In this article, we will be talking about the various things that you can do within Beldenville and Pierce County, Wisconsin, as a whole. Now, you might ask, “Why include Pierce County and not just Beldenville?” Well, this is due to the fact that there are, unfortunately, little things to do within that unincorporated community to talk about, and as a consequence of these facts, we shall talk about the various activities you could do within the county that it is in as well. With these criteria, we can talk about the many things you could do and enjoy within the county. Explore everything this area has to offer — from activities and attractions to fairs and festivals, there’s something here for everybody! Dig into these great stories and get inspired for your next Wisconsin vacation.
Located inside an 1865 log cabin, the Orchard Store is your destination for all sorts of apple creations! Some of their specialties include apple brats, made with fresh apple and cider instead of water, caramel apple pies, jams, and jellies. A number of tours are also available to turn your visit to Circle K into an educational fall trip. Take a wagon ride tour of the orchard, tour the commercial apple packing line or witness the cider-making process to learn how apples are converted into the delicious drink.
Crystal Cave is a cave located in Wisconsin’s Pierce County, near the Town of Spring Valley on Highway 29. The cave was discovered in 1881 by local brothers George and William Vanasse. Crystal Cave is a multi-level solutional cave formed in dolomite bedrock in the Prairie du Chien group. The dolomite was formed 485 million years ago during the Lower Ordovician Period when a warm shallow ocean covered much of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is Wisconsin’s longest known cave.
The cave and surrounding property were developed into a show cave by a local advertiser and amateur geologist Henry A. Friede of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Friede had been interested in opening a show cave for some time, having been inspired by the success of similar business ventures, such as Blue Mounds (now known as Cave of the Mounds) and the show caves near Harmony, Minnesota. The land was purchased by Friede and shortly after, on November 2, 1941, work was started to remove the glacial debris left in the cave that filled many of the passages on the second and third levels. At this same time, Alvin Peterson, a local architect, was engaged by Friede to design the entrance building.
By April 1942 much of the debris had been removed and construction was begun on the entry building that had been designed by Peterson. The newly christened “Crystal Cave” was set to open on the Memorial Day weekend of 1942, but this plan was disrupted by heavy rains in the area. The opening of the cave was delayed until June 7, 1942.
Maiden Rock Bluff protects one of Wisconsin’s most notable limestone cliff faces on a bluff high above the Mississippi River overlooking Lake Pepin. Extending for nearly a mile, the 400-foot high bluff is especially noteworthy for the presence of nesting peregrine falcons, a state-endangered species. The cliff is one of only six bluffs on the Mississippi River where peregrines are successfully nesting on a natural substrate.
Representative cliff species include red cedar aged at 250 years of age, hairbell, slender lip fern, smooth cliff brake, slender cliff brake, white-flowered leaf-cup, and plains muhly grass. The open cliff and adjacent narrow band of dry prairie provide habitat for several rare plant species. Many dry prairie species are also present including little bluestem, wild bergamot, columbine, leadplant, mountain mint, alumroot, pasqueflower, and silky aster.
Larger blocks of restorable oak savanna are found on the deep soils of the lower slopes and support such species as arrow-leaved aster, zigzag goldenrod, bare-stemmed tick-trefoil, round-leaved shinleaf, sweet cicely, and wild yam. The rocky bluff provides hunting perches and habitat for a variety of other raptors including gyrfalcon, golden eagle, bald eagle, and turkey vulture. Situated along the Mississippi River flyway, an important migration corridor for raptors and neotropical songbirds, protection of Maiden Rock Bluff will also provide important habitat for other migrating birds. Maiden Rock Bluff is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2004.
Nugget Lake is a 117-acre lake located in Pierce County. It has a maximum depth of 50 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include Largemouth Bass and Walleye.