Mayville Ledge Beech-Maple Woods

State Natural Area (No. 143)

Location: Dodge County. T11N-R16E, Section 1. T12N-R16E, Section 36. 60 acres.

Access: From the intersection of Hwys. 67 and 33, go north on Hwy. 67 0.75 mile to the south line of NW1/4 NW1/4 of Sec. 1. The legal access is a 100-foot strip of land, east up the escarpment by foot path.

Description: Mayville Ledge is a one-half mile exposure of Niagara dolomite escarpment, ranging from 40 to 60 feet in height. The escarpment slope supports an ungrazed forest of sugar maple, basswood, red oak, and American elm. The understory is quite rich in ferns and other deep shade vegetation, including walking and bulblet ferns. The level plain above the escarpment supports a variable aged woods of ironwood, American beech, sugar maple, and yellowbud hickory. American beech is rare in this location and represents its westernmost range extension in southern Wisconsin. Mayville Ledge Beech-Maple Woods is owned by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and was designated a State Natural Area in 1987.