Give us feedback!
Tweet
Share via E-mail
Visit The Dalles of the St. Croix River, Interstate Park, Wisconsin
The Dalles of the St. Croix River features an L-shaped segment of the St. Croix River gorge cut through Precambrian basalt by meltwater drainage from Glacial Lake Duluth. Erosion, frost, and gravity acting on the bedrock have resulted in vertical cliffs, unusual pinnacle forms, and rocky talus slopes.
The site is well known for its cylindrical potholes, which were formed by the grinding action of sand and small stones swirling in strong currents. Some of the potholes are quite spectacular in size - up to 6 feet wide and 12 feet deep. Vegetation on the rocky gorge is relatively sparse and dry. Numerous exposures of rounded rock, cliffs, and boulders are barren, while similar sites with more moisture contain polypody fern, fragile fern, rusty woodsia, mosses and lichens.
Areas of sparse dry forest of red cedar, basswood, white pine, and bur, white, and black oaks occur throughout the site. Big blue-stem, blueberry, sumac, long-leaved bluets, bearberry, and poverty oats grass are characteristic plants of the rocky area. Dalles of the St. Croix is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1980.
Show more
Tweet
Share via E-mail
Loading...
Stats for this Dream
Join Now, it's FREE!