The North Flank Tower Gate for Hardwood Range. The Wisconsin National Guard has closed public access to the Hardwood Range complex and associated property, effective immediately. Wisconsin National Guard photo

The Wisconsin National Guard will permanently close public access to the Hardwood Range complex and the associated property, effective immediately.

The range complex has allowed the public to access the property over the years for recreational purposes like hunting and hiking. The range complex is the primary training area for the Volk Field airspace, one of the premier training areas in the country. Air crews from every military service use this range to train for their mission to serve the United States and the state of Wisconsin. The range is used to simulate ground-to-air threats, and aircraft drop inert ordnance on the complex as part of their training.

Recent updates to United States Air Force regulations now prohibit access to areas deemed hazardous due to the potential for unexploded ordnance or other hazards posed by inert ordnance or munitions that may remain on the range.

The Wisconsin National Guard regrets any inconvenience the closure of public access to the range complex causes to those who used it for recreational purposes. However, the safety of the general public and citizens is the top priority of the Wisconsin National Guard, and the organization will follow Air Force policies and regulations concerning the matter.

For more information, the public can contact Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center at (608) 427-1260.