Site Under Construction!
Riverside Park is a mile and a half stretch of sweeping shoreline along the west bank of the Rock River in the City of Janesville. An 18-hole golf course occupies the upper level or escarpment, and public picnic areas and playgrounds are on the flood-terrace below. “Devil’s Staircase” is a 1900-era label referring to a ravine with natural stone plates that lead to the river in the northern part of the park.
Before Riverside Park was dedicated in early 1900’s, some of the cliff was quarried. Forest cover was very thin in those days. The steep cliffs and relative lack of visitor travel have permitted the site to recover to a natural condition during the last century. The cool northern exposure has grown into a unique ‘northern’ forest in southern Wisconsin. Spring wildflowers on the slopes and cliffs are stunning. The 10-acre station is considered one of the finest examples of woodland flora remaining in Rock County. Garlic mustard is just finding its way in, especially from the golf course above.
In our era, “Devil’s Staircase” has been reapplied to a three-quarter mile segment of the national Ice Age Trail that will traverse the cliffs and woodland. A crew of volunteers and expert professionals is constructing the trail in summer 2007. The Ice Age Trail team has been joined by the well-established Friends of Riverside Park for stewardship activities in this area. With glad permission and support from Janesville Parks Department, both are exerting garlic mustard control in the woodland of the Devils Staircase.