Established in 1957, the Black River State Forest encompasses approximately 68,000 acres of public land in Jackson County. The area's geology helps make the Black River State Forest unique among the state forests. The property lies at the edge of the glaciated central plains, east of the 'driftless' area of Wisconsin. Hiking to the top of Castle Mound provides views of the former bed of glacial Lake Wisconsin, as well as the unglaciated buttes, sandstone hills and castellated bluffs that dot the vast forest landscape. The Black River State Forest offers many recreational opportunities, including camping, hunting, hiking, skiing and ATV riding. But the Department of Natural Resources also manages this property to meet a host of other objectives, including maintenance of wildlife habitat, native biological diversity, soil and water quality, aesthetics and timber production.