Photo by Josh Mayer
Within the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, Crawford County. T7N-R4W, Sections 15, 16, 17. 879 acres.
Part of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, Wauzeka Bottoms contains an extensive stand of mature floodplain forest on the north side of the Wisconsin River. The canopy is dominated by silver maple, swamp white oak, river birch, and green ash, with lesser amounts of hackberry, American elm, honey locust, cottonwood, black willow, yellowbud hickory, and basswood. The structure varies from closed canopy with an open understory to semi-open canopy with brushy understory of button bush, winterberry, elderberry, and prickly ash where the canopy is broken due to running sloughs, oxbow lakes, and beaver ponds. Lianas of poison ivy, wild grape, and Virginia creeper proliferate with a rich herbaceous layer of wood nettle, sedges, grasses, cardinal-flower, green dragon and false dragonhead. The forest supports a diverse avifauna including pileated woodpecker, blue-gray gnatcatcher, brown creeper, yellow-bellied sapsucker and hooded merganser. One state-endangered mussel species inhabits the Wisconsin River which forms the southern boundary of the sitealong with the yellow sandshell, three ridge, fragile papershell, stout floater, pink heelsplitter, pink papershell and salamander mussel. Wauzeka Bottoms is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1989.
Canoe or boat directly across the Wisconsin River from the Woodman boat landing, which is located two miles west of Woodman on State Trunk Highway 133.
Wauzeka Bottoms is owned by:
The DNR'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. While the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary according to individual ownership policies. 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 landowner 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.
To create your own custom map where you can zoom to a specific location, please use the DNR's mapping application.
Very few State Natural Areas have public facilities, but nearly all are open for a variety of recreational activities as indicated below. Generally, there are no picnic areas, restrooms, or other developments. Parking lots or designated parking areas are noted on individual SNA pages and maps. Trails, if present, are typically undesignated footpaths. If a developed trail is present, it will normally be noted on the SNA map and/or under the "Access" tab. A compass and topographic map or a GPS unit are useful tools for exploring larger, isolated SNAs.
The good majority of SNAs are isolated and have few or no facilities. Some SNAs have vehicle access lanes or parking lots, but their accessibility may vary depending on weather conditions. Parking lots and lanes are not plowed during winter. Hiking trails may be nonexistent or consist of undeveloped footpaths. A GPS unit or compass and detailed topographic map are useful tools for exploring larger SNAs.
Entrance fees: Excepting Parfrey's Glen, the Cambrian Outlook in the Dells of the Wisconsin River, SNAs within State Parks and some within State Forests, all other DNR-owned SNAs do not have any admission fee. For more information, see Wis. Admin. Code NR 45. For non-DNR-owned SNAs, we are unaware of any vehicle or admission fees. However, please contact the landowner for more information.
In general, the activities listed below are allowed on all DNR-owned SNA lands. Exceptions to this list of public uses, such as SNAs closed to hunting, are noted under the "Access" tab above and posted with signs on site.
Although a handful of sites allow activities like primitive camping (e.g. Lower Chippewa River on sand bars) or horseback riding (e.g. S. Kettle Moraine), the activities listed below are generally prohibited on DNR-owned SNAs.
For rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Chapter NR 45 Wis. Admin. Code [exit DNR]