The Driftless Trail: Welsh Hills and Phoebe Point Hiking Trails Open in Spring Green
A 50-mile hiking trail designed by the Driftless Conservancy of Dodgeville, WI, has been underway for a few years now. After two seasons of construction, the Welsh Hills loop segment, located just outside of Spring Green, WI, is now complete. On October 3rd and 4th, the Conservancy brought in Great Lakes Trailbuilders expert Willie Bittner to teach and assist volunteers in finishing up the Welsh Hills loop. Starting in the upper parking lot of the Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin Visitor Center in Spring Green, the Welsh Hills two-mile loop goes through pine forests and open hilltop prairies with views to the Wright’s famous Taliesin buildings. The hillside trail then joins an existing paved trail back to the parking lot.
Another Driftless Trail segment, a half mile away, is at Phoebe Point. Accessed off County Road C west of Highway 23, this trail has a gravel and grass parking lot. This 1.1-mile trail to the Wisconsin River ridge is an area that held special memories for Frank Lloyd Wright. A northeasterly view of the Wisconsin River is magical. The Driftless Conservancy website explains that Wright was “selective” in allowing visitors on this hallowed ground. In another interesting fact, the quarry at the west end of the property produced much of the stone for Taliesin. On a recent hike, we found much beauty and multiple valley views. Park benches invite hikers to enjoy the scenery. We also heard robins, goldfinches, bluebirds, cardinals, and woodpeckers, according to my Merlin birding app.
While the Driftless Trail will take twenty years to complete, the concept is to build a 50-mile trail between the three state parks in southwestern Wisconsin: Governor Dodge, Blue Mound, and Tower Hill. In addition, public lands in the Ridgeway Pine Relict Woods, Trout Creek Fishery Area, Love & Strutt Creeks Fishery Area, the Lower Wisconsin Waterway, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin property will eventually be connected to the trail. The Driftless Conservancy is celebrating its 25th year, owns seven preserves, and protects over 10,000 acres in the Driftless region.
In addition, a fundraising campaign is in progress to buy the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Wintergreen—a ridgetop, Wisconsin River building and property across the road from the Taliesin—that will become a gathering space for the Conservancy and its important work. Wintergreen, with its stunning views of the Wisconsin River and nearby bluffs, is close to the Phoebe Point Trail but doesn’t intersect with it. However, they both share undeveloped shoreline and unusual native plant communities, fauna, and wetlands to be enjoyed by trail users.
Four segments of the Driftless Trail are already open to the public with maps: Knobs Road, Weaver Road, Phoebe Point, and the Welsh Hills (see the map below). The Driftless Conservancy has regular trail-building or maintenance days in the spring, summer, and fall for those who would like to participate. They encourage anyone to join in and assist. The Conservancy will provide equipment and guides to train and share knowledge with all volunteers. Please see the Driftless Conservancy website for more details on volunteering. Spring Green is only 70 miles away, which makes for an easy day trip for hiking and/or trail building.
