DuPage Lake Peatlands

State Natural Area (No. 502)

Location: Within the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, Iron County. T42N-R4E, Section 3. T43N-R4E, Sections 22-27, 33-35. 3,221 acres.

Access: From Mercer, go east on County Highway J 4.5 miles, then south on Belding Road 0.9 miles to a boat access.

Description: DuPage Lake Peatlands features a vast peatland complex just north of the Manitowish River. Open bog, muskeg, and black spruce swamp are the predominant vegetation although scattered patches of old-growth hemlock and islands of old-growth pine also occur. In all, the site supports 8 undeveloped lakes including DuPage Lake, a deep 32-acre lake with very soft water. East of the lake are several stands of old-growth hemlock hardwood forest, which are especially noteworthy as they contain super-canopy white and red pine. The boggy wetlands have a deep carpet of sphagnum mosses and support ericaceous shrubs including cranberry, bog laurel, leatherleaf, sedges, and insectivorous plants. Stunted black spruce and tamarack are scattered throughout the wetland and in some places form a closed canopy bog forest. Of note are rare plants swamp pink (Arethusa bulbosa), large round-leaf orchid (Platanthera orbiculata), marsh willow-herb (Epilobium palustre), and the state-threatened algal pondweed (Potamogeton confervoides). The undeveloped lakes and large nesting trees are also important habitat for the state-threatened osprey. Other birds include common loon, sharp-shinned hawk, and broad-winged hawk. DuPage Lake Peatlands is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.