Belmont Mound Woods

State Natural Area (No. 167)

Location: Within Belmont Mound State Park, Lafayette County. T4N-R1E, Section 34 N½SE¼. 60 acres.

Access: From the intersection of U.S. Highway 151 and County Highway G (Liberty Road) in Belmont, go north and west on G 2.5 miles, then north on an access road 0.5 mile to the southern boundary of the natural area. Park along the road.

Description: Belmont Mound Woods features very good examples of southern mesic and dry-mesic forests located on the northern flank of an outlying exposure of Niagara dolomite, one of several such mounds in the Driftless Area. The east central part of the woods is more mesic with sugar maple dominating while larger red oak, basswood, and white ash dominate the remainder of the forest, with some black walnut and ironwood. The forest understory is particularly rich and includes wild leek, blue cohosh, spring-beauty, toothwort, hepatica, may-apple, and bloodroot. An intermittent stream flows northwest through the area adding local habitat variation. The site retains much of its natural character and a diversity of species unlike nearly all other forest tracts in the region, which have suffered from grazing and other disturbances. The forest is habitat for the Cooper's hawk and a plant species of special concern - American gromwell (Lithospermum latifolium). Belmont Mound Woods is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1981.