Why You Should Visit
Remarkable for the large area of deep forest and the mountain-like creek that it protects, Baxter's Hollow is the Conservancy's largest preserve in Wisconsin. Despite years of human habitation, this area still seems wild and untouched.
Spring is an especially good time to visit: the wildflowers are in bloom and the migratory songbirds have returned from their wintering grounds in Latin America.
Location
South Central Wisconsin: Sauk County between Sauk City and Baraboo — about 45 minutes north of Madison
Conditions
The unmarked trail is very primitive. Off-trail conditions are very rocky.
Some parcels of land within the preserve remain in private ownership — please do not trespass. The preserve boundaries are marked with small, yellow signs featuring The Nature Conservancy logo.
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The Nature Conservancy first came to the Baraboo Hills in the early 1960s at the request of local residents and university professors who recognized the unique nature of this area. They wanted the Conservancy's help in protecting it.
Baxter's Hollow is an important site for at least two reasons: it contains a good portion of the Otter Creek watershed, and it provides the deep woods that forest songbirds need.
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Since 1969, The Nature Conservancy has steadily been acquiring parcels of land here. Currently, the Conservancy owns a total of 5,752 acres, making it the largest preserve in the Baraboo Hills.
Private landowners in the Baraboo Hills have been important to the Conservancy's preservation efforts at Baxter's Hollow, making cooperative conservation of this critical bird and wildlife habitat possible.