Outdoor News & Announcements

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Protect yourself from tick bites.
Tick season is here. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by deer ticks, which can be as small as a poppy seed. Deer ticks are common in Wisconsin and live in wooded areas and brushy or grassy areas adjacent to woods. Learn more about what to do if you find a tick in your body and what Lyme disease symptoms to be aware of by visiting the Fight the Bite webpage.

You can limit your chance of contracting Lyme disease and other illnesses spread by ticks by following these tips:
• Cover as much of your body as possible; ideally, wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks.
• Walk in the center of trails where grass and vegetation are mowed.
• Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot and remove quickly.
• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent when you head outdoors. You can also treat your clothes in advance with permethrin.
• Throw your clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes on high heat when you arrive home after being outside.
• Always check yourself, children and pets for ticks, especially behind the knees, under armpits, around the hairline and ears and at the waist.

Governor Nelson State Park North Mendota Trail paving starts May 16
Paving of the newly constructed segment of the North Mendota Trail through Governor Nelson State Park is planned for the week of May 16 (weather permitting). This trail connects to existing segments on both sides of the park via an existing trail underpass at County Highway M. The gravel base was installed in 2021 by Dane County. The bike trail will help alleviate safety issues for bicyclists along Highway M and help the North Mendota Trail move closer to completion. 

You can find more information about the North Mendota Trail here. 

Memorial Day Weekend is May 28-30
Have you made your camping plans yet? As the unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day weekend is one of Wisconsin's busiest camping weekends of the year! There are over 6,000 campsites available in the Wisconsin park property system - you don't want to miss out. Some spots are still available for May 28 - 30 but filling up fast. Make your OutWiGo camping reservation online today.

Stewart Tunnel project feedback due June 1
The Stewart Tunnel on the Badger State Trail was closed in 2019 for safety concerns due to sections of loose and falling rocks from the ceiling and side walls inside the tunnel. The DNR is committed to finding a path forward and is seeking public comment on the Draft Stewart Tunnel Alternatives Analysis, which identifies several options to fix and reopen the tunnel. The opportunity for public feedback closes on June 1. A recommendation will be made after stakeholder feedback is obtained.

You can find the Draft Alternatives Analysis report here.

You can access the feedback form here until June 1.

_{Photo: Know before you go - deer ticks have black legs and a flat body, with a black torso. They are about the size of a poppy seed. / Credit: WI DNR}

Spotlight On:
Perrot State Park

Located in Trempealeau, Perrot State Park's 1,200 acres are nestled among 500-foot bluffs where the Trempealeau and Mississippi rivers meet. Enjoy breathtaking river views from the hiking trails in this park, known for its natural, archaeological and historical resources.

Spring is a great time to visit Perrot for ephemerals, with the woods offering blue, white and yellow violets, hepaticas, Dutchman's breeches, woodland phlox, wood geraniums, bellworts, jack-in-the-pulpits and graceful ferns. Spring also brings shooting stars that carpet the earth with purple and fill the air along the west Brady's Bluff trail with their wonderfully sweet aroma. You can find oaks, hackberries, black walnuts and shagbark and bitternut hickories in the woods.

In Brady's Bluff Prairie, pasque flowers, bird's-foot violets, puccoon and lead plant bloom in the spring. In late summer and fall, this prairie turns into a blaze of color with blazing stars, compass plants, big bluestem, Indian grass, sunflowers and coneflowers.

A Nature Center has displays created by the Mississippi Valley Archeological Center about the Native American cultures that lived there. Other activities at Perrot include bicycling, camping, hiking and canoeing. There is direct access for bicyclists from the campground to the 24-mile Great River State Trail. Canoes can be rented at the park in season.

Learn more about the history and geology of Perrot State Park and find maps, reservation info and more by visiting this DNR webpage.

_{Photo: Wildflowers along Brady's Bluff at Perrot State Park / Credit: Wisconsin DNR}

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 14: Elroy-Sparta State Trail reopening
10 a.m.
Join local and state officials for the grand reopening of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Trail ride/hike and refreshments to follow! Bring your bike (and helmet) and meet at the Kendall Depot.

Sunday, May 15: Lunar eclipse viewings
8:30 p.m. 

A total lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon and the Earth’s shadow covers the moon. As this happens the moon turns red when the eclipse reaches totality.

Join the Devil's Lake State Park naturalist for access to telescopes to see the moon up close and view the eclipse as a group. This program is for all ages. Meet at the North Shore Boat Launch. 8:30 - 11 p.m.

At Richard Bong State Recreation Area, join local astronomers to view the eclipse.  Bring your own lawn chair, refreshments and optics if you have them. Dress for the weather; event is weather dependent. Meet at Shelter #1. 8:30 - 10:30 p.m.

Find more Nature Programs and DNR events here.

_{Photo credit: Wisconsin DNR}