White River Sedge Meadow encompasses the largest southern sedge meadow in Wisconsin. Located just one mile south-southeast of White River Prairie/Tamaracks and also a part of the larger White River Marsh State Wildlife Area, this natural area can be accesses by numerous parking areas scattered around its perimeter. The most direct access is from parking…
White River Prairie / Tamaracks (277/681)
White River Prairie/Tamaracks features sizable wet prairie and tamarack bog communities along the White River in northwestern Green County west of Berlin. Found within the White River Marsh State Wildlife Area, there are ample parking areas in the general vicinity. The two nearest this natural area are located on the south side of CTH E…
Germania Wet Prairie (276/681)
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…
Comstock Bog-Meadow (275/681)
Comstock Bog-Meadow features a large sedge meadow and marsh with bog vegetation in some areas and is located in central Marquette County, north of Montello. There are several access points to the property including parking areas off of CTH J and Edgewood Avenue. On my first visit, I followed the access lane east from CTH…
Bohn Lake (274/681)
Bohn Lake features the fluctuating water levels of its namesake lake, a remnant of a glacial tunnel channel formed millenia ago. Found in west-central Waushara County, this site is easily accessed via the Ice Age Trail. A parking area is located on the east side of CTH B, approximately 1 mile south of CTH V….
Johnson Lake Barrens & Springs (273/681)
Johnson Lake Barrens & Springs features a large expanse of barrens, lakes, springs, creeks, and sedge meadows in north-central Vilas County. The site can be reached via several access roads south of CTH B. I do not recall my route back in 2012, but last year I took High Lake Road south from CTH B…
Papoose Creek Pines (272/681)
Papoose Creek Pines includes dry and dry-mesic forests of red and white pine along a stretch of Papoose Creek in northwestern Vilas County. The site is located on both sides of CTH K. I would recommend parking on Red Feather Road near the southwestern corner of the site or Manitou Park or Clear Lake Roads…
Van Vliet Hemlocks (271/679)
Van Vliet Hemlocks is a newer SNA and features an old-growth hemlock forest with a smattering of bog lakes, fen, kettle depressions, and other wetlands. The larger of two parcels is found on the east side of Van Vliet and Averill Lakes. The DNR describes a parking area at the end of East Van Vliet…
Snake Creek Fen (270/679)
Snake Creek Fen encompasses fen, wet prairie, and sedge meadow communities along a short stretch of Snake Creek in . Put your walking shoes on, so to speak, as this site is 1 mile from the nearest intersection, Swamp Road to the west and Saint Marie Road to the east. Follow the grassy Snake Creek…
Puchyan Prairie (269/679)
Puchyan Prairie contains wet-mesic prairie, marsh, and sedge meadow wetland natural communities in the floodplain of the Puchyan River. A parking area is located on the east side of Puchyan Marsh Road, just a few feet north of its intersection with CTH CC northwest of the town of Green Lake. Puchyan Prairie is a large,…
Berlin Fen (268/679)
Berlin Fen’s primary features are two fen mounds composed of calcareous peat. This natural area is easily reached with a parking area on the east side of Willard Road, just south of the Mascoutin Valley State Trail. Walk north along the road to the southwestern corner of the site. Berlin Fen is certainly one of…
Koro Railroad Prairie (267/679)
Koro Railroad Prairie features a nearly 1/2 mile stretch of mesic prairie along the Mascoutin Valley State Trail in southwestern Winnebago County. Park on the roadside on either Koro or Meadowbrook Roads, though the former is closer to the prairie than the latter. Koro has probably been one of the better railroad prairies that I…
Rush Lake (266/679)
Rush Lake features three wetland parcels scattered about the south and east sides of Rush Lake in southwestern Winnebago County. Sedge meadow, wet prairie, shrubb-carr, and cattails provide a wetland habitat millieux for a variety of birds and waterfowl. The northeastern parcel is accessible from Mountain Road, east of CTH M and the central parcel…
Ripon Prairie (265/679)
Ripon Prairie formerly featured dry prairie remnants on a small, triangular parcel in northwestern Fond du Lac County. Owned by Ripon College, the parcel was neglected over the years and woody species encroached and effectively cancelled out the prairie. Ripon Prairie’s status as a State Natural Area was mutually dissolved by a memorandum of understanding…
Karner Blue Meadow (264/679)
Karner Blue Meadow comprises a block of prime habitat for the federally endangered Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). The site is easily reached by parking on the side of the road on 22nd Avenue midway between CTH A and CTH H. A DNR gate and sign mark the site. There are no official trails,…
State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 