Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Lake Evelyn (No. 321)

Overview

Location

Iron County. T44N-R3E, Section 23, 26. 300 acres.

Access

From the intersection of U.S. Highway 51 and County Highway J in Mercer, go north on Highway 51 9.2 miles, then east on G 4.5 miles, then north on North Bass Lake Road, then immediately west on a small access road 0.1 mile to a boat landing.

Description

Description

Lake Evelyn is an undeveloped 55-acre soft-water seepage lake surrounded by wetlands and gently rolling uplands. While many of northern Wisconsin lakes of this size are already developed or are planning development, Lake Evelyn is a rare and undeveloped wilderness lake. Of all lakes over 50 acres in Wisconsin only 70 remain that have the majority of their shoreline in public ownership. With a maximum depth of 9 feet, Lake Evelyn is a stained water lake with moderate clarity and contains a good quality fishery composed mainly of large-mouthed bass and panfish. The lake forms the headwaters of Evelyn Creek, a tributary of the Turtle River. The topography is level to rolling and vegetation is a mix of large white and red pine with smaller pole-sized aspen on the uplands. The surrounding wetlands are composed of an open floating leather-leaf bog and a conifer swamp with scattered black spruce to the southwest. An active osprey (Pandion haliaetus) nest highlights the wildlife community and wolf usage is known to be very active in the general area. Lake Evelyn is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1997.

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, 55 KB]
• Detailed Map [PDF, 140 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)