Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area

                

A couple weeks ago there was a break in the clouds so I decided to take a chance and headed for Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area. I had made arrangements with a friend that if it was a nice afternoon I'd pick her up. It was beautiful mid afternoon and there were several other cars in the parking lot. This section of the Ice Age Trail has been completed for well over a year. We chose to walk the trail, which is clearly marked, rather than the old road. The dirt path is wide enough to pass other hikers with ease. This time of year the soil is hidden by the fallen leaves of the red oaks that are abundant in this forest. The path had been well planned to wind in a gradual grade up the hill. Most plants were past their prime but could still offer interest because of their seed heads. The birds were filling the tree tops with chirps and songs  perhaps they were on a break from their way south

          
                                              

 

 Here and there along the 

way,the still brilliant red 

leaves of young red oaks 

were clinging to life. 

I got the impression that 

they were shouting, 

  

“Look at us, this is our time to shine, all summer no one noticed that we were here.”

We than approached a ditch that had long ago been eroded into the hillside by the spring runoff. The bridge across this now dry bed was made of ten to twelve foot-long logs that had been split lengthwise. (High on top of the hill one of these logs laid unused. I was amazed that it had been cut for this kind of use by a very talented person with a chain saw; the blade marks are still visible).

  

 

From here the path started to climb more toward the rocky goal of the hike. Still this path was less of a challenge than the Cactus/Ferry Bluff trail. Deeper in the forest the gray squirrels were securing acorns for the winter. Off in the distance the thunderous sounds of a pileated woodpecker working on a tree echoed across the hillside.

                                             

 

   

After a short time my eye caught sight of its handiwork. This Leonardo of the forest had been creating a sculpture high on a dead and rotting tree. The top two feet of the eight inch around tree had been chipped down to about three inches around; in places it had holes drilled clear though.

 
Just beyond this point the view began to clear, indicating that the rocky cliffs were near. The path took a steeper incline but soon this was made easy by stone steps. Again, the time and planning spent here showed. The path followed the many natural stone steps and, where needed, native rock was well placed to blend in. The main path led over to the upper edge, while many smaller paths led down to the rocky out-cropping. Here the vistas are two hundred feet above the Wisconsin River valley. There's a glimpse of Lake Wisconsin and the Baraboo range, and to the south and east the view extends over miles of farmland.

 

  

 Once we reached the edge of the cliffs my thoughts wandered back to the long ago days when I would throw my common sense to the wind. I did venture now to where we used to dangle our legs or perhaps sit on one of the red cedars growing out of the rocks. I decided that all those cedars reaching out must have been removed, but while taking photos of the amazing old bonsai-looking cedar trees, I realized that not only am I forty years older, so are the trees I sat on back then.

 

 

                                                                

    

This day there were the  

tiny pale blue blooms of 

harebells (bluebells) 

tucked in the crevices 

where the frost hadn’t 

claimed them.

     We decided to take the road back to the parking lot rather than the trail. Nature is doing its best to reclaim this; the blacktop and gravel are starting to break up and most of it is hidden by several types of moss. If you decide to hike this treasure I would recommend starting from the old road parking area. I've been told that the other end of the Ice Age Trail with a parking area is a bit more of a challenge if you want to reach the top.