Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area: hunting and access
Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area is 263 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Pepin County, next to Stockholm. Hunters registered 2,215 deer in Pepin County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landMaiden Rock Bluff State Natural AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 263 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Pepin County |
| Deer Management Unit | Pepin County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Maiden Rock Bluff |
| Nearest towns | Stockholm (next to it), Maiden Rock (4 mi) and Pepin (8 mi) |
What is Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area like?
Maiden Rock Bluff protects one of Wisconsin's most notable limestone-capped cliff faces on a bluff high above the Mississippi River overlooking Lake Pepin. Extending for nearly a mile, the 400-foot high bluff is especially noteworthy for the presence of a rare bird. The cliff is one of only six bluffs where they are successfully nesting on natural substrate. The rocky bluff also provides hunting perches and habitat for a variety of raptors including gyrfalcon, golden eagle, bald eagle and turkey vulture. Representative cliff plant species include 250-year-old red cedar, harebell, slender lip fern, smooth cliff brake, slender cliff brake, white-flowered leaf-cup and plains muhly grass. The open cliff and adjacent narrow band of dry prairie provide habitat for several rare plants.
Situated along the Mississippi River flyway, an important migration corridor for raptors and neotropical songbirds, the protection of Maiden Rock Bluff will also provide important habitat for other migrating birds. Maiden Rock Bluff is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2004. Entrance fees : Excepting Parfrey's Glen, Pewits Nest, the Dells of the Wisconsin River, SNAs within State Parks and some within State Forests, all other DNR-owned SNAs do not have any admission fees. Admin. Code NR 45 [exit DNR]. Pepin County. T23N-R16W, Sections 1, 2. 263 acres. From the intersection of State Highway 35 and County J in Stockholm, go north on J for 0.73 miles, then northwest on County E for 1 mile, then west on Long Lane 0.7 miles into the site.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area?
The DNR's property map lists Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
How many deer are taken around Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area?
Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area lies in Pepin County. The DNR registered 2,215 deer in Pepin County in 2025, against 2,120 in 2024.
| DMU | Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepin County | 263 | 2,215 | 2,120 | 1,904 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area?
Nearest towns: Stockholm (next to it), Maiden Rock (4 miles), Pepin (8 miles) and Plum City (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 35 and WI 530.
What other public land is near Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Lake Pepin Wildlife Area: 250 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Rush River Delta State Natural Area: 175 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Morgan Coulee Prairie State Natural Area: 58 acres, 7 miles away
- Pierce Co Islands Wildlife Area: 1,273 acres, 7.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area
Counting Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area itself, 657 of the 24,065 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 657 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area?
In Pepin County, next to Stockholm. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area in?
Pepin County.
How much public land is around Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area?
657 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Lake Pepin Wildlife Area (1.6 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Maiden Rock Bluff State Natural Area; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.