Fall is the perfect time of year to visit the mounds that surround Lake Wingra’s shores. The leaves are mostly gone, and the interconnected nature of the mounds, lake, and springs is readily apparent. A nice bike ride or walk around the lake will give you plenty of exquisite views.In the Arboretum, a display at the Wingra Woods trail head provides Indigenous cultural heritage information on the mounds and springs. Mound in the Arboretum overlooking Big Spring and Lake WingraView beneath the mound group towards White Clay SpringWith sweeping views overlooking natural springs, Lake Wingra was the epicenter of effigy mound activity. Its springs and mounds continue to be regarded as sacred sites for the Ho-Chunk and Indigenous people. Across the lake, you can view some of the mounds on the Edgewood campus. Along Pleasure Drive there is a panther mound and several conical mounds above the springs and lake, among others on the campus.Using the pedestrian and bicycle trail through Vilas Park that winds up above the zoo is a neat way to get to the Vilas Park Mound Group. In the fall, the viewscape of the lake is spectacular. This area was once part of a massive grouping of mounds surrounding Lake Monona and Lake Wingra along the Dividing Ridge.
Conical moundsBird effigyIn the afternoon, the light is perfect for marveling at the conical mounds and bird effigy.
