Bike Trails, Explorer Books & More

Welcome everyone to Friday, April 17. Yesterday we learned that Wisconsin’s #SaferAtHome order has been extended until the end of May. Well, that means we just keep plugging along. Here’s what I have for you this week.

Explorer Books & Nature Crafts

Before we talk about getting outside let’s give you a couple of things to do inside with your kids. The Wisconsin DNR has Explore Books available online as PDFs. Your kids can complete them at home and you can request their patches by mail. Here is all the info you need.

We’ve also got some super simple outdoor crafts you can create with your kids at home. My wife who is an outdoor educator, put some videos together for you. We’re adding to the list, if you’re on youtube, subscribe to that playlist if you want to know when the new ones come out.

On to the trails…

Ice Age Trail Is Open

First, let me state again that the Ice Age Trail in and around Devil’s Lake State Park is open. It’s not always easy to get to, but it’s open and for long-distance or day hikers this might be the news you need. Here’s our detailed post about the IAT in our area.

More Hiking? Right now the Merrimac Preserve & Baxter’s Hollow State Natural Area are both open and offer trails or in the case of Baxter’s Hollow, a walkable paved road.

Wisconsin State Trails, Bike Trails

While most southern Wisconsin state parks are closed, most state trails are open. The DNR has been encouraging folks to get out on these trails this weekend. Remember fees have been waived for the duration of the pandemic.

Not on the list? The Great Sauk Trail through Sauk-Prairie & the Sauk-Prarie Recreation Area is OPEN. Yes, you can bike or walk through the SPRA on the Great Sauk, but you can’t go off of the trail.

Flood damage & more… I reached out to the Wildcat Mountain State Park superintendent who manages the 400 State Trail, who reminds us that there are still some sections of the 400 and the Elroy-Sparta Trail that are closed due to flood damage from a couple of years ago. Here’s the map of closed sections. He also wanted us to know that because it’s still early spring, they have just started grading the trail. That means may still find rutted and wet areas out there. So use caution.

Best For Kids? – So someone asked us on social media what section of the 400 State Trail would be best for young kids. Well, the important point here is that the state bike trails in our area are all “rail-to-trail” meaning they are pretty flat. It won’t be the hills that wear out the kids, it will be the distance. Thankfully, you can decide how far you go before turning back…

What to bring?

Here’s a few suggestions for the bike trails…

More Bike Trails?

The 3-mile Baraboo Riverwalk is also open for hiking and biking. This is a nice paved trail along the Baraboo River through the city of Baraboo. That said, it can get busy during peak times. Here is a Map.

Boat Launches

This week DNR boat launches within state properties were closed. That said, many city/county boat launches are still open. People who launch from a non-DNR launch and end up on state property that is closed cannot land on that site. (Locally this is important around Mirror Lake/Dell Creek where you can access the water from non-DNR launches.)

Merrimac Ferry Update

WisDOT is examining ferry operations based on the current health and travel guidelines from the State of Wisconsin. An announcement on the status of the ferry is tentatively expected by April 15, 2020.​

Stay Well!

That’s it for this week. I know we’re all getting a bit edgy and anxious. Let’s all keep our heads together. Stay around home. It’s important to “keep our eyes on the prize” here and continue to protect our families, vulnerable neighbors, and health care workers. Get outside, it helps! Stay well. Be safe!