My Ding-a-ling

Once I was swimmin' 'cross Turtle Creek
Many snappers all 'round my feet
Sure was hard swimmin' 'cross that thing
With both hands holdin' my ding-a-ling-a-ling. . . .

- C. Berry


This post has taken awhile to develop, mostly because I didn't quite know the name of the mound. I'm pretty sure it's called Bell Mound, hence the silly title. :) Hey, I like the song, too.

If one travels westbound on I-94 through this part of Wisconsin, there is a rest stop about 5 miles east of Black River Falls. It's pretty cool for a rest stop, as it has a trail to the top of Bell Mound, and a few other items of note. It's kind of weird, however, as the sign on the interstate just says, "Rest Stop" with an arrow - like any other interstate rest stop. In my opinion, it's worth stopping at, because I like to take the scenic route now and again, even if it means getting out of the car and taking a short hike. Judge for yourself, based on the photos below. :)

This area of Wisconsin is unique, geologically. Pretty much all of the rest of what is known as the upper midwest was covered with a glacier during the last ice age, except the "driftless area". Because there were no glaciers here, there are now isolated sandstone buttes or mounds throughout the area (simply speaking the glaciers would have leveled them). Bell Mound is one of those sandstone mounds. Just outside of Black River Falls, on U.S. 12, is another, called Castle Mound (that one's for a later post).

The trail up to Bell Mound from the rest stop is on the far side of the parking lot. It's a very short hike, all-paved and wheelchair-accessible, to a wooden-platformed overlook. Hiking that shouldn't take a normal person more than 10-15 minutes. There is also an unpaved, steeper, walking trail that goes all the way to the top of the mound, adding another 20 minutes, tops. Both areas have exceptional views, but the hike to the top is well worth it - you can see much more.

Near the gazebo of the rest stop are several signs that describe the area, with one commemorating a 1970s fire; as well as a monument to law enforcement (last photo of this blog-entry). These photos were taken sometime in late June this year. I won't caption all of them, I think the views speak for themselves. Enjoy!


The view of the mound from the picnic area near the gazebo.

The sandstone "backbone" of the mound, photo taken very near the top.