Last year I got to see the Devil’s Kettle as a bonus side trip to a Natural Resources of Wisconsin Field Trip. I told you I’d go back and since I didn’t get what I was after, I’ll be going back again.
This is the section of creek by Devil’s Kettle, just above actually. Part of the trail comes in here.
I didn’t spend a lot of time at the waterfall because it wasn’t flowing too much and I had better shots from the fall. But here it is, a little close view, the deep red tannins are beautiful –
I thought I had my neutral density filter with me, but I left it in another coat pocket so…I made do with just the polarizer and the tripod. In retrospect, this worked out for the best. The brook is shallow and so tannic so I don’t think that longer exposures would have showed it off so well. I wanted to find the deeper and more un-trodden canyon areas.
Turns out that I was headed in the wrong direction … but it was pretty.
The forest floor was just beginning to green and it was lovely.
Most of the plants you see are ramps – wild leeks. I have them in the yard and they are the first green to be seen. So very welcome!! Also up were hepatica, trout lily, bloodroot, spring beauty and a few anenome. This hilly area in Rusk County must be a little more protected and warmer than where I am almost due west since the flowers were much more developed. A little micro climate.
One of the things I love about areas like this is the untouched wildness of them. No landscaping. No one takes debris out of the water. There isn’t even a trail.
The quartzite ledge catches the eye, too.
I wanted to explore more, but a cloudburst was imminent so I didn’t wander too far from the Jeep. I did head up though. This far before leaf break means you can see pretty well down to the creek.
Seems like the water flow doesn’t get much higher at any time of the year. I’d like to have seen it with a little more volume, but what can you do? One of these days I’ll get back. Maybe in the fall. I don’t think there’s a real trail, but plenty of people visit the canyons so maybe there is one. Otherwise bushwhacking it is.
Places like this are not big and grand but small and subtle, and therein lies their own personal beauty. I hope you do go back in the summer when the trees are in full leaf, and then again in fall as the leaves turn.
Thanks much. I think that’s when I’ll try next – fall. Summer is just too intensely buggy for me and this place, being so wet, is probably worse than most. But it is pretty great and I hope to get to the taller cliffs next time.
Looking forward to seeing it!