Belmont Mound State Park is a perfect getaway for the outdoor enthusiast. This beautiful park is covered with oaks and walnuts and spans over 254 acres. Belmont comes from the French word “belle monte”, which means “beautiful mountain”. The top of the area is 1,400 feet above sea level and therefore offers visitors a spectacular vantage observation position.
The state park is maintained by the local Lions Club and is located in the southwest savanna landscape of Wisconsin.
Things to See
The observation tower is a must-stop site for any outdoor enthusiast in Belmont Mound State Park. To the north, you will see the Jones branch of the Pecatonica River, which is about 1 mile away. Also, you won’t miss the Wisconsin River valley that is 30 miles away.
To the northeast you will see the Blue Mounds that are 33 miles away while 13 miles to the east-southeast lies the City of Darlington, which is the county seat of Lafayette County. The West Blue Mound is the higher of the Blue Mounds and is located in Blue Mound State Park. Further south-southeast is the Village of Belmont and Scales Mound, IL which are 3 miles and 20 miles away respectively.
The Sisinawa Mound lies 20 miles to the south-southwest while the Mississippi River valley is situated 19 miles to the southwest. During the night, you will see the lights of Dubuque, Iowa. The City of Platteville, which is home of a University of Wisconsin campus, is located 8 miles to the west-southwest. 3 miles to the west lies the Platte Mound while the City of Lancaster is 20 miles to the west-northwest.
Rock Formations in Belmont Mound State Park
The park has interesting rock formation every outdoor adventure seeker should see. The three most prominent ones are The Devil’s Dining Table, The Devil’s Chair and The Cave. You will enjoy the spectacular sights and can even try your hiking skills on these formations.
At the south side of the mound, there is an abandoned quarry that has been converted to a picnic site. You will see remains of kilns that were used to heat limestone to form lime around the picnic area. After having your fill, go on an afternoon adventure to the Belmont Mound Woods State Natural Area forest that boasts of large trees and spring wildflowers. The forest is also home to the Cooper’s hawk and a variety of birds. If you are a bird-watcher, you cannot afford to miss this!
Things to Do
If you are looking for walking adventures, Belmont Mound State Park will not disappoint you. It has 2.5 miles of nature trails that are open for mountain biking, hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. However, the trails on the mounds are open for hiking only.
A picnic area is located near the entrance of the park and some play equipment is locate nearby in case you brought your kids along. For some wild adventure, try sharpening your hunting skills at the park during the deer hunting season. Get your family together and have a fun filled day chasing deer in the park.
Outdoor adventure seekers who are not into fast paced adventures can try picking blackberries, raspberries and morel mushrooms. Moreover, there are also black walnuts to be gathered by the whole family!
Attractions Around The Park
There are many attractions around Belmont Mound State Park. For some trout fishing adventure, Platte River, Jones branch of the Pecatonica River and Rountree and Snowden branches of the Little Platte River are the best places for this activity.
You might also be interested in seeing the two famous historical sites in the area: Pendarvi and Wisconsin’s First Capitol. State parks in the area include Yellowstone Lake, Governor Dodge and Blue Mound while the three most popular trails are Military Ridge, Cheese Country and Pecatonica.
Accommodation is available in Mineral Port, Barneveld, Dodgeville, Platteville, Belmont, Blue Mounds and Shellsburg.
Contact Information
For more information about the park or what attractions are available, use the contact information below:
Address:
County Road G Off US 151
Belmont, WI 53510
Telephone: 608-523-4427