Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Norway Point Bottomlands (No. 151)

Overview

Location

Within Governor Knowles State Forest and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Burnett County. T40N-R18W, Sections 19, 20, 29, 30. 324 acres.

Access

From the intersection of Highways D and F at the north end of Grantsburg, go north on County Highway F 9 miles, then north on Norway Point Road 2 miles to a boat landing on the St. Croix River. Walk northeast into the area. An interpretive trail loops through the swamp.

Description

Description

Norway Point Bottomlands lies along a bend in the St. Croix River and encompasses five major lowland plant communities including a southern wet-mesic forest at its northern range limit in Wisconsin. Also present are a northern wet-mesic forest, shrub carr, northern sedge meadow, and a 0.3-mile reach of Iron Creek. Closest to the river is a bottomland hardwood forest with silver maple, American elm, white ash, and black ash. Between the floodplain and uplands are swamp hardwoods dominated by black ash with yellow birch and elm. Along the base of the river terrace escarpment are similar hardwoods and white cedar with numerous springs and seeps that feed into Iron Creek. Willow, alder, dogwood, and Spirea dominate the surrounding shrub thickets. The adjacent sedge meadow was historically used for mowing prior to state ownership. Iron Creek is a minnow stream with turbid, acid, and infertile waters. The wetlands provide nesting habitat for waterfowl and the area is home to high beaver and deer populations. Common breeding birds include eastern bluebird, eastern wood pewee, veery, red-eyed vireo, ovenbird, mourning warbler, black and white warbler, and pileated woodpecker. Norway Point is owned by the DNR and National Park Service. It was designated a State Natural Area in 1979 and later expanded to include the St. Croix River.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

• Guidebook Map [PDF, 80 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 142 KB]
• Line Map [PDF, 40 KB]

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)