Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This diverse 2,500-acre promontory southeast of Necedah juts into the Castle Rock-Peten-
well Flowages. A short boardwalk trail leads to what could be the dunes and sandblow of
the Sonoran Desert—if it weren't for the evergreens present. A wide array of ecosystems
native to the state are protected here, from oak forests to restored grasslands. Rare species
of turtle can be found along a wonderful interpretive canoe trail in the backwaters; the ca-
noeing is very isolated and a good gaze into what the land looked like 100 years ago.
The
camping
is even better because there isn't much. Forty-two primitive sites and
a mere 11 “family” (drive-in) sites means good bets for solitude. Reservations (888/
947-2757,
wisconsinstateparks.reserveamerica.com
, $10 fee) are not always necessary.
Sites cost $14 to $19 for non-residents and a $10 daily admission is charged.
Due south of the Central Necedah Wildlife Refuge is this pleasant town of 1,491 folks.
One of the Upper Midwest's largest groups of
effigy mounds
is south of town off WI 12/
16. Even rarer are the
Twin Bluff petroglyphs,
done by early Woodland tribes, west along
Highway A; hardy hikers can make it up Twin Bluff and to the caverns to check out the
Thunderbird etchings. West of town five miles you can pick up the Omaha multiuse recre-
ational trail as it passes through Hustler. Much of the area's history is on display at both
the
New Lisbon Library
(608/562-3213)and
Raabe's Pharmacy
(608/562-3302),togeth-
er representing the state's largest private prehistoric Native American artifact collection.
At approximately the halfway point north-south in Wisconsin, Stevens Point is a pictur-
esque city spread out along the Wisconsin and Plover Rivers, smack within the fecund
“Golden Sands” region. Travelers note an inordinate amount of green space and park-
land—perhaps one reason why the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is so renowned
for its environmental science disciplines.
City settlement happened almost accidentally. Starting in 1830, enterprising lumber
speculators had been pushing northward from the forts of the lower Fox and Wisconsin
Rivers. Lumberman GeorgeStevens temporarily deposited supplies atthisspot,later called
“the Point,” and unwittingly founded the town.
