Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Bearsdale Creek & Hyatt Springs (No. 471)

Overview

Location

Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Bayfield County. T44N-R8W, Sections 4-9. 1,005 acres.

Access

From the intersection of Highway 63 and N in Drummond, go west on N approximately 5.2 miles, then south on FR 803 about 2 miles to the northwest corner of the site.

Description

Description

Bearsdale Creek and Hyatt Springs is a diverse site with several excellent representative natural communities as well as numerous unique natural features. Two key aspects are its spring-runs and ponds and rich bottomland hardwood forest. The spring-runs and ponds (including Hyatt springs, Shunenberg Creek, and Bearsdale Creek) are small, hard-water, and landlocked. They emanate from springs and flow in a westerly direction, then disappear in the fine sands. All support small populations of minnows and brook trout. The site supports a unique wet-mesic forest grading into hardwood swamp dominated by bur oak, basswood, and black ash with numerous plant species more common of rich bottomland forests to the south. Bearsdale Creek passes through the stand and might act as its flood source contributing rich alluvial soils. An upland northern mesic forest is dominated by bur oak and basswood with sugar maple, green ash, and black cherry. A very rich, diverse understory includes wood nettle, wild leek, bloodroot, bottlebrush grass, ostrich fern, and American starflower. The northern hardwood swamp is a unique community dominated by black ash, bur oak, and box elder with a thick understory of prickly ash, hawthorne, and hops. The site is seasonally flooded with a diverse herbaceous layer and inclusions of sedge meadow. Situated on rough knobs and kettle topography is a mature, second-growth dry-mesic forest dominated by medium sized red pine and white pine. Canopy associates include red maple, red oak, paper birch, big-tooth aspen, black cherry, and balsam fir. Pine reproduction is generally sparse, though pockets of sapling white pine occur. Most of the reproducing trees are hardwoods. The shrub layer is moderate to dense with beaked hazelnut, serviceberry, and Rubus spp. Characteristic herbs include bracken fern, winterberry, large-leaved aster, early low blueberry, velvet-leaf blueberry, narrow-leaved cow-wheat, and lycopods. There has been little to no disturbance in this stand since the cut-over logging era, probably about 80-100 years ago. Bearsdale Creek and Hyatt Springs 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)