Wildflower Walks
In an effort to expose more people to the beautiful native plants that can be used for landscaping in our human landscapes and which are threatened by habitat loss in the wild, we are partnering with the Madison Chapter of Wild Ones to offer a series of free wildflower walks in local natural areas near Madison Wisconsin. Frank and/or a local Wild Ones expert will lead all of the hikes listed below, and you can contact Frank if you need more information.
All of the wildflower walks will be at 6pm on Thursday evenings. They will last until 8pm or 9pm as daylight allows. The only exception is our last walk on Saturday Sept. 18th which is earlier in the day due to daylight length restrictions. Any walks canceled due to poor weather will be rescheduled for the following Tuesday (or Sunday for our Gentian Safari).
For all of these hikes, be sure to wear appropriate clothing such as long pants and sturdy boots. Also be sure to bring drinking water and any snacks you might need. Don't forget the sunscreen, and be prepared for mosquitos and other pests (long pants and sleeves go a long way towards keeping both sun and bugs off of your skin). These hikes are free and open to the public.
2010 Wildflower Walk Schedule:
PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE FOR OUR APRIL AND MAY WILDFLOWER WALKS!
- March 18th: Skunk cabbage, the harbinger of spring, at the UW Arboretum: Meet at the Wingra Springs Parking Lot, on top of the hill, north of the Arboretum's main Visitors Center.
- April 22nd: Early spring at the UW Arboretum: Enjoy Earth Day by visiting dutchman's britches, rue anemone, spring beauties, toothwort and more of our spring ephemeral wildflowers. Meet at the Wingra Springs Parking Lot, on top of the hill, north of the Arboretum's main Visitors Center.
- May 6th: Spring ephemerals at Elvehjem and Heritage Sanctuary: Take a hike through these two hidden gems on Madison's far east side and enjoy the rich suite of spring wildflowers. Meet at the west side of Heritage Heights Park, Take Cottage Grove Rd. east of Stoughton Rd, then go north on Meadowlark Dr. for 3 blocks.
- May 20th: Early Prairie Wildflowers of Koltes Prairie & Westport Drumlin: We'll see prairie phlox, shooting star, hoary pucoon and many other flowers in bloom at these high-quality prairies just north of Madison. We'll meet at 5:30 at the Good Oak World Headquarters, 205 Walter St. in Madison, to car-pool. If you are driving yourself, take Northport Dr. north out of Madison, which becomes Hwy 113. 1.7 miles north of Highway M, take a right turn onto Bong Road Park along the side of the road 0.6 miles east of Hwy 113.
- June 10th: Orchid Hunt at Stricker's Pond: A few species of orchid hide amid the woods at Stricker's Pond. Come join us as we look for these rare wildflowers along the trailside in this remnant natural area in the midst of suburbia. From High Point Road in Middleton, head east on Parmenter St, then take a right onto Westfield Rd. Park on the street near the paved path access to the park.
- June 24th: Wood Lilies at Sugar River Savanna: Wood lilies are some of our most brilliant wildflowers, come see these alongside penstimon, spiderwort and many other prairie and savanna species. We'll meet at 5:30 at the Good Oak World Headquarters, 205 Walter St. in Madison, to carpool. If you need to drive yourself, head west on Hwy PD to Timber Lane. Once you are safely past the intersection park on the side of the road.
- July 15th: Remnant Prairies: Ripp and Meffert Road Prairies: Come join us as we explore the amazing floral diversity of these tiny 'postage stamp' prairies north of Madison. We'll meet at 5:30 at the Good Oak World Headquarters, 205 Walter St. in Madison, to carpool.
- July 29th: Peak Flowering at Atwood Community Prairie: By late July dozens of species may be blooming simultaneously in prairies. Come enjoy this little prairie on the near east side. We'll meet where the Capitol City Trail crosses Ohio Ave., just off of Atwood Ave.
- August 12th: Wildflowers of Koltes and Westport Drumlin: There are too many interesting and rare prairie plants to visit these sites just once a year. Expect to see dry and mesic prairie in their full late-summer glory. We'll meet at 5:30 at the Good Oak World Headquarters, 205 Walter St. in Madison, to carpool. If you are driving yourself, take Northport Dr. north out of Madison, which becomes Hwy 113. 1.7 miles north of Highway M, take a right turn onto Bong Road Park along the side of the road 0.6 miles east of Hwy 113.
- Sept. 12th, 9am: Gentian Safari at Green Prairie and Pasque Flower Hill: Note special time: Saturday, at 1pm. Enjoy the brilliant blues of our wild gentians, and if we're lucky we'll find a few ladies tresses orchids in bloom too. Meet at the parking lot for the Grady Tract section of the UW Arboretum at the southeast corner of Seminole Highway and the Beltline frontage road at 6pm.
We hope you can join us to explore the botany of southern Wisconsin!