Ringelstetter Wetland

Nestled within the Lower Wisconsin River Waterway, a wetland complex of international importance, the Ringelstetter family nurtured this ecological gem for decades. Now publicly accessible, Ringelstetter Wetland connects two state-owned parcels and forever protects the integrity of this rich corridor of wildlife habitat.

Quick Facts

Spring Green, WI
154 acres
No trails, flat but wet topography
Wetland and bottomland forest
Hunting and trapping permitted

Getting Here

Ringelstetter Wetland about six miles east of Spring Green on Highway 60. You can find the coordinates on Google Maps here.

Parking

There is no formal parking area. Parking on the shoulder of the road is permitted.

Trails and Other Features

There are no trails at Ringelstetter Wetland.

Accessibility Considerations

Ringelstetter Wetland is difficult to access due to wet soil, thick grasses, and lack of defined trails and parking. However, parking on the shoulder and birding from your car with a pair of binoculars offers an opportunity to see the huge diversity of waterfowl and other birds that thrive in the wetland.

What Will You Find Here?

As part of the internationally recognized Lower Wisconsin River Waterway, the waterfowl habitat at the Ringelstetter Wetland is indeed world class! You may see trumpeter swans, great egrets, sandhill cranes, black tern, Virginia rail (likely nesting), and migrating waterfowl such as northern pintail, American wigeon, gadwall, and green-winged teal. A bald eagle nest is also present on this site.

In addition to an abundance of birds, many mammal species thrive here too, including beavers, muskrats, and otters.

Preserve Rules

Preserve hours are dawn to dusk. Camping and building campfires are not allowed.
Foot traffic only. Horseback riding, bicycles, and motorized equipment are not permitted on the preserve.
Keep dogs on a leash at all times. Off-leash dogs can stress, injure, or kill wildlife, and may create an unpleasant experience for other visitors.
Leave no trace. Carry out everything that you carry in, including garbage and pet waste.
Ringelstetter Wetland is open for public hunting. DALC does not require permits for hunting or trapping at this site.

Ringelstetter Wetland was formerly part of a large farm. The upland acreage is now owned by our partners at the Savanna Institute and operated as one of their silviculture research farms. You can learn more about the work of the Savanna Institute here.

Since the wetland is surrounded by state land, all agreed that it should become part of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway. But the DNR had no funds to purchase it. So, in partnership with local conservationists and the landowner, Driftless Area Land Conservancy worked to secure a grant through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and raised matching funds to purchase the property in early 2022. We plan to give the property to the DNR to join neighboring public land and create a larger corridor of publicly accessible wildlife habitat.

Read more about the history of this exciting project in DALC's 2022 winter-spring newsletter, on pages 6-7.

A wetland with brown reeds and a hill in the distance under a blue sky.

A swan on the water holding its wings in an arc.