Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Bear Beach (No. 402)

Overview

Location

Within the Brule River State Forest, Douglas County. T49N-R10W, Sections 8, 9, 18. T49N-R11W Sections 13, 14, 22. 103 acres.

Access

By canoe. Canoe downstream to Lake Superior. On foot, from the intersection of Highways 2 and H in Brule, go north on H 11 miles, then west and north 3.8 miles on Brule River Road to a parking lot. The natural area includes the 5-mile stretch west of the Brule River.

Description

Description

Bear Beach features several extensive stretches of undeveloped beach along the Lake Superior shore, west of the Brule River mouth. The beaches are composed mostly of sand and are unvegetated due to their exposure to wave and ice action. Locally, there are small, scattered pockets of cobblestones and driftwood “gardens”. The site includes the slump clay banks that contain uncommonly occurring combinations of plants and animals. Since the clay banks are continually eroding as they have for thousands of years, this site will continue to move and change with time. The uplands above the beach and adjacent to the natural area are vegetated with speckled alder and a rather open “forest” of trembling aspen, scattered white spruce, white pine, and balsam fir. Paper birch is locally dominant, especially on the bluffs bordering the lower reaches of tributary streams that flow directly into Lake Superior. Several of these streams terminate in small estuarine lagoons at the lake. During migration periods this area is used for foraging and resting by terns, shorebirds, gulls, snow buntings, and water pipits – sometimes in substantial numbers. Bear sign was common on the beach and in the adjacent thickets. As development pressures on shoreline habitats are increasing in northern Wisconsin, Bear Beach represents a rare opportunity to protect beach and clay banks on over five miles of undeveloped, unobstructed Lake Superior shore. Bear Beach is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2003.

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, 148 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)