Camping in July

JBtheExplorer

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I recently went camping for a couple nights at one of my favorite state forests. I got a bunch of great photos and saw a lot of great things, so I decided to share them with you all.

One of my favorite things to do there is canoe the lake. Its a crystal clear springfed lake. The entire northern half is very shallow and sandy.
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I found many Painted Turtles. They're very common in the lake. They usually don't stay long enough for a photo, but I was able to catch this one with my hand.
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I was lucky enough to see a state-threatened Blandings Turtle.
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Shortly after canoeing, I walked onto the pier and saw this Common Snapping Turtle.
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North of the lake, there is a much smaller body of water that flows into the lake. You can't access it by canoe, but there is a small footpath that has a great view of it. There is also a tent site there that I wouldn't mind camping at someday.
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Another one of my favorite things to do is hike the nature trail across the street from the campground. It has some fantastic views. Not to mention, and ice cold spring-fed river flows through the area.
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I've always been tempted to get in the river and finally did, even though the temperatures weren't so hot.
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Here are some of the many springs that feed the river.
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and I found some American Toad Tadpoles in the river.
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Monarch.
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If you look closely, you will see a Sandhill Crane. They're very common in the area.
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...and I always check up on the birdhouse I donated to the trail.
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Finally, just as my trip was wrapping up, I was lucky enough to find Wisconsin's most unique snake. The Eastern Hognose Snake. Its completely harmless, and rarely even bites, but it puts on a heck of a show by flattening its neck like a cobra, hissing, striking, and moving its head from side to side. They can even shake their tails in leaves to sound like a rattle snake. If all that doesn't work, they will roll over and play dead, though I haven't witnessed that in person yet. I was really happy to find it and it was probably my favorite moment of the weekend.
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I also took some video while there. Here's the nature trail video:
Here's the canoeing video:
Here's the Hognose Snake video:
 
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Nice photos and video JB. Looks like a neat place. I have never seen a lake with such clear water.
 
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Very nice indeed but seeing as this was Springfield lake where are all the three eyed fish chortle chortle :happy:

Dave
 

Troutredds

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Beautiful images, JB. Your title "Camping in July" reminds me of a sad but natural disaster currently occuring in our state, in a place I love. For over thirty years we camped in July with family and friends at Alta Lake State Park in central Washington state. As of today, nearly four hundred square miles of central and eastern Washington are involved in our state's worst wildfire ever. Here's a recent view of the fire approaching the lake:
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...and here's the park entrance now.
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JBtheExplorer

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Beautiful images, JB. Your title "Camping in July" reminds me of a sad but natural disaster currently occuring in our state, in a place I love. For over thirty years we camped in July with family and friends at Alta Lake State Park in central Washington state. As of today, nearly four hundred square miles of central and eastern Washington are involved in our state's worst wildfire ever. Here's a recent view of the fire approaching the lake: View attachment 73314
...and here's the park entrance now.
View attachment 73315


That's the sad thing about forest fires. Field fires actually help make the fields and prairies stronger, since those plants can regrow quickly and retake land from invasive species, but it'll be decades before forests are anywhere near what they were, and they need a lot of human help.
 

JBtheExplorer

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I love the Southern Kettle Moraine area. Beautiful pictures.
Yeah, the SKM is beautiful in general, and this area is my favorite. NKM isn't half bad either!

Awesome spot, looks like a great place for our kayaks :)
Definitely. I'm hoping to get a kayak someday. Not that I don't love canoeing, but kayaks seem to be so much more fun.
 

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