The bridges are coming

The bridges are coming
county parks regain their footing
by Theresa Washburn

Rung Hollow, Duck Egg, Esofea, Jersey Valley, Sidie Hollow. Ask anyone outside Vernon County to identify these locations, or even guess to what these proper names refer, and the air around that question will likely fall silent. But around here, “I was at Sidie today” can mean boatfuls.

At the mere mention of these parks, the mind quickly conjures up thoughts of hikes, hot dogs over campfires, lazy days of fishing, and for some, an autumn hunt. These place names enlace themselves in our vernacular. Our county parks and forests offer respite and recreation for many, and their presence feels like good kin, always there, forever open to our visit.

I’m certain I’ve clocked over 1,000 hours within the feathery, green walls of our public parks and forests. I know some of the regular campers at Sidie Hollow by name. I always shout hello to the rocks at Duck Egg, the ones on the cliff that look like the face of a Native American. I know each hairpin turn at Jersey Valley and always stop at the spot where the owl stared so close and so long at me one day. If my legs need a stretch and my soul needs soothing, I need but a few minutes in my vehicle to land feet first on grasscovered trails.

Last summer, almost overnight, the reliability of our public lands came into question. It changed when water came, tons of it. The stuff dumped out of the sky, slid down hills and gathered force in the valleys. It pounded down the stream banks and smashed into the dams of our county.

The parks that once housed sunburned faces of children and sleepy-eyed campers now stood filled past all the edges with water. Some humans fled, their tin and fabric homes hopelessly destroyed. Others drove carefully down towards the muddy soup and stared in disbelief. None of our public spaces were spared. Every single one suffered some damage.

“All of the parks except Esofea are watershed management areas too,” says Rod Engh, Vernon County Parks Administrator. “There’s no dam at Esofea so it really suffered the most.”

While the recreational component of their purpose almost disappeared, the county parks continued to do their jobs. Like firefighters surging into action when the bell rings, these areas became keepers of the water. They held millions of gallons of water back, and for all the worry, none of them broke the promise of managing the flood.

We bank on balance. We write budgets based on hope of equilibrium, particularly in regards to nature. Because the truth is, for all her moments of rage and storm, Mother Nature keeps a steady temper most of the time. When our parks suffered nature’s weeping, we wondered how they would recover all those acres of land—1,774 acres to be exact. Without immediate assistance and with not enough staff to do the work before winter set in, our parks quieted down under a blanket of snow and froze the damage in place.

For over six months the bridge at Sidie Hollow sat like a wounded animal, dying in the middle of the lake. The fishing dock clung to the side of the dam. We waited and watched the silence. I thrashed through the woods and crawled over downed trees on my usual hike. In some places I jumped rocks to cross the streams and noticed footprints of others who had followed the same route.

Patience, understanding, and the public stepping up will help the slow process of rebuilding and repairing public lands. “We will get the fixes done. We are light on help but they will be done,” Engh assures. “Someday, I would love to see a Friends of Vernon County Parks organization. That would be great, because volunteer help is needed and wanted.”

In the meantime the winds of spring draw warm air up into this once snowbound tundra and we exhale. Our parks open their arms to us again and we all hope that nature decides to keep her balance.

Theresa Washburn is a communications consultant and avid hiker. Her dogs love her for this passion. She lives in the Viroqua area with her husband and daughter who aren’t as fond of the activity.

“We are light on help, but we will get the fixes done.” Fish stories: County parks offer family recreation. The off icial open season for our parks started April 15, and many might be wondering if it’s worth the trip. Will trails and camping spots still be wallowing in mud and muck? Where are the picnic tables? Can you go horseback riding on the trails? Here’s a brief rundown of the condition of each park.

Duck Egg County Forest
This 700-acre county forest fared well. The recent stream bank improvement project held, save for a few rocks that moved location. Two of the bridges are still up, though the ramps need repairing. Horseback riders, anglers and hikers can still use the trails and cold trout fishing waters. Engh says that one of the goals of Duck Egg Forest is to maintain a natural area, as wild and undeveloped as possible. So don’t look for big projects in that valley. It will remain tromping grounds for the hardy souls who don’t mind getting a little wet and who enjoy the out-of-doors without the use of manmade amenities.

Sidie Hollow County Park
With 521 acres of woods, water and grass, this park is second in size and first in human use in the county system. People can picnic, camp, hike, bike, swing on the swingset, fish, even hold a family reunion in the shelter. Multi-use is the name of the game here, and the flood put a damper on it all. “We have funding to fix the problems, but we had to wait for the snow to go away. That took a while,” laughs Rod Engh, Vernon County Parks Administrator. Sidie is open for business as usual, but it will be difficult to hike the entire two-mile trail around the lake until the bridge is put into place. Engh says everything is coming along; new fire rings and picnic tables will also be in place soon. In addition, the park will plant about 100 trees of considerable size.

Jersey Valley County Park
There are 371 acres and not much going on right now. Don’t expect to be swimming at the Jersey Valley beach anytime soon. If you’re into waterfowl, though, it’s a treat. The lake has turned to marshland and ducks and loon populate the area. The hiking trails are open and the three-mile walk around what used to be the lake is full of elevation changes, so get ready to breathe a bit. Except for a few washouts on the hairpin turns and a beat-up bridge, there’s little notable damage on the trail. Fishermen are welcome to try their lines and test the waters, but Engh warns not to raise your hopes too high. “You can fish, but I can’t guarantee you’ll catch anything.” Of course, who ever could?

The Kooyumjian –Lost Creek County Forest
On the eastern edge of the county, between La Farge and Hillsboro, sits a 120-acre tract of land known as the Kooyumjian–Lost Creek County Forest. Like Duck Egg Forest, its main purpose is timber management, but it is also open to hikers and public hunting, not necessarily at the same time. This little gem is open as usual.

Esofea Park
Sandwiched in a valley with no dam to hold back the rush of water,Esofea lost a 200-foot section of the road leading to the park and both the approaches to the bridge. Repairs came quickly and Esofea opened on time this year. Engh says that a few of the campsites need time to seed in the sod, but those people who create family memories year after year at this 53-acre park will be delighted to know that it will look as familiar as an old friend.
—TW