Myklebust Lake

State Natural Area (No. 179)

Location: Waupaca County. T23N-R11E, Sections 2, 11. 173 acres.

Access: From the junction of State Highways 161 and 49 in Iola, go south on 49 1.1 miles to a parking area west of the road. Walk west along an access lane to a carry-in canoe landing.

Description: Mykelbust Lake features a deep, 20-acre marl-bottomed lake with an undeveloped shoreline and exceptionally clear water provided by numerous springs. A narrow wetland fringe of bur-reed and hard-stemmed bulrush surrounds the lake and along the one-half mile outlet stream which flows into the South Branch of the Little Wolf River. Wild celery and water star-grass inhabit the high quality, swift current of the outlet and the macro-algae Chara is abundant on the lake bottom. The lake’s macrophyte community is diverse and contains emergent aquatics such as white water-lily, bull-head pond-lily, arrowhead, flowering rush, wild rice, seven-angle pipewort, quillwort and several pondweeds. A northern wet forest of tamarack, red maple, and elm borders the outlet stream and contains a diverse understory of bog birch, poison sumac, and shrubby cinquefoil with rush aster, Kalm’s lobelia, and nodding lady’s tresses. Common bog arrow grass (Triglochin maritima), a species of concern in Wisconsin, is also present. A 2-acre black spruce bog is found in the southeast corner while the east shore contains a small stand of large white pine, some more than two feet in diameter. The remainder of the uplands is a mixture of second-growth northern hardwoods. The lake supports an excellent northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish fishery. Rare animal species include king rail (Rallus elegans), and the mulberry wing butterfly (Poanes massasoit). Teal and wood ducks frequent the stream and amphibians include leopard, green, and mink frogs. Myklebust Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1982.