Nelson Dewey State Park
Located along the Mississippi river amongst the southwestern Wisconsin hills is Nelson Dewey State Park, named after Wisconsin's first governor who owned the Stonefield estate that would later become this state park. Located adjacent and around Stonefield Historic site the park contains a campground and picnic area along with five trails that are under a mile in length but provide a variety of scenery as you hike throughout the park. Also located with in the state park are several mound structures that can be seen from the trail.
Stonefield/Nelson Dewey is located on land once part of Governor Nelson Dewey’s agricultural estate. Developed in the 1860s and encompassing 2,000 acres, the farm was divided by picturesque stone walls and several Gothic Revival structures. Original outbuildings remain. In 1936 the farm became part of Nelson Dewey State Park. In 1952 the Wisconsin legislature established the State Farm and Craft Museum, to be located on the site of Dewey’s Stonefield and administered by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Mississippi and Chippewa Rivers Biome
The Driftless Region serves as home to these two rivers, and many, many more, and is in a deciduous forest biome. Most of this part of southwestern Wisconsin was not touched by the last glaciers and displays a very rugged landscape dominated by limestone bluffs rising above the two main rivers. Valleys carved by smaller rivers and streams abound, but anything resembling a lake is the result of human intervention. The predominant vegetation is mixed hardwoods such as oak, aspen, and maples. With the abundant spring fed streams in every valley, the trout fishing in this biome is world class. The big river is one of the main flyways for bird migration and plays host to birds using that flyway, including huge concentrations of Tundra Swans in the spring and fall. Timber Rattlesnakes are timid venomous snakes that inhabit those rocky bluffs.
WISCONSIN GEOCACHING ASSOCIATION
The Wisconsin Geocaching Association (WGA) is a group of geocachers dedicated to promoting and protecting geocaching within the state of Wisconsin. The WGA organizes geocaching events, works with land owners/managers on geocaching policies, educates the public at large about geocaching, and facilitates communication between WGA members. To learn more about the WGA visit: www.wi-geocaching.com
2013 kicks off the beginning of the Wisconsin Geocaching Association State Parks series. It is our goal to place a geocache in every state park in the state of Wisconsin so watch out for more in this series that encourages geocachers to explore the natural resources in this beautiful state of ours.
The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to Chad Breuer of the Wisconsin DNR. Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all required information, then submit it to the land manager.
This a WGA STATE PARK SERIES geocache: