Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Big Swamp (No. 512)

Overview

Location

Within the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, Oneida County. T38N-R8E, Sections 1-4, 10, 11, 12. T38N-R9E, Section 7. T39N-R8E, Sections 34, 35, 36. 2,914 acres.

Access

From McNaughton, go east on Bridge Road 0.8 miles, then north and east on Black Lake Road 2.9 miles, then continue east on Ranch Road 0.7 miles, then north on Muskellunge Lake Road 3 miles. Park and walk northeast into the site.

Description

Description

Big Swamp is a vast peatland that harbors extensive stands of muskeg, open bog, poor fen, sedge meadow, and an undeveloped seepage lake. In the southern and central portion of the site is a muskeg community with scattered, stunted black spruce and tamarack with ericaceous shrubs, sedges, and sphagnum. Jack pine is occasionally present. Characteristic species are bog rosemary, bog laurel, leather-leaf, small cranberry, black chokeberry, bog birch, bog willow, few-seeded sedge, and creeping sedge. Areas with a more dense cover of spruce support species such as Labrador tea, three-seeded sedge, tussock cotton-grass, and three-leaved Solomon’s-seal. The 62-acre Clear Lake is a seepage lake containing very soft-water. Adjacent to the lake is a boggy, sphagnum lawn that features pitcher plant, arrow-grass, round-leaved sundew, and the rare dragon’s-mouth (Arethusa bulbosa). Near the southern upland border, tamarack is much more dominant than spruce and is associated with alder, northern blue-flag iris, and mountain holly. The western-most section contains a gently sloping sandy peninsula that supports a dry-mesic forest dominated by red pine, red oak, and white pine. The moderately dense shrub layer is comprised primarily of beaked hazelnut. The low shrub and herbaceous layer includes early low blueberry, pipsissewa, bracken fern, Canada mayflower, American starflower, and running club-moss. Uncommon plants are early coralroot and false beech-drops. Of note are two undeveloped waterbodies that support numerous rare plants. A 22-acre seepage lake (Swanson Lake) contains extremely soft-water that supports a unique plant assemblage that is specially adapted to the infertile water. Plants include water lobelia, resupinate bladderwort, and lake quill-wort. The smaller 10-acre bog pond and wetlands supports rare plants such as hidden-fruited bladderwort and Farwell’s milfoil. Avifauna includes palm warbler, black-throated green warbler, pine warbler, hermit thrush, ovenbird, winter wren, sedge wren, Lincoln’s sparrow, and northern harrier. Big Swamp is owned by the DNR 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.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 233 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)