Entrance into Wisconsin State Parks requires a pass. Either a one-day pass or an annual pass can be purchased at the park or online at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/admission
This geocache has been hidden as a part of the Wisconsin Geocaching Association's State Park series, the cache is hidden approx. .2 miles from the parking coordinates, along the Thimbleberry Nature Trail (map available at the office or trailhead). This trail is open for hiking and snowshoeing.
This cache can be accessed by a couple of the trails at Aztalan so you can decide where you'd like to park based on which mounds you'd like to walk by. It is hidden not far from the river on a woodsy walk at the back of the park. Dogs are allowed in a few places in this park but not where the cache is hidden. Please note that Aztalan has been blocked for geocaching because of the sensitive nature of the archeological digs going on but I got special permission from the land manager to place this WGA Series geocache. Please be respectful of your surroundings in this unique place so that we can continue with a good relationship with the DNR, thank you!
AZTALAN STATE PARK
Aztalan State Park is a National Historic Landmark and contains one of Wisconsin's most important Location archaeological sites. It showcases an ancient Middle-Mississippian village that thrived between A.D. 1000 and 1300. The people who settled Aztalan built large, flat-topped pyramidal mounds and a stockade around their village. Portions of the stockade and two mounds have been reconstructed in the park.
The park is mostly open prairie, with 38 of its 172 acres in oak woods. The most obvious features of Aztalan are its pyramid-shaped, flat-topped platform mounds and the stockades, believed to have served both ceremonial and defensive functions. Three platform mounds remain on the site. The largest is the one in the southwest corner of the stockade; one almost as large is located in the northwest corner. The smallest of the three is along the east side of the settlement, near the Crawfish River (labeled "West Branch of Rock River" on the plates). The hill in the southeast corner is a natural gravel knoll, not built by the inhabitants.
Aztalan State Park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. This is a fee area so unless you have an annual state parks pass you will need to pay the $7 for the day or $5 for an hour. Please visit the DNR website for more information about the fee schedule.
Southern Savannah Biome
This region, the bottom middle of the state, is characterized by remnants of the once predominant oak savanna biome. A savannah will have a low plant density, allowing for grassland development under the open canopy of forest dominated by oak. These landscapes are often described as “park like” due to their open appearance and with development, are disappearing from their original boundaries. Red-Headed Woodpeckers and Wild Turkey are birds that depend on this kind of biome, and of course Whitetail Deer are seen throughout the area, as are raccoons, squirrels and small rodents.
WISCONSIN GEOCACHING ASSOCIATION
The Wisconsin Geocaching Association (WGA) is a group of geocachers dedicated to promoting and protecting geocaching within the state of Wisconsin. The WGA organizes geocaching events, works with land owners/managers on geocaching policies, educates the public at large about geocaching, and facilitates communication between WGA members. To learn more about the WGA visit: www.wi-geocaching.com
2013 kicks off the beginning of the Wisconsin Geocaching Association State Parks series. It is our goal to place a geocache in every state park in the state of Wisconsin so watch out for more in this series that encourages geocachers to explore the natural resources in this beautiful state of ours.
The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to Sarah Bolser of the WDNR at Aztalan.
Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. The DNR Notification form and land manager information can be obtained at: http://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/forms/2500/2500-118.pdf