We continue our tour of Swan Lake Wildlife Area with a visit to a portion further classified as Swan Lake Wet-Mesic Prairie. This state Natural Area features a southern sedge meadow, wet-mesic prairie, and an aspen/oak forest. Also found within the wildlife area are its sister SNAs: the recently posted Swan Lake Tamaracks and the next post, Swan Lake Sedge Meadow & Barrens. All 3 SNA’s are located just east of Portage and approximately 7 miles south of the subject of the last post, French Creek North. Swan Lake Wet-Mesic Prairie SNA can be accessed via Ontario St on the south side of the Portage city limits. The street dead-ends in a de facto parking area and the SNA lies immediately south of the road.
The road to the natural area (Ontario St) isn’t too bad as of my last visit. Over the years, I have travelled across all manner of gravel roads and this was fairly tame. I have visited Swan Lake Wet-Mesic Prairie on two occasions, once in early spring and once in mid-fall. I would classify both visits as off-peak. Very little flowering activity was observed. Interestingly, water levels were similar on both occasions, generally mid-calf in most areas, but ramping up close to the tops of my rubber boots in numerous localized spots. Thus, I would suggest waders to give yourself a bit more “security”.
Wooded “islands” provided brief resting spots as I meandered through the relatively small site (approximately 50 acres; nearly 600th in size). Many areas were dominated by cattails towering over my somewhat tall frame. While incongruent with wide open panoramic photography, these microenvironments lend a feeling of true embeddedness within nature….truly making me feel small within the large natural community.
Though small in size, I would still plan a return visit, perhaps early June or late August, trying to catch a few more species in bloom. Additionally, I would like to explore the more open areas on the eastern side of the SNA, as most of my time has been spent on the western portion.
Taking the poor route I did from the west, I was more tired than I should have been. Floral life was minimal in the northern reaches of the tamaracks, though the tamaracks themselves were beautiful to behold as always. I think a late August trip that meanders further south into the more open areas of the SNA would be a worthwhile adventure in the coming years. Late spring may be quite nice as well. Long-term, it may be a fun adventure to paddle to the southern boundary for a deeper exploration of the more open areas of the site.
Additional photos can be found on Flickr.
| SNA # | 667 |
| County | Columbia |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Southern Sedge Meadow, Wet-Mesic Prairie, Aspen/Oak Forest |
| Size (Acres) | 50 |
| Parking | Parking Area |
| Trails | No |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Recommended Footwear | Hip or chest waders |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | Swan Lake State Wildlife Area |
| # Visits (at time of posting) | 2 |
State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 
