Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Rock Lake (No. 475)

Overview

Location

Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Bayfield County. T43N-R6W, Sections 28-32. 1,181 acres.

Access

Rock Lake is located 8 miles east of Cable, WI. From Cable, go east on County M 8 miles, then south on FR 207 one mile to the northern edge of the complex.

Description

Description

Located in a picturesque area of rolling glacial gravel hills, Rock Lake features a maturing northern dry-mesic forest dominated by red oak and sugar maple with super canopy white and red pine. The shrub layer varies from sparse to fairly thick with hazelnut and tree saplings. Understory herbs include lady fern, sessile-leaved bellwort, hog peanut, and sweet-scented bedstraw. The presence of a significant paper birch and red oak component, especially on mesic soils, are good indicators of the site’s past fire history. These turn-of-the-century fires also eliminated the pine component. However, significant pine inclusions today occur on the steep side slopes of kettle depressions where they may have been protected from fires. On the ground moraine, many of the former pine sites and areas which originally supported mesic, northern hardwoods are now forested with early successional species including aspen, birch, and balsam fir. However, several good quality stands of second-growth red and white pine are present. Most are found on mesic to dry-mesic outwash soils on lower topographic positions in the landscape, and many are associated with riparian areas, especially the small seepage lakes and peat bog communities that occur within this area. Characteristic ground flora include bracken fern, wintergreen, Canada mayflower, and narrow-leaved cow-wheat. Numerous non-motorized trails wind through the site. Common loons have been seen on most of the lakes in the complex. Rare plants include large round-leaf orchid (Platanthera orbiculata) and Farwell’s water-milfoil (Myriophyllum farwellii). Rock 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.

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)