Inn at Lonesome Hollow » wildcat mountain state park

Romantic Winter Weekend

knapik — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:04:37 +0000

We recently spent a wonderful romantic weekend in Chicago – on Michigan Ave. The Christmas lights were brilliant and food was what you’d expect from a high end destination like the Magnificent Mile. This was an exception for us. Usually we prefer a quiet getaway; a rural area with great natural scenery; a place where nature can wrap you up and lock you in a world of your own.

Only four hours northwest of Chicago lies a rural landscape full of scenic beauty. There lies the Driftless Area, a ruggedly sculpted land that is home to an increasing number of organic farms, artists, and nature enthusiasts. The Kickapoo River Valley lies at the heart of the Driftless Area. The Kickapoo River winds its way for almost 120 miles as it flows southward into the Wisconsin River. These two rivers are fed by hundreds of cold water trout streams that flow alongside pastoral fields, rugged limestone bluffs, and sleepy villages having fewer than 1000 residents.

For us, this is where we want to spend most of our “alone” time. This is where nature surpasses man. This is where we can take stock of ourselves, or goals, our life plans.

Snowshoe or cross-country ski in Wildcat Mountain State Park or at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. After your invigorating time outdoors, soak in a whirlpool and sip some locally made wine at your rural B&B. Dine at the Optimo Cafe a great new bistro in Viroqua, or at Eddie’s Irish Pub in Prairie du Chien. After dinner make a cup of hot choicolate and walk a few of the B&B’s paths. Enjoy a star show more brilliant and clear than you will ever find in a city, a star show just for you. Simple, quiet, beautiful time alone.

Hiking In Southwest Wisconsin

knapik — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:49:55 +0000

Here are a couple of great places for hiking in Southwest Wisconsin. They are only a half hour’s drive north of our B&B, the Inn at Lonesome Hollow, www.lonesomehollow.com, which is located near Soldiers Grove, WI.

Riding in Wildcat

Just south of Ontario, WI is Wildcat Mountain State Park. If you are looking for undeveloped, natural hiking then you’ll like Wildcat. The park has 3600 acres of very hilly Driftless Area terrain, 25 miles of hiking trails, 15 miles of horse trails, and a neat 1.3 mile interpretive trail. Much of the park is forested, including areas of large pine and hemlock trees. There are ferns throughout Wildcat Mountain’s forest, including walking and maidenhair ferns. Mount Pisgah State Natural Area is included in the park. The website offers much information - http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/wildcat/.

Adjoining Wildcat Mountain State Park to the south is a real jewel – the 8600 acre Kickapoo Valley Reserve, http://kvr.state.wi.us.

Canoeing in the Reserve

This public space has a newer visitor area that is definitely worth at least a half hour to learn about local history, a failed attempt at creating an impounded lake by the Army Corps of Engineers, and the geology of the Driftless Area. There are more than 20 miles of paved roads for hiking and biking, 37 miles of horse trails, and 14 miles of mountain bike trails. The Reserve also offers interesting learning programs for both kids and adults. In the winter you can watch sled dogs mush, ice carvers create, and gourmet cooks create chili masterpieces. Or come to the Dam Challenge and use a giant slingshot to propel rotten fruit against the remnants of the failed dam project. Another great sport at the Reserve is canoeing on the Kickapoo Reserve. Canoes can be rented in Rockton, WI, on the north end of the Reserve and more than 14 miles of the Kickapoo then extend south through the Reserve. Too much fun!

Winter Events

knapik — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:15:21 +0000

Check out some exciting local winter events here in the Kickapoo Valley in the heart of the Driftless Area.

The Kickapoo Valley Reserve is hosting its annual Winter Festival on Saturday, January 10th. There are many interesting activities planned, including a chain saw sculpture demonstration, a natural ice cave guided hike, horse drawn bobsled rides, tri-state Malamute Club Sled Dog Race, three presentations by the Ho-Chunk Nation about their prehistoric life and traditional stories, skating, sledding, and skiing. It is a very enjoyable day, ending with a candlelight hike/ski and winter astronomy at Wildcat Mountain State Park.

On February 7th and 8th, the Snowflake Ski Club in Westby is hosting its annual ski jump competition. The ski jump complex at Snowflake consists of 5 jumps all located in the same area of beautiful Timber Coulee. The largest is a 118 meter Olympic sized hill used for United States and International Competitions. Some of the best International and US jumpers compete on the large hill, often traveling down the jump with speeds in excess of 50 Miles per Hour flying for hundreds of feet!!! Ski jumping truly is the original extreme sport.