Deer Mountain

State Natural Area (No. 455)

Location: Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Forest County. T34N-R16E, Sections 1-4, 10, 11, 12. T35N-R16E, Sections 25, 34, 35, 36. 2,089 acres.

Access: From the intersection of Highway 32 and County C (Rogers St) in Wabeno, go east on C 2.75 miles, then north on Camp 1 Road 8.1 miles to the intersection with Bay Shore Road. The site lies south of this intersection.

Description: Situated on hummocky topography, Deer Mountain features a northern mesic forest with a canopy of sugar maple, basswood, and occasional beech. The groundlayer is dominated by sugar maple seedlings, Canada mayflower, Pennsylvania sedge, bloodroot, and large-flowered bellwort. The rich habitat and leaf litter of the forest supports the state-endangered little goblin moonwort (Botrychium mormo), a tiny (3-4 inches) fern that is found in the humus-rich soils of northern mesic forests. It is easily overlooked due to its diminutive stature and the fact that it often never rises above the leaf litter. In addition, the fern often disappears during low precipitation years and remains dormant in the leaf litter making inventory and detection further problematic. Deer Mountain is owned by the US Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.