Flat Matthew, Big River

Tom and Debbie took Flat Matthew to the Wisconsin River this morning.


As Tom was was driving into the parking lot on River Road, Flat Matthew spotted a huge pile of logs. Debbie told Flat Matthew that the Department of Natural Resources was harvesting some of the trees in the area.

Flat Matthew, Forester, wanted to inspect the logs before walking into the State Natural Area.

Flat Matthew climbed up into the pile of logs. Flat Matthew felt very small. Can you find Flat Matthew in the picture?


Flat Matthew stopped and looked at the river as he walked along. Flat Matthew is looking at the Cambria cliff. He was surprised to see a tree growing right out of the rocks.

Flat Matthew didn't understand how a tree could grow out of a rock. Tom told him that the sandstone is very soft, and tree roots dig down into the rock, just like tree roots dig down into the ground. Flat Matthew said, "You're funny, Tom!"

I don't think that Flat Matthew believed Tom. Do you?


Finally, Flat Matthew got to Sunset Cliff. The river was way down, about a hundred feet. Tom wouldn't let Flat Matthew go near the edge, because it was icy, and Flat Matthew might fall.

Debbie told Flat Matthew that this was her favorite place on the river. When Debbie was a little girl, her family would have picnics right where Flat Matthew was standing.

If you look way in the background, you can see Louis Bluff. Louis Bluff was the place where the first European settled in the Dells area, in the 1830's. Today, Louis Bluff is part of the State Natural Area.