{"id":11235,"date":"2018-04-28T17:00:44","date_gmt":"2018-04-28T22:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/?p=11235"},"modified":"2018-04-28T09:44:08","modified_gmt":"2018-04-28T14:44:08","slug":"willow-river-state-park-willow-falls-wisconsin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/willow-river-state-park-willow-falls-wisconsin\/","title":{"rendered":"WILLOW RIVER STATE PARK \u2013 Willow Falls #Wisconsin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Willow River State Park<\/h1>\n

Willow River State Park\u00a0is a 2,891-acre Wisconsin<\/a>\u00a0state park<\/a>\u00a0located five miles north of\u00a0Hudson<\/a>. The centerpiece of the park is Willow Falls, a powerful cascade in a 200-foot deep gorge. Another popular feature is Little Falls Lake, a shallow reservoir on the\u00a0Willow River<\/a>. Because of its proximity to\u00a0Minneapolis-St. Paul<\/a>\u00a0it is one of the most visited state parks in Wisconsin.\u00a0Trilobite<\/a>\u00a0fossils found in the lower layers of the gorge indicate the rock is around 600 million years old.<\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

History<\/h2>\n

Settlers moved in, and by 1830 logging and wheat farming were common in the Willow River Valley. The river was invaluable for the former, as logs were floated downstream to the\u00a0St. Croix<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Power<\/h3>\n

A German immigrant, Christian Burkhardt, realized the river could also be harnessed for the latter industry; he built a grist mill there in 1868. Burkhardt became a wealthy landowner and followed developments in water-powered industry. He traveled home to\u00a0Germany\u00a0to examine hydroelectric power plants and returned in 1891 to build his own on the Willow River. Burkhardt eventually built four power plants and dams on the river, which provided electricity to\u00a0Hudson.\u00a0Northern States Power<\/a>\u00a0purchased Burkhardt’s power company in 1945 and operated its sites until 1963, when damage to one of the plants from a lightning strike prompted the company to liquidate their Willow River holdings.<\/p>\n

In 1967 Northern States Power sold the land to the Wisconsin Conservation Commission for a state park, and stabilized the dams at a financial loss. The state park opened in 1971.\u00a0 \u00a0All but one of the dams were removed in the 1990s to improve the scenery and trout fishery.\u00a0 The last dam was removed in 2015<\/a>. ~wikipedia<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I feel absolutely fortunate to live among the lakes, rivers and bluff land right on the boarder between Minnesota and Wisconsin approximately an hour south of the Minneapolis\/St. Paul metro area.\u00a0 Willow River State Park is another example of the natural resources and beauty right in my back yard so-to-speak.<\/p>\n

\"Willow<\/a>There are a few different trails that you can hike to access Willow Falls.\u00a0 The most direct route is from Willow Falls Parking Lot just a wee bit north of the park main entrance.\u00a0 The Willow Falls Hill Trail is only a .4 miles long, but the first leg of the trail once you meet the woods is steep.\u00a0 Having just had knee replacement surgery in January, the downhill part was a bit challenging.\u00a0 A week ago there was 4″-6″ of slippery solid ice on the paved trail.\u00a0 That attempt to hike to the Willow Falls was aborted immediate in favor of exploring other areas of the park.\u00a0 I would recommend the mile long Willow Falls Trail from the campground to avoid the hill if that is a concern.<\/p>\n

Little Falls<\/h2>\n

Little Falls Lake is no more as the dam was breached in 2015.\u00a0 There is a small water fall where the dam once was, a rapids is a more accurate description I suppose.\u00a0 The former lake basin was teaming with migratory birds that early Spring day.\u00a0 Ducks, geese and Sandhill cranes milled about in the tall grasses where the water once stood.<\/p>\n

\"Little <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Little <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Little <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Little <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Willow Falls<\/h2>\n

A week in the Spring time can bring about change quickly.\u00a0 Mid 50 degree days made short work of the ice on the Willow Falls Hill Trail.\u00a0 All of the runoff made for a magnificent display of water raging over the cascades.<\/p>\n