Pope Lake

State Natural Area (No. 194)

Location: Within Hartman Creek State Park, Waupaca County. T21N-R11E, Section 5 N½. 80 acres.

Access: From the junction of Highways 10 and 54 in Waupaca, go west on 54 4.5 miles, then south on Hartman Creek Road to the State Park office and get a park map. The best access is via the hiking trail from the Hartman Lake beach parking lot. A STATE PARK STICKER IS REQUIRED.

Description: Pope Lake is a 14-acre undeveloped lake with a diversity of aquatic vegetation. It is the only undeveloped water body in the heavily developed Chain-o-Lakes. The marl-bottomed hard water lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet and contains chara, spatterdock, wild celery, and a good variety of pondweeds. Most of the adjacent wetlands are a northern wet forest of tamarack, poison sumac, and winterberry, but alder thicket is also found along the channels and the lake shore. Several upland islands support a northern dry-mesic forest of white pine and white and red oaks. Common bird species found near the lake are green-backed heron, great blue heron, sora, great crested flycatcher, eastern wood peewee, black capped chickadee, and goldfinch. Pope Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1984.