Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
East Bluff (No. 98)

Overview

Location

Within Devil's Lake State Park, Sauk County. T11N-R7E, Section 19. T11N-R6E, Section 24. 260 acres.

Access

From the intersection of Highways 12 and 136 in West Baraboo, go east (south) on 12 4 miles, then east on Ski Hi Road 1.2 miles, then south (right) on South Shore Road to the South Shore main gate and parking/campground area. The Grottos, East Bluff, and East Bluff Woods Trails provide access to the site.

Description

Description

East Bluff is a continuum of natural communities of great ecological interest grading from open talus slopes, to dry prairie and glade, to open oak woodland, and finally a closed canopy southern hardwood forest. A moist, shaded grotto is also present downslope. Deposited by glacial action, the extensive 400 foot high talus slope is composed of angular blocks of quartzite below the vertical cliffs. Perched atop the quartzite talus is a curious open woodland - a pygmy forest of stunted shagbark hickory and white ash. And along the bluff edge are among the best examples of dry prairie and bedrock glade within Wisconsin. Trees average only 4 to 6 feet in diameter and 20-30 feet in height. The groundlayer is dominated by Pennsylvania sedge with other grasses including poverty oat grass, little blue-stem, and big blue-stem. Other herbaceous plants are columbine, shooting-star, prairie coreopsis, prairie alumroot, field pussy-toes, and large-flowered yellow false foxglove. In some areas, quartzite is exposed at the surface and contains a distinctive lichen and moss flora. The southern dry forest is dominated by white and red oaks with black cherry, shagbark hickory, big-tooth aspen, red maple, and white pine. The groundlayer contains species such as black-seeded rice grass, arrow-leaved aster, marginal wood fern, shining bedstraw, round-lobed hepatica, hairy sweet cicely, and false Solomon's-seal. The Alaskan Grotto is a unique linear geological feature along the south base of East Bluff, which supports a particularly diverse assemblage of plant species characteristic of northern Wisconsin forests. East Bluff harbors numerous rare plants including drooping sedge (Carex prasina), round-stemmed false foxglove (Agalinis gatteringeri), and slender bush-clover (Lespedeza virginica). East Bluff is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1993.

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.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 224 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)