Germania Wet Prairie includes a wet to wet-mesic prairie with sedge-meadow- and fen-like areas in central Marquette County, just north of the subject of yesterday’s blog entry, Comstock B0g-Meadow.  A DNR parking area is found east of Eagle Road and is accessible via an access lane just north of the intersection of Eagle Road and Dunn Lane.  Alternatively, one can park on the side of Eagle Road, approximately 1 mile southeast of Dunn Lane.  The natural area is embedded within Germania Marsh Wildlife Area and it will be necessary to cross these lands to reach the SNA.  A second parcel is located to the north along the banks of the Mecan River, but I have not ventured there as of yet.

To access the site for my first visit, I approached from the west after parking in the designated parking area.  Last month, I returned and approached from the south after parking on the road.  Both routes are roughly equidistant and require a good deal of off-trail hiking and avoidance of poison sumac to reach the core of the natural area.  I was much more pleased with the scenery and vibrant fall colors of the forbs during my most recent visit.  Spotted Joe-pye weed and various goldenrods and asters were very abundant. I also noted the presence of sawmp thistle, marsh bellflower, orange jewelweed, and white meadowseet.  Walking through the natural area was not the easiest adventure.  A virtual minefield of tussocks and feeder strems covered the area, but made for a more patient examination of the natural beauty all around me.  I plan to return here again, perhaps in concert with a return trip to nearby Comstock Bog-Meadow.

Wet Prairie

White Meadowsweet

Wet Prairie

Aster

Wet Prairie

Wet Prairie

Summer Coralroot

Bees on Thistle

More of my photos (and full-res) from Germania Wet Prairie can be viewed here.

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