As I described in The Wisconsin Ozarks, an area of the Upper Midwest was sparred the effects of the last Pleistocene glaciation. This Plateau of early Precambrian limestones and dolomites (known as the Driftless Area) extends from central Wisconsin into southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and extreme northwestern Illinois. Galena and its environs lie within that geologic zone, where the topography is characterized by knobs, hills and ridges, carved from the plateau by glacial meltwater and numerous post-glacial streams.
This morning, after breakfast in historic downtown Galena, we headed to Horseshoe Mound Preserve, just southeast of town. From that pinnacle, one enjoys a panorama of northwestern Illinois, extending to southern Wisconsin and across the Mississippi River Valley to Iowa. Our next stop was a bit farther south, where the Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve, stretches above the east bank of the Upper Mississippi; covered by restored prairie, oak savanna and riparian woodlands, it also harbors ceremonial mounds from the Late Woodland Period (700-1000 AD), including a thunderbird effigy mound.
Our third hike of the morning was at Galena's Gateway Park, still under development; some of the trails through this hilly, abandoned farmland were not well-maintained and the walk seemed much longer than it actually was. On the other hand, it was a great area for birding and rose-breasted grosbeaks were especially common. Following that rather strenuous trek we rewarded ourselves with a visit to a winery northeast of Galena; there we indulged in one of its products on a shaded veranda, enjoying a pleasant view of the driftless terrain.
This morning, after breakfast in historic downtown Galena, we headed to Horseshoe Mound Preserve, just southeast of town. From that pinnacle, one enjoys a panorama of northwestern Illinois, extending to southern Wisconsin and across the Mississippi River Valley to Iowa. Our next stop was a bit farther south, where the Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve, stretches above the east bank of the Upper Mississippi; covered by restored prairie, oak savanna and riparian woodlands, it also harbors ceremonial mounds from the Late Woodland Period (700-1000 AD), including a thunderbird effigy mound.
Our third hike of the morning was at Galena's Gateway Park, still under development; some of the trails through this hilly, abandoned farmland were not well-maintained and the walk seemed much longer than it actually was. On the other hand, it was a great area for birding and rose-breasted grosbeaks were especially common. Following that rather strenuous trek we rewarded ourselves with a visit to a winery northeast of Galena; there we indulged in one of its products on a shaded veranda, enjoying a pleasant view of the driftless terrain.
