Bass Lake Preserve

State Natural Area (No. 211)

Location: Iron County. T41N-R4E, Section 29. 800 acres.

Access: From the intersection of State Highways 47 and 182, about 4 miles south of Manitowish, go south and west on Highway 182 7.1 miles, then east and south on Ferry Road 1.25 miles, then east and south on Bearskull Road slightly more than 2 miles to a town road. Go north 0.5 mile to the entrance road. Walk 0.5 mile into site. Permission to access this site must be obtained from the Wisconsin Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

Description: Bass Lake Preserve contains a 15-acre soft water seepage lake, which still retains wilderness characteristics. The lake is slightly alkaline with light brown water of moderate transparency, has a maximum depth of 20 feet, and contains a largemouth bass and panfish fishery. The entire shoreline is wet forest and open bog. The bog supports a wide range of plants including seven-angled pipewort, moccasin flower, and pitcher plant. The swamp and conifer forests contain tamarack, white cedar, and hemlock. The conifer bog area rises to uplands that are covered by a second-growth northern mesic forest of sugar maple and hemlock. These vary in quality with various pockets supporting yellow birch, red pine, white pine, jack pine, red maple, and red oak. Bass Lake Preserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy and was designated a State Natural Area in 1986.