Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Crooked Lake Wetlands (No. 255)

Overview

Location

Fond du Lac and Sheboygan County. T13N-R19E, Section 1. T13N-R20E, Sections 6, 31. 261 acres.

Access

From the intersection of State Highway 67 and County G in Dundee, go south on G 2.0 miles, then east on SS 1.6 miles, then head north 0.1 mile to a boat launch.

Description

Description

Crooked Lake Wetlands is a diverse complex of communities including northern wet forest, southern dry-mesic forest, southern sedge meadow, shrub-carr, open bog, and two shallow seepage lakes. The 65-acre Crooked Lake is one of the larger natural lakes in the county and has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The inlet provides a spawning ground for northern pike while the outlet forms a small tributary of the East Branch of the Milwaukee River. On the west side of Crooked Lake is a shrub-carr of diverse composition and structure. White meadowsweet and bog birch are dominant with openings of blue-joint grass, tussock sedge, and long-bracted tussock sedge. Red-osier dogwood and willows dominate some areas while speckled alder, common winterberry, nannyberry, and poison sumac characterize others. The herbaceous layer is equally diverse with royal fern, marsh fern, meadow-rue and marsh pea. Also present are two shallow, hard water, seepage lakes - Cedar Lake and an unnamed lake. Cedar Lake is surrounded by swamp hardwoods of yellow birch, black ash, and red maple and a mature stand of sugar maple, basswood and red oak. The unnamed lake has numerous emergent aquatics including wild rice and is surrounded by a boggy shrub forest with tamarack. The unnamed lake has been home to a large colony of breeding black terns (Chlidonias niger) and is also a spawning area of northern pike. Besides black terns this area is home to a diverse community of birds including nesting and migratory waterfowl, swamp sparrow, yellow, golden-winged, and Nashville warblers, veery, gray catbird, American woodcock, and yellow-billed cuckoo. Crooked Lake Wetlands is owned by the DNR and was designated a SNA in 1992.

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.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 250 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)