Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area
| Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area | |
| Wisconsin State Natural Area | |
 Parfrey's Glen Parfrey's Glen | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Wisconsin |
| County | Sauk |
| Location | Merrimac |
| - coordinates | 43°25′05″N 89°38′29″W / 43.41806°N 89.64139°WCoordinates: 43°25′05″N 89°38′29″W / 43.41806°N 89.64139°W |
| Area | 508 acres (206 ha) |
| Founded | 1952 |
| Owner | Wisconsin DNR |
  Location of Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area in Wisconsin
| |
Parfrey's Glen, located within Devil's Lake State Park, is a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-designated State Natural Area. The glen is a deep gorge cut through the sandstone of the south flank of the Baraboo Hills. It was the first State Natural Area to be designated in Wisconsin.[1]
Location and access
Parfrey's Glen is located approximately 5 miles north of Merrimac, Wisconsin. Though within the boundaries of Devil's Lake State Park, it cannot be accessed by vehicle from the rest of the park. A trail leads north into the natural area.[2] The Ice Age Trail also passes through the site. However, heavy rainstorms in 2010 destroyed the boardwalk that made up the last part of the trail, which leads to a small waterfall. Visitors are advised not to travel down that part of the trail. As of January 1, 2014 it has yet to be repaired.
Description
The exposed sandstone walls of Parfrey's glen contain pebbles and boulders of embedded quartzite. The walls are covered with moss and remain moist from seepage, and cool and shaded climate. This results in a flora more typical of northern Wisconsin with yellow birch, mountain maple, and red elder and several rare plant species, including the federally threatened northern monkshood (Aconitum noveboracense) and state-threatened round stemmed false foxglove (Agalinus gattingeri). Additional rare species found here include cliff goldenrod (Solidago sciaphila), and two state-threatened birds, the cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea) and Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens). The fast and cold hardwater stream, Parfrey's Glen Creek, flows through the gorge and harbors a rare species of diving beetle (Agabus confusus) and a rare caddisfly (Limnephilus rossi).[1]
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Walls of Parfrey's Glen
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View from the Glen
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Parfrey's Glen
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Parfrey's Glen
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Parfrey's Glen Creek
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area". Wisconsin DNR. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area (Map). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2013-11-29.