Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Jones Lake (No. 531)

Overview

Location

Bayfield County. T47N-R9W, Section 23. 44 acres.

Access

From the intersection of Highway 2 and County A in Iron River, go west on Highway 2 1.3 miles, then south on Orlowski Road 2.3 miles, then south on Iron Lake Road 0.1 mile, then south on Jones Lake Road 0.1 mile. The site lies west of the road.

Description

Description

Jones Lake is an undeveloped 37-acre soft-water seepage lake that supports dense stands of aquatic vegetation. At times, nearly the entire lake surface is covered with plants such as water shield, white and yellow water lilies, wild calla, bladderwort, and numerous pondweed species. The landlocked lake has a fluctuating shore that is bordered by leatherleaf, sedges, bluejoint grass, and cat-tails. The surrounding uplands contain white pine, basswood, and red oak with red maple. The understory is comprised of hazelnut, blueberry, American starflower, bracken fern, yellow bluebead lily, gaywings, wild sarsaparilla, and wintergreen. The entire lakeshore is publicly owned with Bayfield County lands surrounding two-thirds of the basin. Jones Lake is owned by the DNR 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, 198 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)