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Posts Tagged ‘Baraboo’

  1. Pewits Nest

    November 9, 2014 by admin

    IMG_8666If you are up for a hike a short drive from the Madison, Wisconsin area, and like quiet secluded places- we must recommend you head for Pewits Nest at some point.

    We recently had a great day exploring this small, natural area near Baraboo.  If you enjoy Wisconsin’s great outdoors, you’ve probably been to the nearby state park at Devil’s Lake.  But Pewits Nest is much less popular, and therefore much less crowded.   In fact, finding Pewits Nest can be a bit of a trick because there are no signs for it on the road.  You could easily drive right past its unmarked dusty parking lot- so make sure you check your maps carefully so you know where to look.

    Tip: Although less popular than many natural areas, it is still a good idea to arrive early in the day if you want to have the place to yourselves for a bit.  And there are NO public restrooms.

    The trail from the parking lot begins as a wide flat path going through a quiet little forest, but soon the path narrows as rugged cliff sides begin to rise on one side.  Soon enough you are surrounded on three sides by tall cliffs, with a fast but shallow creek running  through the middle.

    It was simply beautiful.

    With no trail map available, we went into exploring mode and followed the trails as far as they seemed to go.  We enjoyed rock hopping in the creek and tried to find a trail to the waterfall, which we could just barely see through an opening in the cliffs.  We found ample signs of wild animals and saw many beautiul trees and native plants.IMG_8690

    We left with a firm desire to go back and explore further- even our dog thought this place was the bees knees as she channeled her inner puppy, keen to check out each nook and cranny.

    Tip 2:  Dogs are permitted but must be leashed at all times.  All plants and animals in Pewits Nest are protected- so leave them alone!

    On the way out, we met a truly interesting group of people in the parking lot- but we’ll share that story another day.

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  2. The Secret Garden

    June 29, 2014 by admin

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    As much as we love finding new places to go on our jaunts, we frequently find ourselves returning to a spot we have already visited.  It’s a great opportunity to explore further— to follow that hallway you didn’t investigate, to climb that hilltop to see the view from up there.

    IMG_6507We recently returned to Delaney’s Surplus.  It’s a cluttered shop of various spare parts, abandoned equipment, and such.  We had a great time there on our first trip, but our visit was in the middle of winter and quite cold.  So we hadn’t explored the big back open lot with large items, too numerous, or too dirty to bring into the shop.  This time, we went in early summer in order to peruse the outdoor area.

    And were we glad we did!

    We found lots of cool things outside:  huge bins of door knobs, candleholders, giant crystal plastic lampshades for street lights, strange wired pieces that would make great trelises for our garden, and much much more.  Not only that, we stumbled upon the secret entrance to Dr. Evermor’s Garden.

    Dr. Evermor is legend in these parts.  His metal sculptures made from repurposed scraps are found all throughout the Wisconsin area.  Driving up to Devil’s Lake or Baraboo brings many people past the front of Dr. Evermor’s garden, with it’s giant birds and other odd creatures guarding the gates.  The gates which are IMG_6534always  closed.

    We have long wanted to visit Dr. Evermor, but we never found the garden open.  Until we found the back door.

    Around the back of Delaney’s is a short path connecting it to the sculpture garden.  Follow the path and you will find yourself surrounded by small metal insects, gigantic birds, dinosaurs and, of course, The Forevertron.  The Forevertron is a massive piece, the center focus of the garden.  It is amazing.  Can it launch you to the heavens using magnetism?  We’re not sure, but it is awesome to see.

    Our inventive, artsy, tinkering family loved walking around the many sculptures and finding the hidden treasures tucked here and there.  We’re sure we’ll go back and attempt to see the things we may have missed.

    And this trip to Delaney’s will remind us to really look around each time we go somewhere , whether we’ve been there before or not, and to explore and discover the hidden bits that we might not otherwise see.

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  3. They’ll Need A Crane

    September 23, 2012 by admin

    We love the International Crane Foundation (ICF) in Baraboo.  We believe that it is the only place in the world where you can see, up close, members of every species of crane!

    The ICF is located in a quiet prairie area outside Baraboo, Wisconsin.  The wide paved paths make it easy to walk around while viewing all the different crane species, even if you’re pushing a stroller or wagon.  The birds are very interactive with visitors, coming up to the walkway fence and checking everyone out.

    Tip:  Some of the cranes are sensitive to the color red, so keep this in mind when choosing your wardrobe for the day.  The cranes’ squawk is quite startling and could easily intimidate younger visitors.

    There are nature trails that extend away from the cranes and out into the prairie, if you’re interested in a bit of a hike around the property.  These specific areas are not paved and they are much harder to navigate with a stroller, especially if there has been recent rain.

    The education center provides a more museum-like experience with many facts and stories about cranes around the world.  It also showcases the ICF’s efforts to reintroduce and support the birds in America, which were driven to the brink of extinction in the mid 20th century.  And this center has clean restrooms, benches to sit for a bit, and  a water fountain.

    The ICF participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  If you are a member of AZA, admission is free.  Otherwise, please note that the cost of admission is rather steep.  Parking is free and plentiful.  There are only snack machines for food options and a small, rather pricey gift shop.  The main trails are not shady so be sure to remember the sunscreen!

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