Day Lake

State Natural Area (No. 189)

Location: Within the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest, Vilas County. T41N-R6E, Sections 1, 2. 209 acres.

Access: From the intersection of Highways 51 and 47 in Woodruff, go north on Highway 51 10 miles, then north and west on Day Lake Road 3.5 miles, then south on an access road 0.2 mile to a canoe landing at the north end of Day Lake. The lake is best explored by canoe.

Description: Day Lake is a 117-acre seepage lake with very sterile, exceptionally clear water. The lake's sandy bed is visible in 28 feet of water and supports an excellent example of 'sterile rosette flora' - small stiff-leaved plants that hug the bottom. These small plants are indicative of the very soft water conditions. The specialized flora includes the rare plantain shoreweed (Littorella uniflora), water lobelia, and quillwort. Other aquatic plants include dwarf water milfoil, seven-angle pipewort, small waterwort, and narrow-leaved bur-reed. Emergent vegetation consisting of sweet gale, leather-leaf, alder, and three-way sedge forms a zone along the lakeshore. The lake has a watershed of only 510 acres and 3.5 miles of gravelly upland shoreline. Bass and panfish comprise the fishery. This extremely scenic, undeveloped lake is also designated a Wild Lake. Day Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1983.