Bakken's Pond

State Natural Area (No. 247)

Location: Within the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, Sauk County. T8N-R3E, Sections 9, 16. 160 acres.

Access: From the intersection of U.S. Highway 14 and State Highway 23 north of Spring Green, go west on Highway 14 3.0 miles, then south on Dyke Road 0.6 mile, then west on Kennedy Road 0.6 mile. Park along the road and walk south into the natural area.

Description: Bakken’s Pond features a cold spring-fed stream with diverse invertebrate and fish fauna and contains emergent aquatic, southern sedge meadow and oak barren communities. The springs are quite small and scattered - often no larger than a quarter in size. Bordering the stream to the south is an extensive wet meadow consisting predominantly of bluejoint grass, sedges, and the invasive reed canary grass. Scattered woody vegetation interrupts the extensive sedge meadow with willows, alders, elms, and silver maple. This patchy woody vegetation later grades into a substantial bottomland forest bordering the Wisconsin River. Bakken’s Pond is home to a diverse amphibian and reptile community including cricket, green, chorus, and leopard frogs, tiger salamanders and eastern newts, northern water snake, and eastern painted turtles. In addition, several rare animal species are present including the state-endangered star head topminnow (Fundulus dispar), state-threatened Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), and the pirate perch (Aphredoderus sayanus). The site also contains the small forget-me-not (Myosotis laxa), a plant species of concern in Wisconsin. Also present around the wet area southeast of the dike are vast colonies of pickerel-weed and horned pondweed is found in the cold waters of the pond. Bakken’s Pond is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1991.