Saturday, August 1, 2015

Pewits Nest - Wisconsin Trails

Floating around in the Pinterest-sphere are pictures of hidden places to visit in Wisconsin. Of course, now that they have been pinned and repinned and shared and sent, they are no longer hidden treasures but public treasures instead.

One that consistently pops up is a place near Devil's Lake State Park called Pewits Nest. Pewits Nest is a State Natural Area located right outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin. The draw to this particular location is a 30-40 foot deep gorge that was formed by glaciers. A creek then cut its way through the sandstone and created a creek with deeper holes, waterfalls and shallow waters that visitors can walk through.

This hike is a great one for families. The terrain is easy with only a few locations that require a helping hand. I took this hike with my sister, her husband, their 3 year old and 4 month old. The baby was strapped into a baby bjorn and was just along with the ride! The 3 year old did great and had no trouble walking the trail and even enjoyed walking/swimming through the gorge.

The distance from the parking area to the water is not very long at all. It is mostly shaded and flat. Once you get to the water, visitors can choose to walk through the water down the canyon or stick to the trail that meanders along the ridge of the canyon. If you choose to walk through the water, be careful and be prepared to get wet. The water can get quite deep in some areas and it will require that you swim for a short distance.



Either way, it is a BEAUTIFUL place and definitely worth the drive to visit.

DO:
-Bring swim clothes and/or an extra pair of clothes and towel.
-Bring water shoes if you have them! The rocks can be slippery and it is a better alternative to drenching your sneakers ... though I did and it worked out okay!
-Bring a camera, this canyon is gorgeous.
-Clean up after yourself. Don't leave trash lying around, keep this area beautiful for future generations.
-Go on a nice day! The water is a bit chilly and you may appreciate warmer temps if you wish to swim.
-Be prepared to wait for parking. Now that this is no longer a hidden treasure, parking can be hard to find in the lot. Visitors are not allowed to park on the street and will be ticketed if found!

DON'T:
-Bring animals. According to the website animals are not allowed.
-Bring snacks or beverages other than water - they would prefer that you eat your snacks outside of the natural area in order to keep it in good condition.
-Jump from rocks - you may see other people doing this, but the DNR would prefer you don't in order to protect the area.


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