Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Black River State Forest

Emergency Information Black River Memorial Hospital 715-284-5361

Ambulance911

Poison Control Center 800-222-1222

Jackson County Sheriff 911 or 715-284-5357

Forest Headquarters 715-284-4103

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides equal opportunity in its employment programs services and functions under an Affirmative Action Plan If you have any questions please write to Equal Opportunity Office Department of the Interior Washington DC 20240

This publication is available in alternate format (large print Braille audo tape etc) upon request Call 608-267-7494 for more information

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Black River State Forest

W10325 Hwy 12 East Black River Falls 54615

715-284-4103 PUB-FR-394-2013

Brochure design by Sara M Schmidt Map by Ralph Weible Photo Credits to Michele Windsor Kyle Zenz

Jamie Dahl and Sara M Schmidt Union Street Design LLC

PUB-FR-394 2013

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Camping Three campgrounds in the Black River State Forshyest have nature trails water vault toilets firewood and picnic facilities Campsites may be reserved between Memorial Day and Labor Day through Reserve America at 888-947-2757

Castle Mound Campground has 35 reserve-able sites 6 of which have electrical outlets Castle Mound also has showers flush toilets handicap accessible facilities and a sanitary dump station

Pigeon Creek Campground has 38 campsites No electric sites are available at this campground Handicap accessible facilities are available A porshytion of the sites are on the reservation system

East Fork Campground has 24 campsites half of which are located on the banks of the East Fork of the Black River No electricity is available A canoe landing is located near the campground entrance Half of the sites are reservable

Additional camping opportunities in the State Forest include

The forest offers a wilderness camping exshyperience with backpack camping Permits are required and are available on the state forest web site or by calling the Forest Headquarters Backshypack camping is free but campers must camp at least one mile away from their parked vehicle and 100 feet from any road or trail

The indoor group camp area is secluded and can accommodate up to 50 people outdoors Washyter vault toilets picnic tables cooking grills a dog kennel and large fire ring are provided There is a four-season cabin that sleeps 12 people comshyfortably Mattress pads or bed rolls are needed to cushion the wood bunks This ADA compliant cabin has a stove refrigerator gas fireplace heated fl oors and bathroom with a shower Reservations are required with a two-day minimum on weekshyends and can be made by calling 888-947-2757 or through our online reservation system at http wisconsinparksreserveamericacom

The outdoor group camp is located in the northern part of the forest close to Hatfi eld and Lake Arbutus This site can accommodate up to 50 individuals and provides parking for up to eight wheeled camping units The site is rustic but offers a vault toilet building water firewood picnic tables and a large open play area This group site is open from June through November 30th and can be reserved through Reserve America

Two canoe campsites are located on the Black River south of Black River Falls These campsites are on the east side of the river and include a picnic table fire ring and Port-a-Pot Sites are first come first served Camping at this location is restricted to one night only for persons and their equipment arriving by watercraft

A Word about Forest Rules This information is intended to help you during your visit to the State Forest For complete rules and regulations see chapter NR45 Wisconsin Administrative Code or contact the Ranger

State PropertymdashDo not remove deface or destroy any natural growth or state property or enter any locked area or area posted ldquoclosedrdquo The public use areas are open from 600 am to 1100 pm

Vehicle Admission StickermdashVehicle admission stickers are required to be attached to the windshyshield by its own adhesive when entering any campground area

PetsmdashPets in campgrounds must be on a leash 8 feet or shorter Please clean up after your pet Pets are not permitted in buildings picnic or beach areas nature trails or groomed cross-country ski trails

CampingmdashAll campers must obtain a camping or backpacking permit before setting up camp A pershymit is valid starting 300 pm the first day through 300 pm the last day No person shall camp and no camping unit shall remain at a campground for more than 14 days in any three-week period Camping is allowed at designated campsites only The exception of backpack camping is permitted within state forest boundaries at least a mile from parked vehicle and 100 feet from any road or trail One family or group of six and no more than two vehicles are allowed to occupy one campsite Quiet period is designated from 1100 pm to 600 am

Snowmobiles ATVs and UTVsmdashAllowed on designated trails only

FiresmdashAllowed in fire rings or charcoal grills in designated use areas Do not leave fires unattendshyed and extinguish all fires before leaving Burning of household refuse is prohibited

BeachesmdashSoap fires and pets are prohibited on beaches

LittermdashPlace all refuse in containers provided or take it with you Leave area cleaner than you found it Do not bury garbage Please recycle

Picnicking Picnic facilities are located at the Castle Mound Pigeon Creek and East Fork Campgrounds Castle Mound and Pigeon Creek have playground equipment All have hand pumps for water picnic tables grills and vault toilets Perry Creek Park and Oxbow Pond provide limited picnic facilities An enshyclosed shelter located at Castle Mound is available for reservations

Hiking There are many opshyportunities for hiking in the Black River State Forest There are several differshyent trail systems 24 miles of which are designated for hikshying biking and skishying The Wildcat and Smrekar Trailheads provide parking for trail access A nature trail at Castle Mound campground is complete with interpretive signs and leads to an extraordinary view from the top of Castle Mound A 15 mile interpretive trail at Pigeon Creek Campground illustrates sustainable forest management East Fork Campground has a less developed nature trail that runs parallel to the East Fork of the Black River Perry Creek Park also has a hiking trail along Perry Creek which is excellent for exploring the sandstone outcropping typical of this region

Biking There are 29 miles of biking trails five of which are located at the Pigeon Creek Campground This five-mile segment links to the remaining 24 miles of hiking biking and skiing trails located northeast of Pigeon Creek Campground

Dike 17 Wildlife Area Within the State Forest boundary lies the Dike 17 Wildlife Area This 5000 acre area is primarshyily managed for waterfowl grouse and grassland song birds Keep your eyes and ears open for sandhill cranes eagles grasshopper sparrows and wolves The twenty flowages of the Dike 17 area were constructed by the Civilian Conservashytion Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Adminisshytration (WPA) crews in the 1930s These are still maintained today and can hold such rare birds as the whooping crane or the more common Canada goose Some endangered and threatened wildshylife species which can be found are the osprey Eastern massasauga rattlesnake Cooperrsquos hawk Blandingrsquos turtle and the Karner Blue butterfly

Cross-country Skiing amp Snowshoeing

The Smrekar and Wildcat Trails of the Black River State Forest provide easy intermediate and difficult terrain for cross-country skiers A warming cabin is located at the Smrekar trailhead and is open during the winter months for skiers Ski loops are designed for one-way travel but trail links are two-way Trails are groomed for both traditional and skate skiing afshyter new snow fall or heavy weekend use A day use or annual trail pass is required for all skiers 16 years of age and older Snowshoeing hiking and pets are not allowed on groomed trails A one mile snowshoe trail starts from the Smrekar Trail Parking lot Snowshyshoeing is also allowed on the five mile hike and bike trail between Smrekar Road and Pigeon Creek Campground the Pigeon Creek Nature Trail and the Perry Creek bike trail

Canoeing and Kayaking The Black River and East Fork of the Black River offer excellent canoeing and kayaking opportunishyties East Fork is scenic with some mild rapids and moderately rocky areas Canoeing or kayaking on the East Fork when water levels are low is not recommended

The Black River from Lake Arbutus to North Bend on Highway 54 is an excellent canoeing river from late spring through fall The river provides a scenic trip through sparsely populated arshyeas and great opportunities for fishing

Forest Management Managing the Forest for wood products has been a major use for the property since the 1950rsquos The wood products from this Forest help support the second largest industry in Wisconsin and provide hundreds of people with jobs The harvests of today are managed by foresters who practice susshytainable forestry unlike logging during the 1800rsquos

Several harvest systems are used depending on tree species involved Jack pine aspen and oak are all clear-cut because the young seedlings require full sunlight to get established White pine which is moderately shade tolerant is selectively harvested so enough sunlight is permitted to stimulate young seedlings and to allow larger trees to grow

Whenever possible natural regeneration of a desirable tree species is encouraged Where natural regeneration is inadequate or where forest areas have been devastated by fire or other disturshybances trees are planted

The Forest The Black River State Forest was established in 1957 after the Federal Government transfered 59000 acres of forest land to the Wisconsin Conservation Department Through further land purchases the Forest has grown to its present size of approximately 68700 acres

The Black River Sate Forest has unique geologshyical features This area lies on the edge of the glashyciated central plain of the rough coulee region or driftless area of Wisconsin Looking east from the top of Castle Mound one can observe what was once the bed of glacial Lake Wisconsin Unglacishyated buttes sandstone hills and castellated bluffs such as Castle Mound dot the forest landscape

Through integrated resource management techniques the Forest is managed for multiple uses such as recreation wildlife woodproducts aesthetics biodiversity watershed protection and fisheries

Swimming Pigeon Creek Campground has a sandy beach picnic area drinking water and toilets Swimming is also available at Jackson Countyrsquos East Arbutus and Lake Wazee campgrounds

The State Forest beach does not have lifeshyguards Swim safely and please do not swim alone at night or in unfamiliar places

Snowmobiling ATVs UTVs amp Motorcycling

A network of snowmobile trails joins Jackson County Forest trails to total 150 miles of trails The trails are groomed after snowfall

Motorcycles must be dual purpose legal for road riding Thirty-three miles of ATV UTV and motorcycle trails in the state forest link with Jackshyson and Clark County Forest trails to total apshyproximately 230 miles of trail UTV operation is not allowed on state forest nor Jackson County Forest trails in winter

Contact the WDNR Black River Falls Service Center or Forest Headquarters for supplemental brochures and information on trail conditions parkshying lodging etc

Hunting and Fishing Public hunting is allowed in the Black River State Forest but NO hunting is allowed in the following areas 1) Campgrounds or day use areas 2) Other areas that are signed and designated as closed 3) On private lands within the state forest boundary unless permission is expressly given by the land owner with the exception of private tax law lands designated as ldquoopenrdquo

The Forest supports numerous huntable wildlife species White-tailed deer black bear raccoon bobcat ruffed grouse woodcock turkey and waterfowl are all found throughout the property In addition the area offers trapping opportunities with a healthy population of fisher bobcat otter and beaver

Camping is available at the Castle Mound and Pigeon Creek campgrounds year round Camping outside campgrounds is permitted ONLY during the 9-day deer gun season starting the Thursshyday prior to opening day and requires a permit

The Black River is a great fishery for walleye northern pike smallmouth bass muskelshylunge and catfish The East Fork of the Black River is also good for smallmouth bass musshykellunge and walleye fishing

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