Posts Tagged ‘kickapoo valley’

Wisconsin Hiking

April 20th, 2010 by knapik

Dutchman's Britches

Nora and I are fortunate to live in the Driftless Area of Southwest Wisconsin, a rugged area of bluffs and valleys, relatively few people, and incredible scenery. Not only do we get to live in this wonderful place, but we also can greet and host hundreds of guests each year at our Bed and Breakfast, the Inn at Lonesome Hollow. Our B&B offers 160 acres of mostly wooded hill and valley, many gardens, a large pond, and a completely undeveloped ridgetop woods/prairie.

Spring Beauty

On Sunday afternoon the temperature was in the mid 60s, the sun was shining brilliantly, and we found ourselves in the midst of the earliest spring either of us can remember. Temperatures have been above average ever since the beginning of March. Trees are leafing out at least two weeks ahead of schedule. Maple syrup season has come and gone and the morels will undoubtedly be here early this spring. We decided it was time to seriously check out the wildflowers in the woods on our ridge. We left the coziness of our valley and headed upward 300 ft in elevation to our ridgetop 80 acres. We are not expert at plant identification, but with the help of a Wisconsin Wildflower Guide we noted purple and yellow violets, bellwort, spring beauty, wood anemone, dutchmens’ britches, bloodroot, pussytoes, and Greek valerian.

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2010 Wisconsin Canoeing

April 16th, 2010 by knapik

Kickapoo River Canoeing

The 2010 canoeing season is now open on the Kickapoo River in Southwest Wisconsin. A leisurely paddle down the Kickapoo starting in either Ontario, Wisconsin or Rockton, Wisconsin will take you through some beautiful Driftless Area terrain complete with large limestone and sandstone rock outcroppings and some good trout fishing opportunities as well.

The Kickapoo River is a class 2 trout stream from Wilton to Gays Mills. Good spots to fish are the junctions where small streams flow into the Kickapoo. Right now all trout fishing is catch and release, and there is a week that is closed to trout fishing in early May as angling transitions into the regular season. From mid-May through the end of September trout season is fully open and you can catch your own dinner.

Don’t attempt to canoe the Kickapoo following heavy rain. Too much water is funneled quickly by the surrounding hills into this otherwise lazy river. But most of the time you can just relax, paddle slowly, and enjoy great scenery. If you float south from Ontario, you will pass through a corner of Wildcat Mountain State Park and past impressive limestone outcroppings. If you float out of Rockton, you will float through a long stretch of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, an 8600 acre parcel of public land (very much undeveloped) with great hiking and biking opportunities.

Spend two to six hours on the Kickapoo. Have a great local steak dinner. Lodge at one of the areas neat B&Bs, such as Inn at Lonesome Hollow. You’ll have a wonderful time.

Wisconsin Apple Harvest

September 25th, 2009 by knapik

A very good apple harvest is underway in the famed apple growing area surrounding Gays Mills, Wisconsin. Last week the orchards brought in the highly desired Honeycrisp apples, so a good supply of these sweet, crisp apples is readily available right now. Other late maturing apples will continue to be harvested for a while. Several of the orchards have very neat gift shops associated with their businesses and it’s a blast to browse the shelves for eclectic soup mixes, locally made maple syrup and honey, pumpkins, and of course for specialty Wisconsin cheeses.

Apple Orchards 001

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Wisconsin Fall Colors

September 22nd, 2009 by knapik

The fall color season has started in Southwest Wisconsin! The hardwood forests between LaCrosse and Prairie du Chien contain a high percentage of maple trees, and every year the fall colors range between “GOOD” and “WOW”. Right now (Sept 22) the colors around Soldiers Grove , WI are about 25% developed. Peak color will probably occur sometime between Sept 28 and Oct 10.

Maple Tree on Lonesome Hollow Trail

Maple Tree on Lonesome Hollow Trail

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow has 160 acres of  ridge and valley land, with almost 100 acres being wooded. There are about four miles of private hiking trails that skirt the forest edges or penetrate deep into the forest. Nearby is the Kickapoo River and a sparsely populated valley that extends north from the Wisconsin River for about 70 miles. Wisconsin Highway 131 follows the Kickapoo River all the way from its origin, near Wilton, to Wauzeka, where it meets the Wisconsin River. This 70 mile drive is very rural for its entire length, with no town on Hwy 131 having more than 750 residents.

Fall Colors Surround the Inn at Lonesome Hollow

Fall Colors Surround the Inn at Lonesome Hollow

The rugged Driftless Area terrain, the quaint antique shops, the Amish settlement near Cashton, great apple orchards, and a few wonderful wineries all combine to make this a great choice for fall leaf watching. You can even take in the fall colors while canoeing on the Kickapoo or Wisconsin river.

If your batteries need recharging, head to the hills of Southwest Wisconsin for a beautiful fall adventure.

Nora and Pete, Inn at Lonesome Hollow

Viroqua and LaFarge Wisconsin August Events

July 28th, 2009 by knapik

The weekend of August 14-16, 2009 will be very special in the Kickapoo Valley of Southwest Wisconsin.  Two great events are scheduled: Wild West Days in Viroqua and Larryfest in LaFarge.

Wild West Days in Viroqua

Wild West Days in Viroqua

Wild West Days will feature a rodeo, cattle drive, country music concert, and a parade that features more than 100 horses. Many of the Wild West Days events take place at the county fairgrounds in Viroqua, but the music event will be held in the beautifully restored Temple Theater in downtown Viroqua.

The Crowd at Larryfest 2008

The Crowd at Larryfest 2008

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July Events in SW Wisconsin

June 23rd, 2009 by knapik

If you are in the general area of Southwest Wisconsin this July, check out some fun local events that will take place. The southwest corner of Wisconsin is very rural in character and very rugged in landscape. The Driftless Area is best expressed and best enjoyed in the “Coulee Region” – the area from LaCrosse south to Prairie du Chien and from the Mississippi River east to Baraboo. The land is a constant series of 300 to 600 foot high, wooded hills that rise from picturesque valleys. It is an area of small villages, abundant trout streams, and diverse cultural heritage.

Here are some suggested events:

July 4: experience small town Fourth of July in LaFarge or Ontario - both small towns on the Kickapoo River; just a short distance from the Kickapoo lie Hillsboro and Westby which also have interesting July 4 celebrations.

Mississippi Cruise Tour to Effigy Mounds

Mississippi Cruise Tour to Effigy Mounds


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