Mayville Ledge is a one-half mile exposure of Niagara dolomite escarpment, ranging from 40 to 60 feet in height. The escarpment slope supports an ungrazed forest of sugar maple, basswood, red oak, and American elm. The understory is quite rich in ferns and other deep shade vegetation, including walking and bulblet ferns. The level plain above the escarpment supports a variable aged woods of ironwood, American beech, sugar maple, and yellowbud hickory. American beech is rare in this location and represents its westernmost range extension in southern Wisconsin. Mayville Ledge Beech-Maple Woods is owned by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and was designated a State Natural Area in 1987.