Trenton Bluff Prairie State Natural Area Parking
Trenton Bluff Prairie State Natural Area Parking is a small natural area offering a rustic outdoor experience near Hager City, WI. It features a small parking area without many amenities and no established hiking trails. The natural area is valued for its wildlife habitat and plant diversity. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed due to the lack of designated off-leash areas and fenced enclosures. The terrain includes a steep bluff climb with some muddy paths, making it less accessible and better suited for those looking to explore a natural setting without many facilities.
Reviews
Glad to see they made a parking area. Just scouted it out today, but will come back to hike.
A very small pull off where you can free hike up the bluff. Very cool little place! There are no amenities here, and no established trails, so plan accordingly.
I see absolutely no hiking path?
We pulled into the parking area for the western unit of the SNA just to check it out. The parking lot might hold 3-5 cars? There’s a really rough, scrubby low area that leads to a steep climb up to the top of the bluff. We weren’t interested in climbing but observations made at iNaturalist indicate that others have. Some of the plant species found in the western unit include Red Columbine, Bloodroot, Dutchman’s Breeches, Pussytoes, Canadian Wild Ginger, Toadflax, Rue Anemone, Ground Plum, Largeflower Bellwort and Cannabis. There’s also an observation for a Red-backed Salamander. No amenities. 5 stars for its value to wildlife habitat. 3 stars for accessibility. Accessibility is not the primary purpose of this site, however.
Visited in early April 2022 and only had about a half hour to explore. They seem to still be working on a path- it was slightly muddy today after a week of rain- and lots of small tree trunks.
Even with noisy Hwy 35 directly next to the Area (it’s less than 2 miles northwest of Hwy 63), we enjoyed exploring. I’m not sure how big it is, but I think my leashed dog would have enjoyed it.