Tom Knuth

Oakfield Ledge is one of the most significant exposures of the Niagara Escarpment in Wisconsin, a 650-mile long ridge that runs north from Waukesha County, forms the spine of the Door peninsula, then arcs east through Ontario and ends at Niagara Falls in New York. Located along Horicon Marsh, the hard, erosion-resistant Niagara dolomite walls form a series of prominent rock cliffs 40' high - what locals call "the ledge".

Deep crevices have formed along fractures in the bedrock. The vegetation of the shaded cliff and boulder-strewn steep slope is the most undisturbed and consists of basswood, sugar maple, slippery elm, rock elm, mountain maple, and shagbark hickory. Groundcover includes extensive patches of Canada yew and the shaded cliffs provide habitat for walking, cliff break, and fragile ferns.