Lake Noquebay Wildlife Area
Lake Noquebay Wildlife Area is a property like no other in Northern Marinette County. The 1,300-acre property includes a shoreline on the east end of Lake Noquebay, a 662-acre designated state natural area with open sedge meadows, a managed wetland impoundment and both forested upland and lowland habitats. Upper Inlet Creek bisects the wildlife area as it flows to Lake Noquebay. The diversity of habitats provides an ideal location for many game species, including deer, bear, grouse, and woodcock.
The property is a birding destination with 144 species reported on ebird.org! The gated snowmobile trail is open to foot traffic throughout the year and offers a great way to hike nearly 2 miles into the woods to explore all the adjacent habitats. If water travel is more to your liking, you can kayak or canoe the Upper Inlet Creek for nearly 2 miles downstream from the water control structure to Lake Noquebay.
You can find the property by taking County Highway X to Right of Way Road. An access road to the wildlife area goes west from Right of Way Road, opposite County Forest Road 801.
Management Objectives
This property was acquired from Marinette County in 1960. Two flowages were developed in the 1960s. One control structure on a 60-acre flowage was subsequently removed. The remaining control structure is scheduled for replacement in 2024. The impoundment is currently at full drawdown in anticipation of the installation. Once the new structure is in place, the impoundment will be managed for wetland-dependent species, including waterfowl. Forest management and wildlife openings development continue to occur on the property. A snowmobile trail traverses the property.
Recreation
The Lake Noquebay Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:
- Auto travel
- Biking
- Birding
- Canoeing
- Cross-country skiing (no designated trail)
- Fishing
- Hiking (Designated trail- portions of the county maintained "Lake Noquebay Trail" loop onto state land)
- Hunting
- Kayaking
- Snowmobiling trail
- Trapping
- Wild edibles/gathering
- Wild rice harvesting
- Wildlife viewing
Note: Within the state natural area, flying-related activities (including drone use and model airplanes) and plant collecting are prohibited. This includes seeds, roots or other non-edible parts of herbaceous plants such as wildflowers or grasses.
Amenities
- Bathroom - none.
- Parking lot - there are two mapped parking areas.
- Campground and size - none.
- Trails, Types and Lengths - the designated snowmobiling trail is open to foot traffic.
Maps
Download [PDF] a map of this property.
If you want to explore this property further, you can access an interactive map.
