Boscobel Bluffs State Natural Area

Boscobel Bluffs is a scenic 475-acre property in Grant County overlooking the City of Boscobel. This property is within the Wisconsin River Valley, and includes unique wind-blown features, rare dry prairie habitat, as well as oak savanna and oak woodlands. According to the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory, dry prairie is considered globally rare and oak savanna is considered globally imperiled. These rare natural communities are home to a number of endangered and threatened plant and wildlife species. This is also a great site for birding enthusiasts, as it is home to the elusive and state threatened hooded warbler.

Boscobel Bluffs was purchased in June 2013 from the McNamee family with the support of the Wisconsin Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund and Endow-Bio, Inc,  the First National Endowment for Biodiversity. John W. McNamee said the family was grateful the purchase made fulfilled the wish of his father, the late Dr. J.R. McNamee, to preserve the bluffland he owned east of Boscobel "as a wilderness and a permanent habitat for the many rare, and in some cases, endangered species of flora and fauna who call it home”.

On December 29, 2025 the site was expanded with the addition of Bald Bluff  and a generous donation from the previous owners Jim and Rose Sime. For more than 40 years, Jim and Rose Sime took care of Bald Bluff—a rugged bluff overlooking the Wisconsin River—burning prairies, removing invasive species, and learning every plant by name. Today, their love for the land becomes a lasting gift to the community. Mississippi Valley Conservancy has acquired Bald Bluff, adding 86 acres to the Boscobel Bluffs State Natural Area and honoring a lifetime of thoughtful, hands-on stewardship.

Public access

Bikes and dogs are NOT allowed. Visitors must follow our recreational use policy as well as all federal and state laws and local ordinances. When visiting protected lands, please avoid trespassing onto the lands of neighboring property owners.