Straight River (Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Straight River |
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The river at its source, Straight Lake
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| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Wisconsin |
| Length | 15.5 miles (24.9 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | Upper Apple-Lower St. Croix-Mississippi |
The Straight River is a small river, about 15.5-mile-long (24.9 km), located entirely in Polk County, Wisconsin, United States. It's a tributary, which means it's a smaller river that flows into a larger one – in this case, the Apple River.
The Straight River begins in wet areas west of Straight Lake, inside Straight Lake State Park. After leaving Straight Lake, the river flows mostly southeast. It heads towards Big Round Lake in the town of Georgetown. From Big Round Lake, the Straight River continues through Little and Big Blake lakes.
Later, it meets Fox Creek, which is the water flowing out of Bone Lake. Below this meeting point, Fox Creek flows south for about 5.2 miles (8.4 km). It runs roughly next to County Road I/H before joining the Apple River. This meeting happens a few miles west of White Ash Lake, within the town of Apple River.
The Amazing Straight River Tunnel Channel
The Straight River flows through a special place called the Straight River Tunnel Channel. This tunnel is a well-preserved example of a glacial tunnel. You can even find the Ice Age National Scenic Trail running alongside it!
How the Tunnel Channel Formed
This tunnel channel was created a very long time ago, between 15,000 and 18,000 years ago. This was near the end of the most recent Ice Age. During that time, huge sheets of ice, called glaciers, covered much of the land.
Meltwater from deep under these glaciers was forced out. This water was under extreme pressure as it moved towards the edges of the glacier. This powerful flow of water carved out the tunnel channel we see today. The Straight River Tunnel Channel is considered the best example of this rare natural event in all of Wisconsin.
