Rock County Health Department regularly test Turtle Creek for public safety, especially after high water when waters may become contaminated from run off. Check out the website and most recent testing results.
http://www.co.rock.wi.us/publichealth-beach-sampling
Whether you’re paddling or hiking along Turtle Creek you are moving along the same waters and trails that ancient peoples have also traversed for thousands of years. Below you can learn about these ancient peoples and the clues they left behind about their lives.
The Mound Builders – The area around Turtle Creek was home to humans during the Woodland period […]
I experienced Turtle Creek a whole new way the other day.
It was an unusually hot September day, around 90 degrees, the water had warmed up and my son asked me to accompany him while he walked the creek and fished. When you’re college-aged son wants to hang out with you, you don’t turn him down! […]
Nature At The Confluence in South Beloit recently held a “Safe Paddling 101” program so paddlers can learn how to be better prepared and stay safe on the water. We’ve seen quite a few days of high water on Turtle Creek and Rock River this summer and more than a few people have had some tip […]
A final spring volunteer work effort clearing County Road J sightlines to the Five Arch Bridge over Turtle Creek will take Place on Saturday April 22nd (Earth Day) from 9 AM – Noon.
We will be meeting at Turtle Creek Parkway located at 6598 South Smith Road Clinton, WI 53525. Dress for the weather and bring […]
On Labor Day a few friends tried a section of Turtle Creek that we hadn’t explored before – paddling through the Turtle Creek Wildlife Area. We put in at Cty Hwy C and took out at the bridge on Carvers Rock Road (see map). It’s a 6.60 mile paddle, which under normal conditions would take about 2 hours and […]
Friends of Turtle Creek gathered for the first annual “Howl At The Moon” paddle trip on August 18, launching at sunset (8pm) with a moonrise that night at 8:05pm. We had 14 people join us on the trip, 7 got out at Tiffany Bridge and 7 continued to Sweet Allyn Park. Weather was clear an hour before launch […]
At the last meetings of Friends of Turtle Creek it was suggested by Dean Paynter that it would be easier to plan and enjoy your paddle trip if you knew which bridge you were going under. Also, the marking adds a layer of safety, as it helps paddlers identify better where they are, and if […]
Friends of Turtle Creek
Meeting Minutes
Turtle Township Town Hall 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
June 7, 2016
Attendees: Dean Paynter, Tom Presny, Richard Stenstrom, Tom Holmes, Hank Woodard, Marline Holmes, Carl Lange, Bob Blakely, Sandy Thorpe, Dave Hoffman, Terry Meyers, Carol Mankiewicz, Kathy Fernan, Steve Johnson, and Therese Oldenburg,
Staff: Dave Hoffman, Community Coordinator – […]
Through efforts of the Friends of Turtle Creek, a large blockage that was causing a safety and flooding issue on Turtle Creek was removed.
On June 24-26, 2013 Turtle Creek flooded due to a week of heavy rains. It crested on June 26 at 11.76 ft, the second highest level since April 21, 1973 when heavy rains caused Turtle […]
On December 8, 2015, on 41 degree day, about 15 Friends of Turtle Creek volunteers participated in the clearing of vegetation at the Tiffany Bridge in partnership with Rock County Parks. This historic 5-arch limestone railroad bridge that spans Turtle Creek is one of Rock County’s most photographed icon. Over the years it has been overgrown […]
This may be urban legend, or it may be true…But, the story goes that Turtle Creek was the inspiration for the founder of “Turtle Wax”. The story is that Benjamin Hirsch started mixing up batches of his special formula liquid car polish in his Chicago bathtub in 1945. He called his product Plastone, and as […]
Friends of Turtle Creek members Therese Oldenburg and Terry Meyers took the Visit Beloit (Beloit Convention and Visitor Bureau) staff on a paddle trip from Tiffany Bridge to Town of Turtle Launch on the last day of summer – September 22, 2015. It was a beautiful day on the creek, almost 80 degrees! A great […]
On June 24-26, 2013 Turtle Creek flooded due to a week of heavy rains.
Many property owners along the creek watched as the waters creeped up over the bank and up towards their home (or in a few cases into their home). It crested on June 26 at 11.76 ft, the second highest level since April 21, 1973 […]
Trip report – 9/16/15 – Town of Turtle Launch on Creek Road to The Confluence, Dickop Street, So. Beloit, IL. – water level 3.7ft.
TIP: At this water level this trip is not as pleasant, as you’ll get hung up in more places that you’d like. I recommend at least 4 ft. to enjoy this section. (click here […]
By Therese Oldenburg, Wisconsin Master Naturalist
This is my own personal, non-scientific observation about weed growth in Turtle Creek in the past three years 2013-2015. It appears as though weeds are starting to get a strong foothold in the creek and I have concerns about this. I have noticed more growth in the last two years than […]
For those who were unable to join us, we had a very enjoyable paddle on Turtle Creek prior to the July 30th meeting. See photos. Note photo of a mother and her son who were fishing at the hwy. 140 bridge. As we arrived the boy caught the photographed fish from Turtle Creek as was […]
We paddled with friends from Hwy C, the community of Fairfield on the Walworth/Rock County Line, to the takeout just prior to O’Riley Road.
Distance was 4 miles and it took 1 hour 55 minutes of casual floating and paddling. The creek in this area was uniformly 3 to 5 feet deep. We had no areas […]
Nature at The Confluence is an initiative to transform the area of land where Turtle Creek meets the Rock River into a community space that celebrates the natural and historical signifigance of the land. Partners in this initiative include Beloit 2020, City of South Beloit, City of Beloit, Be Active Outdoors, and other community groups and […]
