling view of the impressive Wisconsin River valley. A trail leads to some educational signage and an overlook from the 300-plus-foot sister to Ferry, called Cactus Bluff. A side trail halfway up veers left and goes low along the river granting hikers a bankside view of the water. The bluffs are important nesting areas for eagles, which you may see, along with turkey vultures swooping across the sky.

Natural Bridge and Rockshelter – Leland

The looping trail to Natural Bridge climbs a forest-covered rocky bluff and brings you to a 25-foot sandstone arch rising 15 feet to show the sky beyond. Also nearby is a shallow rock shelter with evidence of human use estimated to date back more than 10,000 years ago.

For a longer hike, don’t miss the section of trail across the road to the south where it crosses a farm field to turn a loop up a gentle sloping hill beneath older trees with views through the low understory.

Parfrey's Glen – Baraboo

A true gem of the State Natural Area (SNA) system, the trail through this photogenic gorge crisscrosses the stream that has patiently carved it. The rock’s sedimentary layers alternate between sand and cobble, and the cool and damp space supports a completely different ecosystem from the surrounding land, with numerous rare species of plants.

A gravel walking trail becomes a narrow footpath of packed dirt and rugged rock as it passes around boulders and along the rock face. At the furthest point, look for a modest waterfall that trickles into the gorge. A State Park vehicle sticker is required, and there are restrooms and water onsite to make your hike more enjoyable.

Pewit’s Nest – Baraboo

Skillet Creek pools and cascades as it passes through Pewit's Nest, a 30- to 40-foot-deep gorge formed during the last retreat of glaciers. The cliff edges are off limits behind guard rails but views into the moss- and lichen-covered rocky channel are remarkable from an overlook at the end of the trail, while a modest waterfall emerges at the downstream mouth of the gorge. While it may give one some ideas about leaving the trail, climbing or jumping from the rocks comes with a hefty fine. However, it’s a beautiful view and a great hiking spot to enjoy with friends.

Dells of the Wisconsin River – Wisconsin Dells

This SNA straddles a five-mile gorge cut through Cambrian era sandstone along the Wisconsin River. Along the east bank at the southernmost point of the gorge, the 1.6-mile Chapel Gorge Trail runs through whispering pines to reach a modest beach along the river with views of sculpted stone.

Climb the bluff on the west side of the river for the Cambrian Overlook with its view of the Upper Dells and the Palisades, a series of high cliffs. At the north end of this SNA is Witches Gulch, featuring a boardwalk trail through a very narrow gorge reachable only by boat. Take an informative Dells Boat Tours that runs trips along the entire length of the Upper Dells and makes a stop there.

Baxter’s Hollow – North Freedom

Otter Creek, a clear, cool trout stream, swirls through boulder gardens in a scenic gorge cut from the purple-hued Baraboo quartzite, a Pre-Cambrian rock whose age estimates start north of 1.4 billion years ago.

While there are white pine trees along the water, the rest of the forest is full of hardwoods – mighty oaks, basswood and hickory that transform with the seasons. Bring friends and see who can spot the most of the 90 species of birds that nest here each season, along with a multitude of mammals.

 Keep adventuring! Discover more hidden gem parks throughout Wisconsin.