Book Review: Great Nature Wisconsin

Bookstore shelves are crammed with travel guides for Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. There are hiking guides, camping guides, geological guides, fishing and hunting guides, canoeing and kayaking guides; even lighthouse tours. So, when I saw a guide for nature immersion my first reaction was a hearty eye roll. Point of reference — I am a thinker; not a feeler. List me among the practical science nerd, only the facts mam, kind of guys. My first impulse is to throw forest bathing and nature immersion into the junk drawer with pyramid power and magic crystals.

Randy Hoffman, however, is an old and respected friend. My copy of his book on Wisconsin natural communities is well worn and sits atop my bookcase when it is not at my elbow on the desk. His decades of botanizing for the Wisconsin DNR followed by more than a decade managing among the most diverse dry prairies in southern Wisconsin place him at the top of anybody’s list of working naturalists.

Great Nature Wisconsin has at once a very familiar feel. It follows the well established form of guidebooks with concise descriptions of natural points of interest geographically organized. Its unique contribution to the genre, however, comes from its ability to blend the practical insights of and expert naturalist with both emotional sensibilities of a guru. These more etherial dimensions are most certainly brought to the work by co-authors Laura and Cody Stingley. They also bring a third and equally important dimension, that of family.

Woven throughout the guide is a commitment to involvement of the entire family in the outdoor experience. The authors are sensitive to how interests and needs of both the youngest and oldest adventurers. The guide also contains separate sections for extended vacations and day-trips. Sprinkled throughout the narrative are specific references to the flora and fauna you are likely to find at each location.

One aspect that is particularly unusual is that the trips include an incredibly wide variety of activities from boating and birding to botanizing and stargazing. Suggested locations include National Forests and State Natural Areas; County Forests to Wildernesses. With 400 entries, there is something for just about everybody. The authors were careful to select interesting and often overlooked locations; not simply aa rehash of Wisconsin’s greatest hits. It also means this guide will keep you supplied with novel delightful excursions into nature for years to come.

The format of the entries in this guide is very tight making it easy to understand. A particularly handy feature is inclusion of latitude and longitude for each entry. This makes it easy to locate the entry point of parking lot from which to begin your visit. Also included are easy to understand ratings for accessibility, natural diversity and physical challenge.

If you are looking for a guidebook that provides a unique collection of outdoor adventures with fresh perspectives, Great Nature Wisconsin will fill that very unexpected and welcome space on your shelf of Badger State trip planners.