Early March is not generally the best time for a hike in Central Wisconsin, but I had to get out on this nice, almost Spring day. Petenwell Rock is always a great little jaunt, right here in Juneau County, so I headed over there this afternoon.
If you are looking for Petenwell Rock, you can find it right along the Wisconsin River, just down from the Petenwell Dam. There is a parking lot on the corner of State Road 21 and 19th Avenue, just outside of Necedah. There is another smaller lot up 19th Avenue, just past the Woodbine Inn. This lot gets packed in the summer with cars lining this rural road. Both parking lots offer a trailhead very nearby. Today I chose the trail off of 19th Avenue because it is the one that starts out the easiest.
The trails up and around Petenwell Rock are not marked! This hiking spot is open to the public but is not maintained. Please be courteous stewards when you are hiking here. Trash-in, trash-out, leave only footprints, you know the drill.
A Petenwell Rock hike can range from easy, to very difficult, to straight-up rock climbing! It is not uncommon to see people with harnesses heading right up the face of Petenwell Bluff or repelling down. There are great views of the Wisconsin River through the trees and some great rock outcroppings to enjoy, even if you don't want to get to the very top. Though the trails can lead you most of the way to the top of Petenwell Rock, where you can see Necedah, Roch-a-Cri, Castle Rock Lake, Petenwell Lake, and often Bald Eagles flying over the river.
My husband can regale you with a story of him making it to the top of the rock with one arm in a cast while carrying a beer to enjoy before coming back down. (I would not recommend this! We were much younger then and not as smart! Plus, remember getting down is always harder than getting up there!)
People do fall off the rock, so be careful. The Necedah Volunteer Fire Departments will come up, load you on a stretcher and somehow get you down, but I'm sure they would rather you play it safe!
The trails are full of snow and a little extra icy this time of year. If you are headed to the rock anytime soon, I suggest planning on staying on the main trails and bringing your crampons or snowshoes for traction. The trails on the rock itself can be slippery with leaves and pine needles all year long. Add in some snow and ice, and my winter hike today turned into a little bit slower and longer than I expected. But it was still worth it!
