Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Aurora Lake (No. 127)

Overview

Location

Within the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, Vilas County. T41N-R8E, Sections 18, 19. 250 acres.

Access

From the north junction of State Highway 155 and County Highway N in Sayner, go west on N 2.1 miles, then north on Razorback Road 3.8 miles, then west on Aurora Lake Road 0.3 mile to a boat landing on the east side of the lake. The area is best seen by canoe.

Description

Description

Aurora Lake is a 94-acre undeveloped, shallow, soft water drainage lake located in an elongated pitted outwash basin. The bottom is primarily muck with a maximum depth of only 4 feet. The fertile water is dominated by wild rice and supports a diversity of submerged and floating leaved aquatic plants including common bladderwort, water-milfoil, pondweeds, waterweed, white and yellow water-lilies, and small bur-reed. The northern half of the lake consists of a quaking bog mat of sphagnum and sedges and contains the rare boreal bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata), a species of concern in Wisconsin. Several islands of tamarack with spruce and red maple occur in the lake while the surrounding wet forest consists of tamarack and black spruce swamp and second-growth white birch. The fishery is northern pike, perch, and sunfish but is subject to winterkill. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) use the lake along with muskrat, beaver, and waterfowl. Aurora Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1976.

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, 66 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 250 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)