Area & Nature
Our 11 acre Inn property offers a variety of bird and other wildlife habitats. They include recent and long abandoned farm fields, evergreen pine groves, old and young hardwoods with lots of snags, a small pond full of spring peepers, some small areas of wetland, a small river (the Crystal), and some lawn. We will be restoring the west 3-4 acres as lowland prairie or oak savannah as there are several open grown burr oaks there.
Further birding and wildlife viewing is a 2 minute walk in the village which brings you to an 1850′s mill pond where sightings of belted kingfishers, great blue heron and other water and marsh birds are common. In May we hosted the Northeast Wisconsin Birding Club and they increased our Inn Bird List by two more species!
The image to the right, of the nest with bluebird eggs – one caught at the very moment of hatching! – was taken by inn guest, John Bowman.
We recently saw a river otter snacking on one of the many fish in the pond. Within a five minute walk or bike ride there are uplands, drumlins as this is terminal moraine area, marshes and more river and field habitat. We are in the Chain O’Lakes so within three miles or less there are deep glacial kettles with marsh and tamarack swamp around them. Several of the lakes are “no wake” lakes perfect for canoe and kayak. Hartman Creek State Park is three miles away and the Waupaca River is 4 miles away. There is a restored oak savannah area 3 miles away by Waupaca High School.
We have seven bluebird houses that we monitor for the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin and as of June 15, 2010 we have had twelve Eastern
Bluebird chicks fledge this year. Other “cavity nesting songbirds” living in our birdhouses include Tree Swallows, House Wrens and Black-capped Chickadees.
We are located on Wisconsin Rustic Road #23 and are in wonderful bicycling country. Our road and even the Inn are included in many bike touring guides.
The Ice Age Trail, one of only eight National Scenic Trails in the U.S., showcases Wisconsin’s world-renowned glacial features and abundant natural beauty. By tracing the furthest advance of the most recent glaciation, hikers can experience the beautiful and diverse landscapes that were sculpted more than 10,000 years ago. We are happy to “spot” your car at a nearby Ice Age Trail segment. (from the Inn to Inn Hiking on the Ice Age Trail brochure)
Feel free to walk the streets the historic village of Rural, where you’ll find 14 other homes built in the 1850’s by primarily Yankees of British descent who were merchants and farmers from the eastern U.S. Most of these homes are of the Greek Revival architectural style. The village of Rural is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of two Yankee districts in Wisconsin. Take time to dip your fingers or toes into the refreshing waters of the Crystal River that drew the first European settlers to this place 150 years ago.
