Renak-Polak Maple-Beech Woods State Natural Area in Caledonia

Activities: Birding, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing

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Renak-Polak Maple-Beech Woods State Natural Area and Short Road Trailhead

The 107-acre woodland features an outstanding southern mesic forest and wet-mesic forest located along an intermittent stream. Dominated by sugar maple, basswood, and beech along with red oak, sugar maple, and white ash. The woods is noted for its spectacular display of spring wildflowers including wild leek, hepatica, spring-beauty, trout-lily, Dutchman’s-breeches, bloodroot, toothwort, red and large-flowered trilliums, woodland phlox, and rue anemone. Topography is nearly level.

The Caledonia Greenspace Trail runs along the east boundary, providing access from Six-Mile Rd. on the north and Five-Mile Rd. on the south. There is a small parking lot at the Short Road Trailhead just off the end of Short Road near Five-Mile Rd.

The Short Road Trailhead property is a 21.84-acre preserve adjacent to Renak-Polak administered by the Caledonia Conservancy, which maintains a network of walking and bridle trails. It includes a wetland and a creek running through an old-growth woodland of beech, oak, hickory, walnut and maple. For a trail map click here.

The Renak-Polak Beech-Maple Woods is owned by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. There are no developed trails in this property. For more information, go to the DNR website.

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