Great Wisconsin Birding& NatureTrail Lake Superior Northwoods Region Welcome Welcome to Wisconsin where a wonderful world of wildlife watching awaits you. Environmental tourism has become an important part of our diverse mix of outdoor recreation. Extensive wetlands, millions of acres of wild places, a broad range of natural habitat, and a commitment to environmental stewardship have made Wisconsin an out- standing regional birding opportunity. More Contents than any other state in the Great Lakes basin, Introduction __________________________________ 2 Wisconsin is positioned to promote and enjoy Using the Guide________________________________ 3 this popular activity. Code of Ethics ________________________________ 3 To that end, we have launched the Great Northwoods Region Map ________________________ 4-5 Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail. This proj- Waypoint Index ________________________________ 6-7 County Profiles ect divides the state into five wildlife-viewing Ashland County ____________________________ 8-10 regions. Driving trails, linking important Barron County______________________________ 11-13 wildlife sites within each region, are being Bayfield County ____________________________ 14-19 developed. Over five years, the program will Burnett County ____________________________ 20-23 Douglas County ____________________________ 24-28 produce a series of birding guides to these Florence County ____________________________ 29-31 regions – one each year. This is the first, a Forest County ______________________________ 32-34 guide to the Lake Superior/Northwoods Iron County ________________________________ 35-38 Region. Langlade County____________________________ 39-41 We hope you enjoy it. Lincoln County ____________________________ 42-44 Oneida County ____________________________ 45-47 Polk County ________________________________ 48-50 Price County ______________________________ 51-53 Rusk County ______________________________ 54-55 Jim Doyle, Governor Sawyer County ____________________________ 56-58 Taylor County ______________________________ 59-63 Vilas County ______________________________ 63-66 Washburn County __________________________ 67-69 More Sources of Tourism Information______________ 72 1 Wing your way Using the Guide Information for this guide was gathered locally from through Wild Wisconsin Wisconsin DNR and federal Forest Service personnel, from nat- uralists, birders, and a range of wildlife enthusiasts. Each site The Great Wisconsin Birding Guide and was nominated locally and evaluated as part of the regional Nature Trail is your invitation to observe the project. Site information includes a contact phone number, fascinating and diverse world of wildlife that driving directions, a small locator map, a description of the exists in every corner of the state. project, common and rare birds and wildlife, and a Web site if Over the next four years, available. Except as noted, admission to these properties is the Wisconsin DNR Endangered free. Hours are included, even though most properties are Resource Program will develop open 24/7. a series of five highway-based As you would expect, most of these waypoints are viewing guides, each remote, wild locations. While every effort has been made to provide accurate driving instructions, we recommend that you highlighting unique regional bring a county map or gazetteer to help in finding these sites. ecosystems of Wisconsin. Each Other prudent equipment would include a compass, flashlight, will link a set of waypoints, water, a granola bar, insect repellant, and a good pair of walk- refuges and wild places that ing/hiking shoes. offer the best birding and wildlife watching opportunities. This is the first of those five guides; the Lake Superior/Northwoods Birding and Nature Code of Ethics Trail. It covers Wisconsin’s eighteen northern The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail is your gateway counties. Opened in 2004, it includes 88 to the natural world of Wisconsin. The Code of Ethics serves to guide you as you seek your favorite waypoint sites across the waypoints from the twenty-one pristine Apostle state. Islands to the one million acres of the ● Treat birds and other animals with respect, never disturbing Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. or collecting anything in their habitat. In 2005, the Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Birding and Nature Trail will debut followed in ● Trails, roads and paths found at the sites provide good access to the property. Avoid leaving them unless you are in successive years by the Lake Michigan, Central a wilderness area. Sands Prairie and Southern ● Savanna Trails. Wisconsin has strict trespass laws. Private property does not have to be posted or fenced in Wisconsin. Ask permission if Waypoints on each trail will you want to enter private land. Know where you are – pay be marked with the program’s attention to posted property boundary signs. distinctive Sandhill Crane ● Dogs must be leashed on all state lands during the bird-nest- logo. As you travel, watch for ing season from April 15 through July 31. these signs – they are your ● Lead by example. Leave the property litter-free and in good invitation to the fascinating condition for the next traveler. world of Wisconsin wildlife. ● Give nature a voice. Thank the property owner, manager or staff person for the opportunity to enjoy nature at their site. Top photo, Clay colored sparrow by Mike McDowell. Bottom, waypoint marker. 2 3 Great Wisconsin Birding& NatureTrail Lake Superior Northwoods Region Bayfield r County Apostle erio 2 61 Pgs. 14-19 Islands up 13 ke S 53 Red Cliff La Port Wing Bayfield 12 Duluth Superior 11 16 10 La Pointe Ashland 30 County 27 Washburn Pgs. 8-10 Iron Poplar Odanah County MINNESOTA 25 Pgs. 35-38 29 14 15 45 Brule Ashland 40 Iron 2 3 53 River 2 M I C H I G A N Douglas BAYFIELD Hurley 35 DOUGLAS Ironwood County 27 Montreal 43 Pgs. 24-28 24 Solon 13 1 Vilas 26 Springs County Drummond 4 Mellen Pgs. 63-66 Gordon 27 45 2 ASHLAND IRON 41 28 Cable 17 79 Burnett Glidden Mercer Manitowish Clam Waters 2 Florence County 23 72 Lake 42 Land O' Lakes Minong 63 13 84 Lac County Pgs. 20-23 Manitowish 83 Boulder Jct. Vieux 19 77 Sawyer Turtle Flambeau 44 51 Desert Pgs. 29-31 77 Hayward Flowage 80 81 County VILAS Conover Danbury WASHBURN er Pgs. 56-58 63 Lac du 82 34 iv Trego 73 Chippewa 70 Flambeau 31 R BURNETT Flowage Woodruff 70 ix 21 87 Park Falls 139 o 22 70 Eagle 36 Florence r Webster Stone Lake SAWYER River 32 33 C Spooner St.Germain Hertel Fifield 65 Arbor . 20 Couderay Minocqua FLORENCE t 18 85 Winter r Vitae S 88 e 57 37 Oneida 70 v 64 PRICE Siren Ojibwa 71 i 55 Grantsburg 86 Radisson R Price Three County Niagara Shell 58 Lakes 61 Lake 53 County ONEIDA 32 Pgs. 45-47 35 Washburn Phillips Pembine Polk Pgs. 51-53 Rhinelander 8 63 5 6 County P County Luck FOREST es Pgs. 67-69 Rusk Heafford 8 Crandon ht Goodman Pgs. 48-50 54 igo Cumberland Flambeau Jct. Monico 35 9 County Laona POLK RUSK r 39 Forest 141 Rice Lake Pgs. 54-55 Prentice e 56 St. Croix Bruce 8 53 iv BARRON R 35 County Falls 59 7 67 51 Tomahawk Wabeno MARINETTE Barron Cameron 68 Ladysmith 66 Elcho Pgs. 32-34 8 38 LINCOLN 60 62 Amery Turtle Lake 69 Summit Lake 55 32 65 Taylor in 49 R 27 s 47 Townsend iv 77 75 n Lincoln e County o r Osceola 8 c 48 46 s 78 Pgs. 59-62 i 52 County Lakewood 76 13 51 Wo Barron W New Holcombe Pgs. 42-44 LANGLADE Crivitz County Merrill lf Richmond TAYLOR 74 Antigo Mountain Pgs. 11-13 Gilman 64 50 Polar R 64 Cornell i Medford 46 v e 64 Somerset ST. CROIX Bloomer r CHIPPEWA 45 Pound 63 39 MARATHON Langlage OCONTO Hudson DUNN Chippewa MENOMINEE Withee Wausau Aniwa County Knapp Falls Cadott Owen Abbotsford 141 St. Paul 94 29 Pgs. 39-41 Schofield Gillett River Menomonie MARATHON Birnamwood 61 Oconto Falls Eau Claire Unity Mosinee Rothschild Wittenberg 10 Prescott Elmwood Downsville Shawano Falls wa Ell h ippe Eld 4 5 Waypoint Index Page Page Ashland County Langlade County 1. Copper Falls State Park, Mellen______________________________________ 8 46. Ackley State Wildlife Area, Merrill ___________________________________ 39 2. Day Lake, Clam Lake _______________________________________________ 9 47. Bogus Swamp State Natural Area, Summit Lake ______________________ 40 3. Fish Creek Slough, Ashland _________________________________________ 9 48. Peters Marsh State Wildlife Area, Antigo_____________________________ 40 4. Mineral Lake, Mellen _______________________________________________ 10 49. Veterans County Park/Jack Lake, Summit Lake ________________________ 41 Barron County Lincoln County 5. Bear Lake Sedge Meadow State Natural Area, Haugen ________________ 11 50. Council Grounds State Park, Merrill __________________________________ 42 6. Hemlock Creek Segment – Ice Age Trail, Birchwood ___________________ 12 51. Hiawatha State Trail, Tomahawk (also Oneida Co.) ____________________ 43 7. Loon Lake State Wildife Area, Turtle Lake____________________________ 12 52. New Wood State Wildlife Area, Merrill_______________________________ 43 8. New Auburn State Wildlife Area, New Auburn _______________________ 13 53. Treehaven Environmental Learning Center, Tomahawk ________________ 44 9. Yellow River State Fishery Area, Cumberland _________________________ 13 Oneida County Bayfield County 54. Almon Bog Trails at Almon Park /Buck Lake, Rhinelander______________ 45 10. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Bayfield _________________________ 15 55. Bearskin State Trail, Woodruff_______________________________________ 46 11. Bark Bay Slough State Natural Area, Herbster ________________________