Popple River Corridor

State Natural Area (No. 452)

Location: Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Florence County. T38N-R16E, Sections 18, 19, 20; T38N-R15E, Sections 14, 15, 22. 235 acres.

Access: West Section: From the Town of Popple River, take FS2161E to FS2398S to Popple River. Sites are along the river. East Section: From the Town of Popple River take FS2161E to Morgan Lake Campground area. Sites are along FS2161 and Popple River.

Description: Popple River Corridor is a complex of wetlands and adjacent uplands situated along the Popple River. The uplands contain fire-origin white and red pine aged at about 100 years. The understory includes bracken fern, beaked hazelnut, bunchberry, spinulose wood fern, Canada mayflower, big-leaf aster, and northern bush-honeysuckle. Also present is a northern wet-mesic forest dominated by late-successional hemlock that contains a significant component of coarse woody debris, den trees, and nurse trees. Ground flora includes Pennsylvania sedge, three-leaved goldthread, downy yellow violet, and large-flowered trillium. A designated wild river, this area of the Popple contains large boulders along its banks and floodplains. Popple River Corridor is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.