Wilson Lake

State Natural Area (No. 436)

Location: Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Sawyer and Bayfield Counties. T42N-R6W, Sections 32, 33; T43N-R6W, Sections 8, 9, 16, 17. 1,060 acres.

Access: The site is located 12 miles west of Clam Lake Wisconsin on the Sawyer/Bayfield county line. Access is best taking County M west from Clam Lake for 11 miles, then south on FR 203 3 miles, then west on FR 206 one mile, then west on FR 658 for one mile to Wilson Lake (bear left at the intersection). A canoe is recommended for further access.

Description: Wilson Lake features a high quality mosaic of sedge meadow communities in association with Wilson Creek, Wilson Lake and Star Lake, and northern dry-mesic forest situated on eskers. Several sedge community types are represented including sphagnum dominated wire grass meadow, wire grass without sphagnum (poor fen), open sphagnum "lawns" without sedges, bluejoint grass dominated meadows, and classic coarse sedge/cattail marsh. These communities grade into one another and are associated with both the stream and lake riparian areas. Some of the wiregrass areas approach a “fen-like” meadow with obvious groundwater influence. The state special concern plant, dragon’s-mouth orchid occurs here in large numbers. Shrubs include sweet-gale, bog-rosemary, bog laurel, leather-leaf, and blueberry. Other species include round-leaved sundew, pitcher plant, common bladderwort, rose pogonia, arrow-grass, cotton-grasses, bog-bean, and wild calla. Also present is a second-growth, fire origin white pine and red pine growing on medium coarse sand eskers with small pockets of old-growth in several scattered locations near Star Lake. There is a moderate shrub layer, little coarse woody debris, and limited snags. Many of these stands occur as islands surrounded by both lakes and sedge meadow. A small area of old growth hemlock hardwoods occurs on the south shore of Star Lake. Water resources include Wilson Lake, Star Lake, and Wilson Creek. A 103-acre bog lake, Wilson Lake’s fish population includes largemouth bass, perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, bullhead, suckers, and minnows. The 104-acre Star Lake is also an acid bog lake and is the headwaters of Wilson Creek, which originates from two small feeder streams flowing into Star Lake and then flows south through the site into Wilson Lake and finally into Lost Land Lake on the Teal River System. Also included is Spring Lake, a small 11-acre lake with an outlet to Star Lake. It has some spring water sources. This wide variety of sedge meadow communities in association with high quality, wilderness-like lakes and stream, and upland second-growth white and red pine make this a unique site. Wilson Lake is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.