Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Mountain Lake (No. 473)

Overview

Location

Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Bayfield County. T45N-R8W, Section 28. 14 acres.

Access

The site is located 5.5 miles west of Drummond, WI. From Drummond, go west on County N 5.5 miles, then northeast on Pigeon Lake Road (FR 394) 0.15 mile to a private gated access lane to the north. Park on the road but please do not block the gate. Walk north on the access lane 0.35 miles into the site. The site lies east and west of the road. No vehicles are allowed on the access lane; however, the landowners do allow for public access into the site on foot. Please do not trespass on surrounding private lands.

Description

Description

The primary feature of Mountain Lake is the fluctuating lakeshore habitat that supports one of our rarest plants - the federally threatened Fassett’s locoweed (Oxytropis campestris var. chartacea). This Midwest endemic is found nowhere else in the world and is adapted to the sandy shores of shallow seepage lakes whose shorelines fluctuate widely over months or years depending on rainfall and drought patterns. When the shore is exposed, locoweed seeds in the seed bank germinate, grow, flower, and drop seeds. The plant requires open, sunny habitat and relies on periodic flooding to kill shade-producing trees that invade the shoreline in dry years. The shoreline also provides habitat for the state-endangered alpine milk-vetch (Astragalus alpinus). Other rare plants include New England northern reed grass (Calamagrostis stricta) and large roundleaf orchid (Platanthera orbiculata). The dramatic upland ridge east of the lake is primarily fire origin second-growth dry-mesic forest of red oak, white pine and red pine grading into a more mesic forest of sugar maple-basswood as the ridge drops to the north and east. It forms a large block of relatively undisturbed forest in an area that is highly manipulated by production forestry. Mountain Lake is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.

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, 216 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)