Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Bark Bay Slough (No. 137)

Overview

Location

Bayfield County. T50N-R7W, Sections 1, 2. T51N-R7W, Sections 35, 36. 552 acres.

Access

From Herbster, go northeast on State Highway 13 3.5 miles, then north and west on Bark Bay Road 0.5 mile to a boat landing east of the road. The best access to the sand spit and bog is by canoe.

Description

Description

Bark Bay Slough consists of a coastal barrier spit, lagoon, springs, and wetlands occuping an embayment between two rocky headlands along Lake Superior. The wetlands are extensive and include two major types: coastal fen and coastal bog. The fen dominants are woolly sedge, twig rush, sweet gale, water horsetail and buckbean . The coastal bog is composed of a mat of Sphagnum mosses, ericaceous shrubs, sedges, carnivorous plants and scattered small tamarack. Both communities are floristically diverse, in excellent condition, and support many rare species, including Michaux's sedge (Carex michauxiana), downy willow-herb (Epilobium strictum), and dragon's-mouth orchid (Arethusa bulbosa). Two rare butterflies, bog copper (Lycaena epixanthe) and bog fritillary (Boloria eunomia), also inhabit the wetlands. A forested interior sand spit parallel to the coastal barrier spit (or 'bay-mouth bar') breaks the wetlands into two major sections. The sandy, 2-mile long barrier spit contains red pine and white pine with an understory of blueberry, bearberry, alder, sweet gale, and beach grasses. A large lagoon occupies the center of the site and supports submergent and floating-leaved aquatic plants. Together, the wetlands and 28-acre lagoon form a bay-mouth bar lake. The shallow (8 foot maximum depth), hardwater lake supports mostly panfish and northern pike. The Bark River, and a spring complex on the eastern end of the natural area supply water to the lake and wetlands. Birds present during the breeding season include bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), merlin (Falco columbarius), northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), sandhill crane, Brewer's blackbird, and American bittern (Botaurus lentaginosus). Substantial numbers of migrating shorebirds make use of the property. Bark Bay Slough is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1977.

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, 44 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 183 KB]
• Line Map [PDF, 58 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)

Data

Plant List