Wisconsin State Natural Areas

only been to Kenosha and it seemed like a nice place. I know Snap On is headquarted there and I found it interesting one could buy bratwurst and cheese curds in a truck stop. Also for some reason, that was the first time I ever saw say a gas price of $1.599 and then it says with car wash. Maybe without $1.999.

There was a really good breakfast place maybe called Frank's there, it lived up to what we saw on Food Network...

My subject is a book title, isn't it?

For those wondering, here is WI's Mars: https://www.marscheese.com/

Learn more from Charlie:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UConQeJRfaLwJ9LbXBS5nhxQ

we have made the trip to Milwaukee for the Irish Fest, held on the 3rd weekend of August at Henry Maier Park in Downtown Milwaukee, right on the lake. One of our must stops in Kenosha on the way home is the Mars Cheese Castle. When we first started going back in 1990, it was a little hole in the wall. Now, it has expanded into a major supermarket type of place.

I vote for CraigW for next week's COW. He has been putting a lot of effort into this POI file with frequent updates, along with all of his other valuable contributions to POI Factory. Thanks Craig!

I may be halfway through the state by now.

I do have a question for any Wisconsinite living or having visited up in the Northwoods around Oconto County. The county has a SNA called Priest Rock but there's no information provided. I've found several great images from the top of Priest Rock through a Google search but Google is amazingly missing information on its location. If anyone can help, I'd love to hear from you.

From what I've found so far, it's in Oconto County and probably in the Lakewood Ranger District of the USDA's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and possibly near one of the Forest Service campgrounds.

Well, it's pretty much done so updates will be less frequent and will include corrections, additional or better parking locations, new SNAs, and if I can find its location, the one SNA that is named in the state SNA web sites but with no information.

The 692 sites have 766 entries in the file which is because, in some of the interesting and larger SNAs, I've added more than one POI location.

I can't believe it. It looks like you forgot to list "Richard Bong State Recreation Area".
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/richardbong
https://bluebirdofbitterness.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/bon...

Well, SNAs are being added every now and then. I suggest you contact the SNA folks within the DNR:

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Lands/NaturalAreas/program.h...

explaining how the area or even a small portion within the area meets the requirements to be a State Natural Area.

Once I find that new SNAs are designated, they'll appear in the POI file.

Thanks for checking out the file.

Aha, found it! I now have added Priest Rock to the POI file. It's south of the town of Mountain, WI.

Given the internet and Google, etc., this was a shockingly difficult search and required a significant amount of sleuthing and sheer luck.

Unfortunately, I have marked only the actual rock outcrop so a vehicle parking and trail location will have to wait until someone attempts the climb and offers advice on trail vs. bushwhacking and where to park for the climb.

With all the natural prairie land, wetlands, and migratory bird nesting areas, I'm surprised it didn't make the list.

PBS Wisconsin broadcast a program tonight called Wisconsin's Scenic Treasures: Southern Vistas. Many State Natural Areas were shown, several of which I've visited in the past couple of years and earlier. Watching the program left me waiting for warmer, drier weather to explore more nearby areas. And for those reading this message in 2021, the good news is that there are only two closed SNAs due to the Covid-19 pandemic compared to several SNA closures in the recent past.

If you watched the program, the Wisconsin State Natural Areas POI file here at the POI Factory and your GPS will aid you in traveling to the areas and finding a place to park and start walking.

The program tonight was the typical PBS fundraiser, a 60-min program stretched to 90 minutes with pledge breaks. The good news for those missing the program is that it's available as a DVD/Blu-ray set available for a pledge.

Major rewrite of Ridgeway Pine Relict SNA with east parking area updated and two additional west parking areas.

If you search for Ridgeway Pine Relict on Google Maps, then click on Reviews, I've updated my review and added three photos.

https://goo.gl/maps/ihb2xw9fPTZYHGRv8