Ableman's Gorge

This is one of my favorite geology stops in Wisconsin. Not only do you get to appreciate history behind Van Hise Rock, but the abandoned quarry itself tells a story of the past. On the south end of the quarry, the walls are covered with ripple marks that survived the metamorphic processes that heated and squeezed the ancient sandstone into quartzite. The ripples themselves are the result of an even older sandy beach. They're on the wall because the entire area was folded into the shape of a John Boat (doubly plunging syncline). Closer to Van Hise Rock along the trail you'll catch glimpses of brecciated rocks made up of shattered pieces of the baraboo quartzite glued together by milky white quartz. Across the river you'll find much younger (geologically speaking) sandstone perforated by skolithos trace fossils.
8 years ago (19-09-2017)

Stunning cliffs, easy walking trails with a few benches along the way. Bring bug spray!
8 years ago (18-07-2017)

I spent the morning exploring the north side of the gorge above the Baraboo river. With heavy rains from the night before and the melt off, many small streams and falls were cascading down the side of the slopes. Towards the top of the ridge, different quartzite and limestone rock formations and outcrops will reward you for making the climb. Based on the reaction of the coyote that photo bomb me, not many people hike up and back into the gorge.
8 years ago (09-03-2017)

I take my high school earth science class here every year - nice trails
8 years ago (11-06-2017)

Beautiful site to see .I found it a little hard to get to you since I couldn't enter it in my Gps and then I searched for this place on my Gps it came back as non existent. Defiantly worth check ing out. Walking is fairly easy about a couple mile hike . go check out the Van Hilson rock pretty neat .It ia lea in the same area
8 years ago (23-04-2017)