HIDDEN VALLEYS

The Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1939, sprawls across nearly 44,000 acres, with a patchwork of sedge meadow, prairie, savanna, and pine and oak trees. It is a habitat for federally endangered whooping cranes and Klarner blue butterflies, as well as the Blanding’s turtle, a Wisconsin species of special concern. More than 110 species of migratory birds, 14 types of reptiles, and 44 butterfly species are drawn to the refuge, which is also home to badgers, wolves, and black bears.

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Water sports also define Juneau County, with Petenwell and Castle Rock lakes the second and fourth largest inland lakes in the state. Their shores are lined with campgrounds and vacation homes, and they feature boating, waterskiing, canoeing, and kayaking. All-terrain vehicle tours guide visitors across miles of nature trails.

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Juneau County is cultivating arts and culture with the Oh! Arts Cooperative, which offers art classes and galleries, and the Gravity Box microbrewery, both in Mauston. In Necedah, antique shops cluster on Main Street, and in New Lisbon, the Burr Oak Winery beckons tourists and the Henry A. Mortenson collection displays artifacts from the Woodland culture people, while the Riverside & Great Northern Railway offers rides on a steam train. All aboard!