Hidden Valleys of Southwestern Wisconsin

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juneau County u
Wilderness Park offers nearly 100 camping
sites. Kennedy County Park is north of New
Lisbon and offers several rustic camping
sites. Bass Hollow in south central Juneau
County is 280 acres, ideal for picnicking
or hiking on its five miles of walking trails.
There are also several private campgrounds
throughout the county.
The Lakes
of Juneau County
If it’s sun and water fun you seek,
Juneau County’s lakes region is the place to
be. Petenwell and Castle Rock Lakes are
the second and fourth largest inland body of
water in Wisconsin. The lakes offer numerous
beaches with several public boat-launching
areas. The Castle Rock and Petenwell Dams
are unique because they were built on sand
and were the first such projects undertaken
in the United States. The concrete dams are
classified as “floating type construction” with
imbedded cutoff walls that penetrate deep
into the glacial sands for anchoring. The
construction of the lakes was started in 1947
and completed in 1950. Both lakes have
plenty of room for water skiing, jet skiing
and boating. Both lakes offer exceptional
fishing with many species of fish. Other
lakes in Juneau County include Lake Decorah
in Mauston, Eagle’s Nest Flowage and the
Meadow Valley Flowage near Camp Douglas,
New Lisbon Lake, Sprague-Mather Flowage
near Necedah and several others, all offering
tons of great fishing and lots of water fun!
Wildlife
Follow nature’s calendar and you’re likely to see many examples of
Wisconsin’s wildlife resources in their natural habitat. Karner blue butterflies,
eagles, partridge, pheasants, gray wolves, coyotes, fox, whooping cranes,
sandhill cranes, and swans are just some of the variety that can be seen in
Juneau County.
In northern Juneau County is where you will find the Necedah National
Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1939. This 43,656-acre area is
located about 4 miles west of Necedah and is easily accessed from State
Highway 21. For more information call 608.565.2551 or visit the web site at
www.midwest.fws.gov/Necedah.
The refuge hosts the National Crane Count in April, which is sponsored
by the ICF (International Crane Foundation). The third weekend in September,
the Necedah Lions honor the whooping crane with the Whooping Crane
Festival. For more information go to www.whooping-crane-festival.com
Bicycling At Its Best
Juneau County offers three great rails to trails bicycling experiences.
Elroy, once a prominent railroad center, is now the hub of these groomed
bike trails.
Most well known is the “granddaddy of all trails” the Elroy-Sparta State
Trail. It is the first official rails to trails conversion in the United States.
Thirty-two miles in length, the abandoned Chicago & Northwestern Railroad
bed passes through the trail’s most unique features of three tunnels, dug by
hand in the 1870s.
Flashlights and jackets are recommended when walking bikes through
the tunnels. There are also 33 trestles along with wooden bridges that have
been planked over and fitted with guardrails for added user protection. During
the season, only bicyclists and hikers are allowed on the trail. All motorized
traffic is prohibited.
The 12.5-mile Omaha Trail is between downtown Camp Douglas and
Elroy. It passes through the Village of Hustler on what was once the Chicago
& Northwestern Railroad Line. The trail features an 875-foot tunnel.
The 400 State Trail was named for the Chicago & Northwestern
passenger train, which traveled the 400 miles from Chicago to Minneapolis in
400 minutes. The Baraboo River intertwines the entire 22 miles of the smooth
packed trail, which connects Reedsburg and Elroy.
Along the route of wetlands, sandstone bluffs, meadows, and rolling
croplands, you can take a break in the friendly southwestern Juneau County
communities of Wonewoc and Union Center.
Trail passes are required. Bicycle rentals are available. For more
information about the bike trails contact the Elroy Commons Information
Center at 608.462.BIKE (2453) or 888.606.BIKE (2453), or Omaha Bicycle
Trail Headquarters at 608.427.6542.
Military Presence in Juneau County
Camp Douglas is home to Volk Field/Camp Williams military facilities.
Nestled among the rugged peaks of natural rock formations and the beautiful
terrain of the area; the western gateway to Juneau County, Volk Field is a
full service military readiness training complex. Co-located with Volk Field
is Camp Williams, which is operated by the Army National Guard. An open
house is held every two years for the public and affords the opportunity
to increase awareness of the Volk Field/Camp Williams military facilities.
Questions can be directed to 608-427-1210.
Camp Williams is the headquarters of the United States Property & Fiscal
Office (USP&FO) for the State of Wisconsin, as well as the Army National
Guard’s Consolidated State Maintenance Facility (CSMS). Camp Williams
boasts facilities that range from the early 19th century to the late 20th.
Be sure to visit the Wisconsin National Guard Museum located at historic
Camp Williams/Volk Field; the museum is dedicated to preserving the memory
juneau County
Hidden Valleys u www.hiddenvalleys.com u
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