Tomahawk Lake Hemlocks features a northern mesic forest with hemlock and yellow birch on rolling topography betwen Tomahawk and Little Carr Lakes. Kettle depressions are found throughout the site. Park on Rainbow Road, near the intersection with Robin Road and beyond the entrance to the Macnaughton Correctional Center.
Hemlock forests are one of my favorite forest types as well as one of my favorite natural communities. They often exist in rolling kettle topography such as this or in mossy, craggly surroundings reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings. After parking on the side of the gravel road, I found an access lane and followed it in, presuming it was used by the DNR. It may well used as such, but I also saw this sign propped up against a tree:
Decidedly unsure of what to make of the sign and receiving no clear clues from the topographic map, I ended up cutting my visit shorter than I would have liked. Looking at the satellite imagery, it is possible that the access lane cuts across non-SNA land. I am not sure if the correctional facility knows it borders a natural area and felt it wasn’t worth the risk to be hiking around further. I would like to revisit this site but in the future will focus more on the northern and eastern portions of the site.
More of my photos (and full-res) from Tomahawk Lake Hemlocks can be viewed here.
Additional Information
| SNA # | 510 |
| County | Oneida |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Northern Mesic Forest, Kettle, Lake |
| Size (Acres) | 248 |
| Parking | Roadside |
| Trails | Yes |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | |
| Dates Visited | 7.3.11 |
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State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 