After another peaceful night in the Ford Escape, I was up by 6:15
a.m. and ready to start the day. The sunset last night overlooked the
Mississippi River. Below, the sunrise was peeking up on the Wisconsin
River. There was still a chill in the air, so I decided to delay coffee
and breakfast, getting in an early morning hike.
Less
than 100 yards east of my campsite, the Old Immigrant trail left the
Ridge Campground and descended down the bluff through dense hardwoods
and crossed a small stream. Here, the trail followed the river.
As I hiked through the deep woods next to the slowly moving waters,
my first thought was that I was lucky to be hiking before the official
start of mosquito season. The weather had been cool enough that no
bloodthirsty flying attackers were aware of my presence. My body is a
natural magnet for mosquitoes. I sauntered along the river bank,
knowing that I would be unable to do so without heavy DEET repellent
assistance in just a few weeks.
After 2.6 miles, the Old Immigrant Trail turns uphill (present signs
called this subpart the Indian Trail). About two-thirds of the way up
the bluff, I turned and followed the Sentinel Ridge Trail east back
towards the Ridge Campground. Just before reaching the top, there is a
side trail leading steeply back down for a short distance to the
Treasure Cave.
I’m not a cave lover, but i was curious to see the trail leading down
to the cave and perhaps would step a few feet into the entrance. The
trail down was worthwhile and included a natural stone opening that was
striking.
Unfortunately, as the third thumbnail photo above indicates when you
click on it, the cave itself is closed before May15 to protect bats
threatened by White Nose Syndrome. I just wish the sign had been placed
at the top of the steep trail rather than the entrance to the cave
below. Turning back uphill, I followed the Sentinel Ridge Trail back to
the concession area and Ridge Campground. Here, I took some time to
prepare breakfast (scrambled eggs with goat cheese and warmed corn
tortillas), washed down with a pot of coffee prepared with the French
press.
A number trails that cross through the interior of the park and away
from the river. However, I am a sucker for water views, so I eliminated
those from consideration for my second morning hike. After breakfast, I
headed back out on the Sentinel Trail and followed that trail west and
then south as it followed the bluffs above the Mississippi River. This
trail is 3.2 miles round trip and is not a loop. The Sentinel Ridge
Trail ends at the bottom of the bluffs at the park boundary. From here,
I crossed the railroad tracks and walked a short distance to the boat
landing, which is part of the federal wildlife refuge on the Mississippi
River.
A dock leads out to a fishing platform where a fishermen worked two
poles. I plopped my butt down on the blacktop near the boat landing and
settled in to watch the river roll on by. I saw a pair of bald eagles
fishing also. These were not the only bald eagles that I saw. This
area boasts a large number of year-round bald eagles, which have started
nesting again. Numerous turkey vultures also fly along the bluffs.
I wish I had photographic proof, but i have given up on taking photos
of birds with my Iphone camera. The bird “dots” in the photos don’t do
justice. The effort in capturing the bird dots was outweighed by my
unfettered joy in simply watching these birds soar.
I crossed the tracks and headed back up the bluff. Five minutes
after leaving, another train rolled by. Trains are much easier to
photograph.
I
hiked back uphill and then followed some interior park trails that
meandered back to the campground. The mileage total for the day was
over ten miles.
That afternoon, I finished my C.J Box novel and started reading the
parts of the Wall Street Journal that I had not yet used to start
fires. It was a warm, windy afternoon. A family with an energetic,
noisy and unleashed dog set up a large barrel-shaped tent on the very
edge of the buff of the adjacent campsite. They immediately left for
several hours. That proved to be an unwise choice, as the high winds
ate their tent up and knocked it down. Returning in the early evening ,
the family packed up and went home.
Not entirely sad to have my part of the bluff to myself again, I
dined on cheeseburgers fried on the backpack stove and washed down with
Dogfish 60 minute IPA’s. My legs were pleasantly sore and tired.
Shortly after sunset, with nothing left to read, I turned in early and
slept well again.
In the morning, I made coffee and a quick breakfast of eggs and
toast. Breaking down camp was easy without a tent to pack up and with
my sleeping bag already in the car. I took the slow way home, which was
to follow Hwy 60 along the Wisconsin River. Passing through Sauk City,
the loons were migrating through on the river. The photographers were
out in force with huge telescopic lenses. I pulled over and simply
enjoyed the view.
