Caves, Mounds and Everything Between: Central Wisconsin

Whooping Crane - International Crane Foundation

After enjoying camping so much in Minnesota, my girlfriend and I decided to take a weekend to go camping in Wisconsin! It was great checking out Blue Mounds State Park and we had three major stops while out there. The first was the Cave of the Mounds, right outside the state park! I had never been in a cave before this and it was an amazing experience. It was so much colder and darker than I could've expected, and getting to see a several hundred million year old fossil in the ceiling of this cave was unforgettable. As we continue to get out into wild spaces, caves may become a feature that are a must visit! The state park itself was also gorgeous and the views from the top of the mound was phenomenal!

The only proper zoo we visited was the Henry Vilas Zoo! This free little zoo is found in Madison, Wisconsin and has a decent variety of animals on display here. While some of the habitats are outdated, the polar bear, badger and otters have good set ups. Overall this was a fun little zoo visit, but I can't say I'm impressed by this facility quite yet. However, with a new giraffe habitat on the way, this one might warrant another visit in the future!

The next site we dropped by was the International Crane Foundation! I had only heard of this site a few times and the people who recommended it to me only sung its praises, and now I can understand why! They showcase every species of crane on Earth and beyond having really well done habitats and aviaries for their birds, the educational elements here are top notch. They discuss the cultural importance of these birds across their range and even have sculptures inspired by these stunning avians. This could've been a short visit, but it was such an enjoyable little site that we stuck around for a few hours. If you have any interest in birds or even art, I can't recommend this place enough!