Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Nelson-Trevino Bottoms (No. 81)

Overview

Location

Within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge, Buffalo County. T22N-R13W, Section 6. T22N-R14W, Section 1-4, 10-14. T23N-R14W, Section 31-36. 3740 acres.

Access

Access from several locations along Highway 25 between Nelson and Wabasha, MN.

Description

Description

Located below the confluence of the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers, Nelson-Trevino Bottoms features an extensive, undisturbed wilderness portion of the largest delta floodplain forest in the upper Midwest. Roadless except for a short trail at the southwest corner, the bottoms are a maze of forested floodplain and ever-changing oxbow meanders, marshes, sloughs, and ephemeral ponds. Silver maple, river birch, American elm, and cottonwood dominate wooded areas. Additional canopy species include swamp white oak, bur oak, willow, and green and white ashes. Red osier dogwood occurs in small, scattered fringes and thickets. Herbaceous understory species include wood nettle, partridgeberry, Ontario aster, swamp loosestrife, cut-leaved coneflower, and northern water-horehound. Vines are abundant with poison ivy, common moonseed, Virginia creeper, and bristly greenbriar. Groundcover of open marsh and abandoned stream channels include river bulrush, prairie cord grass, blue-joint grass and sedges. The remoteness combined with a highly productive delta system has allowed extensive and large wildlife populations to flourish. The site is home to many rare or uncommon species such as great egret (Ardea alba), red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea), prothonotory warbler (Protonotaria citrea), pileated woodpecker, blue-gray gnatcatcher, and yellow-throated vireo. Other animals include wood duck, kingfisher, broad-winged hawk, mink, otter, and numerous reptiles and amphibians. Nelson-Trevino Bottoms is owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 1970.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 225 KB]
• Line Map [PDF, 19 KB]

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)