Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area | |
---|---|
Type | Public, State |
Location | Lodi, Wisconsin |
Coordinates | 43°20′56″N 89°36′02″W / 43.348929°N 89.600484°W |
Area | 68 acres (28 ha) |
Created | 1969 |
Operated by | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |
Visitors | 73 [1] |
Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is a natural area in southern Wisconsin, United States, [2] which is 68 acres (28 ha) in size, and is located along the 1,000-mile-long (1,600 km) Ice Age Trail.
Located in Columbia County, Wisconsin, Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is 68 acres (28 ha) in size. [1] The Wisconsin River Valley and Lake Wisconsin are located within view of the higher-elevation points in the natural area. [1] The Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is located along the Ice Age Trail, which is a thousand miles long. [3] It is located 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from the intersection of Highway 113 and County Highway V in the town of West Point. [4] [5] Wisconsin County Road V runs past the area, with a parking lot located off the road that allows access to it. From there, a walking trail leads off to gain access to Gibraltar Rock. [3]
Early on, the Van Ness family owned the land and had a house on the property. [3] Other early families living in the area includes the Richmond family. [4] During the 1920s, Wisconsin landscape architect Jens Jensen started efforts to protect the area. Forming a group at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1920, the group was able to acquire the land in 1927. [4] They named the area Richmond Park. [4] The Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area became a Wisconsin-designated natural area in 1969. It was originally owned by the county until 2007, [6] when they transferred ownership to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). [1] [4] A celebration was held following the transfer of ownership. [3]
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages the Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area. [3] Howard Van Ness made several paintings depicting the area prior to its designation as a state natural area. [3] Friends of Gibraltar Rock exists and does "biological indexing of the flora and fauna in the area." [3] The views from the natural area are a major tourist draw. [4] The 1.4-mile (2.3 km) track for the area does not have wheelchair access. [4] People are not allowed to climb the rocks in the park, though this has not always been the case. [4]
The natural area is located on the outer part of the Magnesian Escarpment [1]/ Black River Escarpment, [7] with the soil for the area being glaciated sandy loams, which sit on top of the Galena- Platteville dolomite cap and St. Peter sandstone. [1] Inside the natural area is a 200-foot-tall (61 m) flat-topped butte called "Gibraltar Rock." [1] [8] It sits 1,246 feet (380 m) above sea level and is the highest point in Columbia County. [3] There is a 0.75-mile-long (1.2 km) trail leading up to the Rock. [3]
Cliff goldenrod, columbine, ferns, pale corydalis and red cedar, little blue-stem, side oats grama, prairie drop-seed, blue-eyed grass, bird's foot violet, bergamot, pasque flower, leadplant, aster, whorled milkweed, and prairie smoke are located within the natural area. [1]
Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area | |
---|---|
Type | Public, State |
Location | Lodi, Wisconsin |
Coordinates | 43°20′56″N 89°36′02″W / 43.348929°N 89.600484°W |
Area | 68 acres (28 ha) |
Created | 1969 |
Operated by | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |
Visitors | 73 [1] |
Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is a natural area in southern Wisconsin, United States, [2] which is 68 acres (28 ha) in size, and is located along the 1,000-mile-long (1,600 km) Ice Age Trail.
Located in Columbia County, Wisconsin, Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is 68 acres (28 ha) in size. [1] The Wisconsin River Valley and Lake Wisconsin are located within view of the higher-elevation points in the natural area. [1] The Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area is located along the Ice Age Trail, which is a thousand miles long. [3] It is located 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from the intersection of Highway 113 and County Highway V in the town of West Point. [4] [5] Wisconsin County Road V runs past the area, with a parking lot located off the road that allows access to it. From there, a walking trail leads off to gain access to Gibraltar Rock. [3]
Early on, the Van Ness family owned the land and had a house on the property. [3] Other early families living in the area includes the Richmond family. [4] During the 1920s, Wisconsin landscape architect Jens Jensen started efforts to protect the area. Forming a group at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1920, the group was able to acquire the land in 1927. [4] They named the area Richmond Park. [4] The Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area became a Wisconsin-designated natural area in 1969. It was originally owned by the county until 2007, [6] when they transferred ownership to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). [1] [4] A celebration was held following the transfer of ownership. [3]
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages the Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area. [3] Howard Van Ness made several paintings depicting the area prior to its designation as a state natural area. [3] Friends of Gibraltar Rock exists and does "biological indexing of the flora and fauna in the area." [3] The views from the natural area are a major tourist draw. [4] The 1.4-mile (2.3 km) track for the area does not have wheelchair access. [4] People are not allowed to climb the rocks in the park, though this has not always been the case. [4]
The natural area is located on the outer part of the Magnesian Escarpment [1]/ Black River Escarpment, [7] with the soil for the area being glaciated sandy loams, which sit on top of the Galena- Platteville dolomite cap and St. Peter sandstone. [1] Inside the natural area is a 200-foot-tall (61 m) flat-topped butte called "Gibraltar Rock." [1] [8] It sits 1,246 feet (380 m) above sea level and is the highest point in Columbia County. [3] There is a 0.75-mile-long (1.2 km) trail leading up to the Rock. [3]
Cliff goldenrod, columbine, ferns, pale corydalis and red cedar, little blue-stem, side oats grama, prairie drop-seed, blue-eyed grass, bird's foot violet, bergamot, pasque flower, leadplant, aster, whorled milkweed, and prairie smoke are located within the natural area. [1]