Bauer Brockway Barrens State Natural Area

Bauer Brockway Barrens State Natural Area is a 240-acre sandy barrens with scattered open-grown jack pine and Hill’s Oak. The rare Karner blue butterfly thrives on the prairie’s wild lupine. Other prairie plants include June grass, little bluestem grass, sand primrose, bird’s-foot violet, western sunflower and cream wild indigo. Shrubs such as American hazelnut and New Jersey Tea provide singing platforms for many grassland birds including Field and Vesper sparrow, Nashville and Prairie Warblers, Indigo Bunting, and Eastern Towhee.

Directions: From Black River Falls, go east 0.4 miles on Hwy 54, then east 3.8 miles on West Bauer Road, then north 0.2 miles on Brockway Road to a parking area east of the road.

Gazetteer: Page 50, B-3 (prior to 10th edition). | Page 67, C-5 (10th edition).

Phone: 715/284-1400.

Web site: WDNR Bauer Brockway Barrens State Natural Area

Signature Species: Karner blue butterfly, Eastern Kingbird and Willow Flycatcher.

Seasonality: Open all year.

Parking: Parking area provided.

Nearest food & lodging: Black River Falls, 2 miles southwest of site.