Special events and features at Buckhorn State Park

• Special events
• Naturalist programs
• Accessible facilities
• Scenic vista Prairie and savanna
• Give time or money
• Friends of Buckhorn State Park

Special Events

Special events are an annual feature at Buckhorn State Park. Search for Buckhorn on monthly pages of the statewide events calendar for details about these and other events at the park.

Photography Contest. Held at both Buckhorn and Roche-A-Cri State Parks. Runs from October 1 through September 30 the following year. The categories are wildlife, plants, people using the park, youth (photographer must be under 18 years old) and an open category. Ask park staff for contest information sheet.

Naturalist Programs

The goal of the interpretive program is to assist visitors in learning more about nature within the park setting. Hikes, evening programs, beach programs, displays and roving contacts are among the tools our park staff or volunteers use to reach this goal.

Activities are designed for visitors of all ages and are fun as well as educational.
DNR Photo

Special guest speaker presentations are also arranged. Program schedules are posted around the park and are available upon request at the office. Visit the park office to view various interpretive wildlife mounts and exhibits.

Check out a Fish Pack, forest pack, or Take Smokey Camping pack from the park office.

Amphitheater

An amphitheater with bench seating is along the shoreline between the beach and south picnic areas. An accessible path is lighted for evening programs.

Accessible Facilities

The North Picnic Area is fully accessible to mobility-impaired visitors. Asphalt paths lead to the shelter, toilets and picnic grills. Accessible picnic tables can be found at the shelter and the beach picnic area.

An accessible cabin that can accommodate six people is available for use by people with disabilities. Note: This cabin is for use exclusively by people whose physical disability makes use of traditional camping facilities very difficult or unlikely.

The accessible cabin is near an accessible fishing pier.
DNR Photo

Campsite 8 near the South Picnic Area is also accessible for people with disabilities and has an electrical hook-up. A charcoal grill and fire ring are included on this site. An asphalt path provides a level surface to the parking lot, restroom and campsite. Visitors can make reservations for this site throughout the season.

The park has an accessible two-story wildlife observation/hunting blind. There are also two accessible waterfowl hunting blinds.

The second accessible waterfowl blind was donated by the Telephone Pioneers of America. It is along the park road heading to the outdoor group camp. People with disabilities can reserve the blind a day in advance of their hunting. If not reserved, anyone may use the blind.

Accessible Piers

The Boat Launch A area was renovated in spring, 2008. The ramp area was redone and a floating boarding pier, accessible for people with disabilities, installed.

Boat Launch C also has an accessible pier. It is on the west side of the causeway bridge.

Scenic Vista

The Sandblow Walk leads you out onto a typical central Wisconsin sandblow. This desert-like area recalls the park's Ice Age history when the region was covered by glacial Lake Wisconsin. There are two interpretive signs at this site.

A boardwalk and observation platform give visitors a view of the sandblow area.
DNR Photo

Prairie and Savanna Restorations

Juneau County was part of the original major region of prairies and open savannas in Wisconsin. Oak barrens and oak savannas were most typical types of prairie in the central sands area. Oak savannas are grasslands with occasional large oak trees predominating, while prairies are large grasslands without trees.

Without fire and grazing, forests replaced the open savannas and prairies. The change in habitat meant the loss of habitat for grassland songbirds, certain game birds, such as grouse and ring-necked pheasants, other insects and reptiles.

Buckhorn State Park has several areas of prairie restoration. Several large areas in the northeast section of the park were planted some years ago and have a beautiful growth of big bluestem and Indian grass, as well as some flowering forbs such as bergamot, goldenrod, asters, flowering spurge and round-headed bush clover.

Several areas along the main park road are marked for savanna restoration. Many park visitors wonder about the large number of dead oaks in this area. A fungus called "oak wilt" that spreads quickly through the roots killed the oaks within a short time.

Area residents who pay a small fee for firewood permits are now removing the dead wood. In spring, when weather permits, prescribed burns will be used to remove brush, leaves and dead grasses. Studies have shown that doing this encourages the re-establishment of prairie grasses and plants whose root sytems and seeds are in the soil.

Some native prairie seeds will be planted. Seeds are obtained from a nursery specializing in prairie plants of this area, from Bureau of Endangered Resource sites, and through collection of seeds from the existing prairie areas here and at Roche-A-Cri State Park.

To learn more about prairie restoration, walk along the prairie areas in the park, check the park bulletin boards and office, and attend the naturalist programs on prairies.

You also can hike on the 1.5-mile barrens nature trail and pond trail. Large, full-color nature signs along the trails explain what barrens are, what oak wilt is, plants and animals found in barrens, and how the area is being restored. A 100- by 100-foot enclosure was built in 2007 along the pond trail. Deer cannot get into the fenced area. We will be able to monitor plants inside the fence and show the difference between them and the ones where deer can browse.

State Natural Areas

Two State Natural Areas were designated in 2002. The 2000-acre Buckhorn Barrens State Natural Area overlays the park and Wildlife Area A.

The 820-acre Yellow River Oxbows State Natural Area overlays a portion of Wildlife Area B. This area consists of oxbows and floodplain forests.

Threatened Bird calls Buckhorn Home

Spotting its prey, the large bird plummets from 80 feet above the river. The bird disappears briefly in a spray of water emerging a moment later clasping a two-pound walleye in its talons. While straining to gain altitude, the bird changes its grip on the fish so it's carried easily, with its head into the wind.You've just seen an osprey, a large rare bird of prey that feeds exclusively on fish. The catch will be shared with newly hatched chicks back at the nest.

Osprey generally nest in large trees or on rocky cliffs, but they will accept nest platforms on top of tall trees. One such man-made nest site is along the shoreline in Buckhorn State Park.

The osprey has never been common, but the use of DDT and other "hard" pesticides caused a drastic decline in their numbers in the 1950s and 1960s. Since the banning of DDT in 1972 the species has slowly increased in number, but remains on the Wisconsin threatened species list. Osprey are seen here on a regular basis, so keep your eyes on the sky while visiting Buckhorn.

This may be your only chance to see one in the wild. The osprey is mostly white underneath, but its back is brownish-black. A conspicuous dark "stripe" runs across its cheeks. These birds often spotted gliding above the river in search of their next meal. Watch for these "anglers;" they're real experts.

Give Time or Money to Help the State Park

If you enjoy Buckhorn State Park, you may want to express your appreciation through a gift of money, materials, equipment or volunteer services.

Gifts help Wisconsin State Parks provide facilities and services that otherwise would not be possible.

Money may be placed in the donation box in the park office or mailed to:

Superintendent
Buckhorn State Park
W8450 Buckhorn Park Ave.
Necedah WI 54646-7338

or:

Bureau of Parks and Recreation
P.O. Box 7921
Madison WI 53707-7921

Money for projects also can be donated to the Friends of Buckhorn State Park.

If you enjoy camping and meeting people from all over the country, you may wish to become a volunteer campground host. As a host, you will receive free use of a campsite in exchange for helping campers, providing information about the park and surrounding area and doing minor maintenance.

To get more information about the host program, to be a nature volunteer guide or do other work in the park, talk with the superintendent or submit a volunteer application. It could open the door to an unforgettable and rewarding experience in Wisconsin's wonderful outdoors.

Friends of Buckhorn State Park

The Friends of Buckhorn State Park work on park activities and special events. They also raised funds for the accessible cabin, the savanna restoration project, amphitheater, cold water rinse shower, two-stall unisex shower buiolding, wildlife mounts, and the installation of electrical service to the south shelters, pit toilet and accessible campsite. They have worked with park staff in organizing and running Spring Fling and the park photography contest. They sponsor the essay contest associated with the November Special Youth Deer Hunt and have a cooperative agreement with Country Cruisin Canoes to bring canoe and kayak rentals into the park.

For more information about the Friends of Buckhorn State Park, any volunteer project, or Buckhorn State Park, please call 608-565-2789 or email Joe Stecker-Kochanski, Buckhorn / Roche-A-Cri State Parks