Lost Creek Bog

State Natural Area (No. 274)

Location: Bayfield County. T51N-R6W, Sections 32, 33, 34. 447 acres.

Access: At the junction State Highway 13 and County Highway C in Cornucopia, go west on Blueberry Lane about 1.3 miles to its end. Park at the undeveloped canoe/kayak launch for access to the northern portion of the bog via foot or water. DNR land ownership at the launch is extremely limited, affording space for only 1 or 2 vehicles. Also, DNR land is not directly accessible along Blueberry Lane to the east, as may be depicted in plat and other maps. Do not park elsewhere along Blueberry Lane and walk south into the bog, as this would constitute trespass on private property. The remainder of the wetland is best accessed by canoe/kayak. Uplands are accessible adjacent to Highway 13 on the south or Roman Point Road on the west.

Description: Lost Creek Bog features a Lake Superior estuarine system at the drowned mouths of three small creeks (Lost Creek 1, 2, and 3) where they empty into Siskiwit Bay. A coastal barrier sand spit forested with spruce and pine separates the wetlands from the lake. Shore fen, grading to open sedge bog, shrub swamp, and northern wet forest dominated by tamarack are the major communities in the natural area. The fen is well developed on the west and north sides of the lagoon, with a mat composed of woolly sedge, bogbean, sweet gale, and cotton grass. Boggy areas are dominated by Sphagnum mosses, sedges, leather-leaf and other ericaceous shrubs. Lost Creek 1 and 2 are flat, shallow, cold water streams with sandy bottoms that sustain a small brook trout population. Lost Creek 3 is a warm water drainage stream supporting minnows. The emergent marsh at their confluence harbors the largest known Wisconsin population of the state-endangered lake cress (Armoracia lacustris). Flora of the marsh is composed of lake sedge, water arum, marsh cinquefoil, and cat-tail. Bur-reed, water milfoil, yellow water-lily, common bladderwort, and pondweeds are among the submergent and floating-leaved species in the marsh. Several rare plants and animals have been recorded in the natural area, including dragon's-mouth orchid (Arethusa bulbosa), livid sedge (Carex livida), Hooker’s orchid (Platanthera hookeri), bog fritillary butterfly (Boloria eunomia), and bog copper butterfly (Lycaena epixanthe). Uncommon nesting birds recorded here are yellow-bellied flycatcher, evening grosbeak and merlin. Migratory waterfowl and other water birds make extensive use the site. Lost Creek Bog is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1993.