Van Loon Recreation

The Van Loon Wildlife Area (exit to DNR) is one of the largest contiguous bottom-land hardwood sites in Western Wisconsin. Located along and through the Black River and its backwater, VLWA contains about 6,000 acres of land, much of it former farmland. The purpose of the area is to provide fishing and hunting for waterfowl, upland game and deer. The maze of channels in the Black River bottoms provide not only a treat to the eye, but also fairly good catfish and walleye fishing.

Many wildlife species are found including raccoon, squirrel, otter, beaver, snakes and amphibians. The area  provides recreation in hiking, fishing, plant study, canoeing, geocaching, snowshoeing and birdwatching. 

Geocaching

Geocaching is allowed on public lands in WI and currently happening at Van Loon WA. There’s an approval process folks need to go through but it’s pretty simple. Here’s a link to the WDNR website with more geocaching information. 

Birding

Van Loon Wildlife Area is noted as a Wisconsin Important Bird Areas (WIBA). The area is frequented by 100+ species of birds such as yellow-crowned night-herons, acadian flycatchers, cerulean warblers, and prothonotary warblers that breed there. The site also supports red-headed woodpeckers, blue-winged warblers, and field sparrows, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, herons, eagles, owls and songbirds. Waterbirds congregate in late summer and thousands of landbirds migrate through, particularly in the spring. Van Loon is also featured in the Mississippi – Chippewa River Region of the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail.