Mazo Beach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mazomanie Bottoms State Natural Area |
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 Mazomanie Bottoms State Natural Area
Location in Wisconsin
Mazomanie Bottoms State Natural Area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dane, Wisconsin, United States |
| Area | 352 acres (142 ha) |
| Established | 1978 |
Mazo Beach is a popular nickname for the Mazomanie Bottoms State Natural Area. This special place is located in Dane County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Since the 1950s, the State of Wisconsin has bought parts of the land along the river. This was done to offer many nature activities. These activities include hiking, watching wildlife, hunting, and fishing. The area also helps protect animal homes. Since 1978, the beach and the nature preserve around it have been a favorite spot. People come here for picnics and swimming day trips. They enjoy its wide, open shoreline.
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Mazomanie Bottoms: A Special Place
The Mazomanie Bottoms is a large area of forest. It is located on the floodplain of the Wisconsin River. A floodplain is flat land next to a river that sometimes floods. This area has old river channels that are usually dry. They only fill with water during big floods.
Nature and Wildlife
The forest at Mazomanie Bottoms is home to many different trees. You will find silver maple, elm, basswood, and ash trees. Other trees include swamp white oak, cottonwood, willow, river birch, and hackberry.
Trees and Plants
Sometimes, there are open spots in the forest where elm trees have died. In these spots, you can see many smaller plants. These include prickly ash, gray dogwood, and young trees. Some sandy areas have oak trees. Near the wet areas, you will mostly see silver maple trees. Many climbing plants grow here too. These include wild yam, grape, and poison ivy. Sandbars and small pools of water along the river add even more variety to the area.
Birds and Animals
Thousands of migrating birds use this forest as a stop on their long journeys. Many birds also build their nests here. Some of the less common nesting birds include the cerulean warbler, Kentucky warbler, prothonotary warbler, and mourning warbler. You might also spot winter wrens and brown creepers. The area has many woodpeckers. In winter, bald eagles often come to Mazomanie Bottoms. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) owns this land. It was named a State Natural Area in 1978.
Visiting the Beach
On a warm summer weekend, hundreds of people might visit the beach. This includes families with children and people enjoying boat rides on the river. In the past, groups that care about nature have sometimes spoken up. They wanted to make sure the beach stays open and free for everyone in Wisconsin to enjoy. The beach is located along the Lower Wisconsin River. It is in the northwest part of Dane County, near the Town of Mazomanie. It is between the Village of Mazomanie and Sauk City, Wisconsin.
Changes Over Time
The size of the beach changes each year. This is because the river changes with the seasons. Also, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sometimes updates rules for the land. This means the actual beach area can look different from year to year. Camping is not allowed on the sandbars near Mazomanie Bottoms.
In 2013, a new rule was passed that closed the beach on weekdays. Later, on March 8, 2016, the DNR closed the beach completely for a while. They said this was because of illegal activities. The state is now making new plans for the area. However, Mazo Beach was not included in these new plans.
