Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Caryville Savanna (No. 263)

Overview

Location

Dunn County. T26N-R11W, Sections 5-9. 420 acres.

Access

By canoe. From the intersection of Highways 85 and H just north of Caryville, go north on H across the Chippewa River 0.5 mile to a boat landing. Canoe downstream approximately 3 miles to Brush Island south of the main channel and north of Meridean Slough. Canoe access is also available from 240th Avenue.

Description

Description

Caryville Savanna features an extensive and exceptionally high quality oak barrens situated on Brush Island, a low, sandy island in the Chippewa River. Groves of bur, white, black, and Hill’s oaks are interspersed with prairie grasses and forbs. Characterized by a vegetation gradient from east to west, bur oaks dominate the eastern portion and are scattered among tall grasses such as big blue-stem and Indian grass while black or Hill's oaks are found among the shorter grasses such as little blue-stem and June grass. Among the characteristic forbs are flowering spurge, puccoon, lead-plant, white wild indigo, bush clover, spiderwort, dotted mint, ground cherry, white sage, and prairie smoke. Lichens and sand club-moss are dominant in the sandy, undisturbed areas. Shrubs are invading the openings with gray dogwood, smooth sumac, and prickly ash forming dense thickets in places. Several small open swales occur along the east edge of the savanna with sedges, rushes, and white meadowsweet as the dominant plants. The low-lying eastern end of the island is wooded with silver maple, green ash, river birch, and hackberry. Typical understory plants include winterberry, eastern wahoo, cut-leaved coneflower, and sedges with stinging nettle and poison ivy abundant in the understory. The state-threatened red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) has been found on Brush Island and the federally threatened bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nests within a few miles of the area. The grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), a species of special concern is also present. Caryville Savanna is owned by Dunn County and was designated a State Natural Area in 1991.

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, 65 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 229 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)