MUSCODA - The public is invited to Frank’s Hill in southern Richland County to observe the setting sun on the summer solstice, which marks the most daylight between sunrise and sunset in the calendar year.  The official start of summer will occur at 9:57 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21. MUSCODA - The public is invited to Frank’s Hill in southern Richland County to observe the setting sun on the summer solstice, which marks the most daylight between sunrise and sunset in the calendar year.  The official start of summer will occur at 9:57 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21. 

Weather permitting, the Three Eagles Foundation will provide a guided tour and a campfire for sharing stories in the evening.  Participants are encouraged to arrive by 7:30 p.m. to have time to walk around the mounds and should be there by 8 p.m. to enjoy the sunset. 

Frank’s Hill is a small knoll peppered with effigy mounds that offers a commanding view of the lower Wisconsin River valley.  The neighboring ridge to the west contains a group of small conical mounds thought to be calendar mounds that track the setting sun from May 1st to the summer solstice and back to August 1st. 

Those attending the June 21st event should bring chairs or blankets, insect repellant and their own food and beverages.  Also, feel free to bring a telescope or good set of binoculars and a camera.  Persons unable to attend the June 21st event are welcome to visit the site at another time.

Directions to Frank’s Hill are as follows; from the north end of the Muscoda bridge at the intersection of Highways 80 and 60, drive west on 60 for two miles and turn north on Highway 193.  Park by the first gate on the east side of the road, a short distance from 60, and walk to the top of the hill. 

For questions regarding the event, contact Mark Cupp at (608) 739-2179.  More information on Frank’s Hill may be found at the Three Eagles Foundation website at www.3-Eagles.org or by visiting the Foundation’s Facebook page.

Voyageur Canoe Trips

It’s still not to late to sign up for a Voyageur Canoe Trip on the Wisconsin River this summer.

The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board will sponsor a series of canoe outings on the Wisconsin River in June and July.  The large voyageur replica canoes commissioned by the State of Wisconsin in conjunction with the sesquicentennial in 1998 will be used for the trips that will explore different segments of the river. 

Seating is limited to 14 persons for each excursion, and reservations are required.  A waiting list will be developed in case of cancellations.  The excursions will be led by Mark Cupp, Riverway Board Executive Director.

Water levels and weather permitting, a sandbar stop will be included in each trip.  Participants should bring their own beverages, food, sunscreen, and bug spray.  No glass containers are allowed.  Lifejackets and paddles will be provided but participants are welcome to bring their own personal flotation device. 

Small groups may sign up for the trips, but should do so early to ensure adequate space is available. Additional information may be found on the Riverway Board website or Facebook page.

The year 2023 also marks the 350th anniversary of the famous expedition of Father Jacque Marquette and Louis Joliette from Green Bay up the Fox River to Portage and down the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi River in June of 1673. 

The first written record of what the Wisconsin River looked like is from the journal of Father Marquette who wrote, “The Wisconsin River is very broad with a sandy bottom that forms numerous shoals which renders navigation difficult.” 

A description that still applies to the lower Wisconsin River today.  He also wrote, “On the 17th of June, we entered the Father of Waters with a joy which I cannot express.”

Cupp will provide historical context of the Marquette-Joliette expedition and the profound impact it had on the indigenous peoples of the river valley and Upper Midwest.

Canoe trip dates

To make a reservation or to ask questions about the canoe trips, contact the Riverway Board office Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 608-739-3188 or 800-221-3792 or by emailing marsha.curtis@wi.gov.

The schedule for the canoe trips is as follows:

• Tuesday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,     Spring Green to Lone Rock

• Wednesday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Spring Green to Lone Rock

• Thursday, June 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,     Gotham to Muscoda

• Friday, June 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,         Muscoda to Port Andrew

• Tuesday, July 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,     Spring Green to Lone Rock