Hiking the trails of Wehr Nature Center in Franklin, Wisconsin offered us a tranquil start to the day while admiring a cornucopia of birds, a sprinkle of wildflowers, a calm lake, and the rush of a waterfall. During our first amble along the natural and boardwalk trails of Wehr Nature Center, we immediately became enchanted.
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| A network of boardwalks crisscrosses Wehr Nature Center. |
Wehr Nature Center Inside of Whitnall Park
Wehr Nature Center can be found within the larger Whitnall Park also featuring a golf course and botanical gardens. The Oak Leak Trail, popular with bicyclists and hikers, courses through the preserve connecting it with others in the Milwaukee area. Charles Whitnall was the architect of the Milwaukee County park system and was instrumental in purchasing the land that would become his namesake park. The Civil Conservation Corps later created Mallard Lake and the dam (waterfall).
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| Mallard Lake provides a tranquil spot to view birds. |
Spectacular Wildlife Viewing
The preserve provides incredible habitats for a range of birds and other wildlife. Since we are still in spring migration, an array of birds welcomed us to the preserve. Warblers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, wild turkeys, Canada geese, cardinals, belted kingfishers, chickadees, doves, bluejays, tree swallows, red-winged blackbirds, and more bird friends greeted us along the trails. Such a birding wonderland!
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| A wild turkey ambles about at Wehr Nature Center. |
Wehr contains about 5 miles of trail. The use of boardwalks making it easier to enjoy the preserve during wetter seasons is pretty impressive. Boardwalks prove particularly useful in spring when trails can easily be flooded. Trails also provide close proximity to the waterfall which is pretty neat!
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| The rush of a waterfall delights at Wehr Nature Center. |
Who can resist waterfall gazing? We savored a pause at the waterfall and even ambled closer to watch it tumble into the Root River.
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| A boardwalk beckons us into the woodlands. |
We also hiked up to the nature center. Near the center, there is an exploratory area for children as well as a cache of bird feeders. Bird feeders are always a fantastic spot to see birds. A cardinal sang to us from a nearby tree. Near the nature center, we found a pier that provides a good vantage point for bird viewing.
Even before leaving the preserve, we had already resolved to return to Wehr Nature Center. We loved the landscape and range of wildlife viewed. Now, our curiosity is piqued to view the preserve in other seasons!
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