Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Emmons Creek Barrens (No. 365)

Overview

Location

Within Emmons Creek Fishery Area and Hartman Creek State Park, Portage County. T21N-R10E, Section 12. 45 acres.

Access

From the junction of Highways 10 and 54 in Waupaca, go west on 54 4.5 miles, then south on Hartman Creek Road to the State Park office and get a park map. Continue south on Hartman Creek Road, then go west on W. Windfeldt Lane to one of two parking areas. Follow the Ice Age Trail south into the natural area. One portion is within the State Park, the other within the Fishery and Wildlife Area.

Description

Description

Located on sandy glacial outwash, Emmons Creek Barrens supports a semi-open oak savanna with scattered open-grown bur and white oaks. The dense patches of wild lupine, which dominates the groundlayer, provides favorable habitat for the federally endangered karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). Wild lupine is the only known larval food plant of the karner blue. Other species include Pennsylvania sedge, little blue-stem, silky aster, cream wild indigo, prairie coreopsis, western sunflower, June grass, slender beard-tongue, and showy goldenrod. Emmons Creek Barrens is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 180 KB]

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)