Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Kettle Moraine Oak Opening (No. 229)

Overview

Location

Within the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Jefferson and Walworth Counties. T4N-R16E, Sections 3,4. T5N-R16E, Sections 27, 33, 34. 659 acres.

Access

From the intersection of State Highway 59 and County Highway H in Palmyra, go south on H 2.7 miles to the Bald Bluff parking area east of the road. Access is also available from Young Road and Bluff Road. The Ice Age Trail loops through the site.

Description

Description

Kettle Moraine Oak Opening lies in the heart of the jumbled and rugged landscape of the interlobate moraine, an area of glacially-formed kettle holes, kames (conical mounds), and gravelly hills and ridges. The area is a mixture of oak opening and oak woodland dominated by open-grown bur and black oaks. Small dry prairie openings occur on gravel knobs and steep south and west-facing ridges. Bald Bluff, the largest and most diverse of these, contains short grasses such as little blue-stem, side-oats grama, and prairie drop-seed. Forbs include pasqueflower, silky aster, grooved yellow flax, and rough blazing-star. The best area of oak opening lies southeast of Blue Spring Lake. It features big blue-stem, Indian grass, purple prairie-clover, white camass, lead-plant, Illinois tick-trefoil, and a large population of the state-threatened kitten tails (Besseya bullii). Intensive management, including prescribed fire and woody species removal, is being used to restore degraded portions and link high quality areas. Kettle Moraine Oak Opening is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1991.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

• Guidebook Map [PDF, 44 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 252 KB]

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)