Travel | Frequent Hiker

Scuppernong Trail Head – Dousman, WI

Address: S58 W35820 County Rd ZZ, Dousman, WI 53118

Located only about 26 minutes away from Whitewater. Scuppernog Trail Head is an excellent place to hike. The area has nicely groomed trails, and beautiful scenery to view. It is very close to the Ice Age Trail that I had previously posted about!

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As you can see from the picture this area is beautiful. The link to the map for the area can be accessed here. The area has about 12 miles of hiking trails in total ranging anywhere form intermediate to advanced. I know that the weather is warming up right now but for next winter. Skiers should be advised that they should ski the trails counter clockwise, and no hiking or pets during ski season. But because it’s not the winter season, go ahead and get out to the Scuppernong Trail Head today!

Paradise Springs Nature Trail – Eagle, WI

Address: W374 S8640 County Rd N, Eagle, WI 53119

Only about a 20 minutes drive from downtown Whitewater. Paradise Springs Nature Trail is a self guiding nature trail located in Eagle, WI. This area features a Fieldstone spring house, former resort hotel, dam and former trout holding tank.

The trails are all paved and they have picnic areas. This area is beautiful and now that it is finally warming up to normal hiking temperatures, this should definitely be on your places to go! Enjoy fishing at the trout pond or the Minnehaha Spring. They also have a shuffleboard court that use to be owned by the millionaire who owned the area in the past. While your hiking you get to experience the past of this area. It is definitely worth the trip!

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center – Milwaukee, WI

1111 E Brown Deer Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53217

When most people think of Milwaukee they think of the hustle and bustle of the city, and Schlitz Audubon Nature Center can give you a whole new view of the Milwaukee area. Only about an hour and 15 minutes outside of Whitewater this area is very relaxing.

They feature about 6 miles of hiking trails, and a 60 foot observation tower! This picture is from back in the fall but now that we are finally getting into Spring, the flowers are in bloom and anywhere you go hike will be beautiful. So when you can find time definitely take some time to get out and see some of natures beauty.

Starved Rock State Park – Oglesby, IL

2668 East 873 Road, Oglesby, IL 61348

This weekend I took a day trip down to Starved Rock State Park. This park is right on the Illinois River and features a ton of hiking that all lead to some amazing views! The whole area is pretty much a huge attraction, they have trolley rides, rooms for weddings and a hotel that you can stay at.

From Whitewater this is about a 2 hour drive, but it is definitely worth the drive! The main thing people go to see is in the picture on the bottom, which is actually the view from the top of Starved Rock but they also go to see the waterfalls like the top. There are about 18 waterfalls in the entire park.

Quincy Bluff And Wetlands – Adams County, Wisconsin

Quincy Bluff and Wetlands State Natural Area, Adams, WI 53910

This one is a little bit further of a drive about 2 hours away from Whitewater. But it can be some of the best hiking and has some spectacular views to witness when you get to the top. Quincy Bluff rises 200 feet above all the surrounding land and extends for 2 miles, which is similar to Gibraltar Rock my last post!

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Being a bluff instead of a rock Quincy Bluff is a little more flat and easier to access. In total there are about 6,600 acres of land in Quincy Bluff and Wetlands State Natural Area. And some people claim that this land is haunted by ghosts. It’s getting warmer here in Wisconsin so if you have the chance to get up to Adams, WI to see this bluff, definitely take the trip!

Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area – Lodi, WI

Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area, Gibraltar Rock Rd, Lodi, WI 53555.

Only about an hour and 15 minutes away from Whitewater, Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is a beautiful place to hike. The actual Gibraltar Rock which named the State Natural Area rises 200 feet above the surrounding landscape, giving you access to an amazing view.

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This picture really doesn’t do the area justice. It is a tough hike so I would not recommend bringing the whole family if you have young kids. But it is something that teens and adults could definitely handle. Not too tough and some of the most beautiful views you will be able to see in Wisconsin.

Stute Springs & Homestead Nature Trail – Eagle, WI

Co Rd Z, Eagle, WI 53119

Only 19 minutes outside of Whitewater, this is an extremely beautiful place to hike. Originally this was a farm lane, but since it has been converted into a one mile loop hiking trail through the former 180 acre Stute Farm.

There is a brochure that you can access here to guide you through the trail. It shows you where the location of the outhouse, the big hill overlook, the smokehouse, the farmhouse, the milk house and many more. This is a very interactive trail that is different from anything else that I have previously posted about. This is definitely worth the trip!

Beulah Bog State Natural Area – East Troy, WI

Stringers Bridge Rd, East Troy, WI 53120

Only about a 35 minutes drive from Whitewater, WI, Beluah Bog is a great place to hike. This is much more unusual then any of the previous posts have been. For those of you that don’t know a bog is a wet muddy ground too soft to support a heavy body. Which is why they have bridges throughout the park.

This place offers many unusual plants that are more typical in the northern bogs. One of the main features includes, a shallow bog lake that is covered in white and yellow water lilies. This is one of the only undisturbed bogs in the area and this is a rare site. Wildlife in the area include bullfrogs, and dragonflies. Definitely worth the trip!