Wyalusing Walnut Forest lies on the north face of a steep, 500 foot-high bluff overlooking the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. It features a continuum of forest types from wet, floodplain forest of silver maple and cottonwood at the bluff's base to dry oak woods with white and black oak at its summit. The mid-slope and rich soils around the cliff base are forested with southern mesic forest of red oak, sugar maple, hackberry, butternut, and a high number of black walnuts. Two areas contain nearly pure stands of black walnut. On the vertical cliffs above the Wisconsin River are a variety of species including Canada yew, Sullivant's cool-wort, and jeweled shooting-star (Dodecatheon amethystinum), a rare Driftless Area plant. Spring wildflowers abound with large populations of such uncommon species as dragon sage-wort (Artemsia dranunculus), narrow-leaved spleenwort (Diplazium pycnocarpon), and Goldie's fern (Dryopteris goldiana). The site supports numerous rare animals and a diverse avifauna with over 250 species recorded including state-threatened species red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens), cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea), and Kentucky warbler (Oporornis formosus). Wyalusing Walnut Forest is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1971.