The Wetland Gems® of Southeast Wisconsin
Explore the map below to learn more about the twelve Wetland Gems® sites in the Southeast Region of Wisconsin.
Beulah Bog
County: Walworth
Property Owner: Wisconsin DNR
Beulah Bog, located in Walworth County near Beulah Lake, is a relatively small (78 acres) but outstanding southern example of Wisconsin’s bog communities. Undisturbed bogs are rare in southern Wisconsin, thus Beulah Bog supports many plants that are more typical of northern bogs. The site comprises four kettle holes and features a high-quality open bog lake surrounded by a mat of sphagnum moss and coniferous bog habitat. Deeper areas of this shallow lake include marsh plants such as water shields and white and yellow water lilies. These high-quality habitats support a number of regionally rare plants that are more common in the northern half of the state, including dense cottongrass, large and small cranberry, and small bladderwort. The site harbors at least six species of insectivorous plants, including purple pitcher plant and round-leaved sundew. Beulah Bog provides high-quality habitat for a diversity of dragonflies, moths, butterflies, and other insects. The rare amber-winged spread wing damselfly and some dragonfly species typically found in more northern habitats like the frosted whiteface and racquet-tailed emerald are found here. Bird species include blue-winged warbler, Nashville warbler, black-throated green warbler, common yellowthroat, song sparrow, and swamp sparrow. A number of amphibians and reptiles also use the site, including chorus frog, bullfrog, blue-spotted salamander, spiny softshell turtle, painted turtle, and common musk turtle.
A trail from the parking area leads visitors down into the bog and onto a boardwalk, allowing visitors to view these wetland communities up close without harming sensitive vegetation. For information about how to access this site, visit the Beulah Bog page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
Cedarburg Bog
County: Ozaukee
Property Owners: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin DNR
Cedarburg Bog is the least disturbed large bog remaining in southern Wisconsin. This wetland complex was once part of a large glacial lake; today six lakes of varying size and depth, all with high water quality, remain. The site’s 2,500 acres support a number of different wetland plant community types and an associated diversity of plants, including many species that are regionally rare and are at the southern limits of their range here. This diverse wetland complex consists of extensive coniferous bog with a canopy of tamarack and black spruce trees over a matt of sphagnum moss. The site also has areas of open bog, coniferous swamp dominated by northern white cedar, lowland hardwood forest, and fen. The heart of Cedarburg Bog features a patterned peatland (also known as a “string bog”), an unusual wetland type that is rare in Wisconsin and is typically found much further north. More than 35 plant species at Cedarburg Bog are at or near the southern extent of their range in Wisconsin. This Wetland Gem® also supports significant wildlife diversity including many amphibians, mammals, and hundreds of birds. Nearly 300 species of birds have been documented in the area, including 19 species that are near the southern extent of their range in Wisconsin. Breeding birds include willow flycatcher, golden-crowned kinglet, Canada warbler, northern waterthrush, and white-throated sparrow. Amphibians include a wood frog, spring peeper, chorus frog, and American toad.
Trails and a boardwalk allow visitors to see the heart of the bog without harming sensitive vegetation. For information about how to access this site, visit the Cedarburg Bog page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
Visit the Friends of Cedarburg Bog website for information about frequent field trips, events, and workdays.
Cherokee Marsh
County: Dane
Property Owners: City of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin DNR
This urban Wetland Gem® is the largest remaining wetland in Dane County and a highly significant wetland within the Yahara River watershed. More than 2,000 acres at Cherokee Marsh, along with both the east and west sides of the river, are protected by city, county, and state agency property owners. This extensive wetland complex is characterized by steep side slopes and large flat expanses hosting marsh, fen, shrub carr, sedge meadow, and one of the largest low prairies in the region. Cherokee Marsh hosts a diversity of plant communities. Fen habitat characterizes the northern portion of the site; further south is areas of shrub carr characterized by bog birch, willows, and dogwood. The site supports some relic tamarack trees and several rare plant species. Many mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds use Cherokee Marsh. A wide diversity of birds nest in or migrate through the area. Rare and unusual animals using the site include mulberry wing and smokey-eyed brown butterflies. These wetlands also provide critical spawning habitat for northern pike and also help to support healthy populations of many other fish species in the Yahara River. Cherokee Marsh not only serves as excellent wildlife habitat but also provides services like water quality protection and flood attenuation to the City of Madison downstream. The City has intensive and ongoing marsh restoration efforts that are helping to bring back hundreds of lost acres. The site also provides recreational and educational opportunities to many Madison area residents; the site is used by thousands of students each year for environmental education.
A trail, boardwalk, and boat launch provide access to various portions of this site. For information about how to access this site, visit the City of Madison Parks website for Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park’s North Unit and South Unit . The Friends of Cherokee Marsh website also provides information on access. You can also visit the Cherokee Marsh page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
Horicon Marsh
County: Dodge
Property Owners: USFWS, WDNR
Horicon Marsh is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, boasting more than 32,000 wetland acres. The site has garnered many superlatives and recognitions; it is designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and a Globally and State Important Bird Area. Horicon Marsh is a shallow, peat-filled lake bed that was created by glacial scouring and impounding of the basin by a recessional moraine at the end of the last ice age. The northern two-thirds of the marsh is managed as a National Wildlife Refuge and the southern third is managed as a State Wildlife Area. The marsh has a long history of human alteration and impacts including ditching, draining, and muck farming that occurred before the lands were bought and restored by public agencies. Restoration has had outstanding results, but the legacy of these historical alterations still influences current marsh habitats. This Wetland Gem® is a mecca for wildlife with 300 species of birds, snapping turtle, garter snake, white-tailed deer, red fox, river otter, muskrat, and many other animal species. It’s best known for hosting tremendous numbers of waterfowl during migration, including more than 250,000 Canadian geese and 100,000 ducks in the fall. Significant numbers of shorebirds also use Horicon as a migratory stopover during drawdowns and low water levels. The site supports significant breeding populations of waterbirds such as American white pelican and great blue heron. Horicon also hosts the largest breeding population of redhead duck east of the Mississippi River.
This site offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including the Horicon Marsh International Education Center. For information about how to access this large site, visit the Friends of Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center website , the WDNR Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area website , and the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge website .
Learn more about the international significance of this site on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands website .
Huiras Lake
County: Ozaukee
Property Owner: Ozaukee Washington Land Trust
Huiras Lake is a 26-acre pristine seepage lake surrounded by several hundred acres of forested wetlands within the Milwaukee River Basin. This is considered the least disturbed hardwood swamp in this region and is unusual because of the lack of exotic invasive species. Few coniferous swamps and bogs of this quality remain in southern Wisconsin; the site features many species more typical of northern Wisconsin wetlands. This Wetland Gem® features a lake with emergent and floating-leaved marsh vegetation as well as bog and shrub carr shoreline habitats in a matrix of coniferous swamp and lowland hardwood swamp. The bog habitat consists of a narrow band of sphagnum moss with associated bog species, many of which are uncommon in southern Wisconsin. The white pine population in these forested wetlands may be the southernmost natural population of this species in the state. Huiras Lake’s lush vegetation provides excellent waterfowl nesting and stopover habitat. The wild character of this Wetland Gem® makes the site a highly valuable wildlife habitat in the rapidly urbanizing southeastern portion of Wisconsin.
For information about how to access this site, visit the Huiras Lake page of the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust website or the Huiras Lake page of the State Natural Areas Program website.
Lulu Lake
County: Walworth
Property Owners: The Nature Conservancy, WDNR
Located within the Mukwonago River watershed in the Kettle Moraine region, this Wetland Gem®, which includes Pickerel Lake Fen, features exceptionally high quality and diverse complex of wetland plant communities, some of which are extremely rare in southeastern Wisconsin. Lulu Lake, designated an Outstanding Resource Water by the state, is a 95-acre hard water drainage kettle lake fed by the Mukwonago River. The superb open waters, wetlands, and uplands at this site collectively support a diversity of wildlife, including a number of rare species. Surrounding the lake to the north and west is a large sedge meadow matrix with patches of calcareous fen and shrub carr. This site also includes a small bog with sphagnum moss and tamarack and many northern bog species including bog birch, bog rosemary, wiregrass, and bog willow. High-quality upland habitats, including prairie, oak openings, and woodlands, surround the wetland complex and support rare plant species. Clean and clear water in Lulu Lake, the Mukwonago River, and associated wetlands support a diversity of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Many bird species use the site including Cooper’s hawk and osprey as well as nesting pairs of sandhill cranes. The rare Dion skipper butterfly also uses these wetlands.
These wetlands can be seen by canoe as well as from hiking trails in the preserve. For information about how to access this site, visit the Lulu Lake page of the State Natural Areas Program website and The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin’s website .
Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest
County: Washington/Fond Du Lac County
Property Owner: Wisconsin DNR
This Wetland Gem® includes nearly 600 acres of diverse wetlands protected in three State Natural Areas: Milwaukee River and Swamp, Milwaukee River Tamaracks Lowlands, and Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest. Located along the East Branch of the Milwaukee River within the Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit, the site includes the highest quality example of floodplain forest in the region. Several spring runs are supported by groundwater connections at this site. The Milwaukee River Tamarack Lowlands State Natural Area comprises a large wetland complex on both sides of the river with lowland hardwood swamp, coniferous swamp, coniferous bog, sedge meadow, and shrub carr. The rare plant American gromwell is also present at this site. Dogwoods and some invasive plants have taken advantage of gaps in the forest canopy. The floodplain forest supports healthy riverine habitat and associated fish populations. The rare black dash butterfly is also found in these wetlands. Many bird species use these forested wetlands, including blue-gray gnatcatcher, brown creeper, wood thrush, and great horned owl. This Wetland Gem® is important for its wildlife habitat values as well as its water quality and flood attenuation functions within the rapidly urbanizing Milwaukee River basin.
For information about how to access this site, visit the Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest , Milwaukee River and Swamp , and Milwaukee River Tamarack Lowlands pages of the State Natural Areas Program website.
Nichols Creek
County: Sheboygan
Property Owner: WDNR
The North Branch of the Milwaukee River begins as Nichols Creek, a small stream meandering through a more than 600-acre high-quality wetland complex in the Nichols Creek State Wildlife Area. The site features extensive coniferous swamp habitat with areas of sedge meadow habitat. These wetlands are loaded with groundwater connections, including seeps and spring runs, contributing to the river’s clean, cool water and its ability to support wild populations of trout. This reach is the portion of the North Branch with the best habitat and water quality and has been recognized by the state as an Outstanding Resource of Water. This Wetland Gem® provides excellent wildlife habitat as well as recreational opportunities. The site features extensive coniferous swamp habitat dominated by northern white cedar. This forested wetland is unusual in that it has few exotic invasive species and the cedars are reproducing. In most coniferous swamps, heavy deer browsing limits or eliminates cedar regeneration. This high-quality habitat supports abundant wildlife. Common species include white-tailed deer and spring peepers. Wetland and upland bird species found at Nichols Creek State Wildlife Area include sandhill crane, Cooper’s hawk, eastern bluebird, blue-winged warbler, field sparrow, clay-colored sparrow, and bobolink. The area has not been thoroughly studied; many other species could be present at different times of the year.
For information about how to access this site, visit the Nichols Creek Wildlife Area page of the State Wildlife Area program website .
Rush Lake
County: Winnebago/Fond Du Lac
Property Owners: Wisconsin DNR, The Nature Conservancy
Rush Lake, a 3,000-acre shallow, hard water seepage lake with a relatively undeveloped shoreline, is the largest prairie pothole east of the Mississippi River. Much of this highly productive lake is covered by marsh vegetation. Water levels, which are less than 2 feet deep over the majority of the area, are managed by a small dam at the lake’s outlet to Waukau Creek in the northeast corner. Sedge meadow, low prairie, and shrub carr habitats surround the lake. The marsh vegetation across the lake is dominated by hardstem bulrush and other rushes, for which the lake was named. The lake and surrounding landscape inspired a number of paintings by Wisconsin wildlife artist Owen Gromme. Rush Lake is best known for its rich wildlife, particularly the tremendous populations of migratory and breeding birds that use these wetlands each year. This site is considered one of the most important wetlands for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent birds in Wisconsin. Many thousands of migratory waterfowl and other water birds use the wetlands of Rush Lake as stopover habitat during migration. This Wetland Gem® also supports significant breeding populations of many rare and uncommon birds. Other birds found at the site include American coot, common moorhen, marsh wren, pied-billed grebe, and swamp sparrow as well as many duck species like a redhead, mallard, scaup, widgeon, blue-winged teal, American black duck, and ruddy duck.
For information about how to access this site, visit the Rush Lake page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
Scuppernong River Area
County: Waukesha
Property Owner: Wisconsin DNR
The Scuppernong River Area comprises more than 2,000 acres within the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, including three State Natural Areas: Kettle Moraine Low Prairie, Scuppernong Prairie, and Ottawa Lake Fen. This Wetland Gem® supports high-quality examples of a variety of wetland types and hosts a great diversity of both plant and animal species. It also is an excellent demonstration of the value of wetland restoration: the Scuppernong River basin once supported a vast low prairie and sedge meadow complex, and the Wisconsin DNR has successfully restored a matrix of wetland habitats around remnant areas of native wetland plant communities. Several rare plants now thrive at this site as a result of these restoration efforts. This wetland complex is very flat though some areas feature a gently undulating land surface with low spots that support low prairie and fen species such as blue joint grass, shrubby cinquefoil, valerian, and grass of-Parnassus. This Wetland Gem® supports many uncommon and rare plants. The site also supports abundant and diverse wildlife including many rare species. Amphibians and reptiles include pickerel frogs, bullfrogs, and the eastern hognose snake. Birds include sandhill crane, green heron, blue-winged warbler, yellow warbler, and willow flycatcher. The site supports a number of rare butterflies and moths, including. Badgers also use this site. The wetlands at this site contribute to the high water quality in the Scuppernong River and provide excellent recreational opportunities in close proximity to several population centers in southern Wisconsin.
For information about how to access this site, visit the WDNR’s Scuppernong River Area website or the Scuppernong Prairie page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
Spruce Lake Bog
County: Fond Du Lac
Property Owner: Wisconsin DNR
This Wetland Gem® features an undisturbed bog lake within the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Fond du Lac County. While the site is relatively small (140 acres), it hosts a diversity of wetland community types and species, including many plant and bird species typically found much further north in Wisconsin. The focal point of the site is a small (35 acre) and shallow (2-4 feet deep) bog lake that is characterized by dense marsh vegetation dominated by water shields and water lilies. A floating sedge mat surrounding the lake includes sphagnum moss, cottongrass, three-fruited sedge, woolly fruit sedge, royal fern, pitcher plant, round-leaved sundew, moccasin flower, wintergreen, and small cranberry. Moving further inland is extensive coniferous bog habitat with a northern character. Understory species include three-leaved goldthread, American starflower, partridgeberry, common winterberry, and yellow-blue bead lily. Bird species commonly using this wetland complex include green heron, common yellowthroat, swamp sparrow, veery, alder flycatcher, and sandhill crane. The site also supports several rare and unusual birds and species typically found in more northern habitats including northern waterthrush, Nashville warbler, Canada warbler, Cape May warbler, yellow-bellied flycatcher, and white-throated sparrow.
A trail and boardwalk provide access to the southeast end of the site. For information about how to access this site, visit the Spruce Lake Bog page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
Sugar River Floodplain Forest
County: Rock/Green
Property Owner: Wisconsin DNR
This riverine Wetland Gem® comprises wetlands along the Sugar River corridor from Brodhead to the Illinois state line and includes two State Natural Areas: Avon Bottoms and Swenson Wet Prairie. The meandering river corridor features habitat complexity—oxbows, sloughs, and potholes—that supports a diversity of wetland plants and animals. These riverine wetlands are important to the quality of the Sugar River and also provide excellent recreational opportunities in close proximity to several population centers in southern Wisconsin. Extensive floodplain forest flanks this section of the meandering Sugar River. The canopy is dominated by silver maple, swamp white oak, and green ash, but includes a number of other species such as shagbark hickory, hackberry, cottonwood, bitternut hickory, bur oak, American elm, basswood, sycamore, and black willow. The site supports two state-threatened plants: prairie Indian plantain and round-fruited St. John’s wort. Many bird species use these floodplain wetlands including blue-gray gnatcatcher, tufted titmouse, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, and wood duck. The site also supports a number of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates including a painted turtle and the riverine club-tail and russet-tipped club-tail dragonflies
For information about how to access this site, visit the Avon Bottoms and Swenson Wet Prairie pages of the State Natural Areas Program website.
Waubesa Wetlands
County: Dane
Property Owners: The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin DNR, Dane County, private landowner
This Wetland Gem®, located just south of Madison along the southwest shoreline of Lake Waubesa, is one of the more diverse wetland complexes remaining in southern Wisconsin. Waubesa Wetlands comprises more than 500 acres of relatively high-quality sedge meadow, fen, marsh, and shrub carr habitats. The site is characterized by deep peat deposits and numerous springs, which provide these wetlands with a continuous source of clean, cool, and mineral-rich groundwater. Two streams, Murphy’s Creek and Swan Creek, meander through the site and empty into the lake. These wetlands are important to water quality in the lake and the larger Yahara River system. The majority of the site is sedge meadow habitat with species diversity that is created by varying hydrology across the site. This Wetland Gem® provides a habitat for many species of waterfowl and other migrating birds including sandhill crane, green heron, marsh wren, sedge wren, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, American coot, blue-gray gnatcatcher, common yellowthroat, great blue heron, and willow flycatcher. This area also provides important spawning habitat for many Lake Waubesa fishes. The site could provide good spawning habitat for northern pike, but lake level drawdowns reduce the availability and accessibility of the flooded mats of grasses and sedges that pike need to lay their eggs. The proximity of this site to Madison means that it is heavily used for research, education, and recreation.
This site is best enjoyed by canoe. For information about how to access this site, visit the Waubesa Wetlands page of the State Natural Areas Program website .
White River Marsh
County: Green Lake/Marquette
Property Owner: Wisconsin DNR
This vast riverine Wetland Gem® site comprises more than 4,300 acres of diverse, high-quality wetlands along the meandering White River as it flows from the Marquette-Green Lake County border into the Fox River within the White River Marsh State Wildlife Area, as well as the last segment of the Puchyan River as it flows into the White River. The site includes three State Natural Areas—White River Sedge Meadow, White River Prairie/Tamaracks, and Puchyan Prairie. This site includes the largest sedge meadow in the region, the largest tamarack swamp in the region, and the least disturbed low prairie remaining in the state. Puchyan Prairie puts on a beautiful spring display with more than 130 native wildflower species. The northern, upstream end of the White River portion of this site features an extensive coniferous swamp with a tamarack canopy. Low prairie habitat along the White and Puchyan Rivers features a great diversity of native species. Marsh habitat along the river is characterized by cattails, bulrushes, and sedges. These wetlands provide important stopover habitat for thousands of migratory birds during the spring and fall. These wetlands play an important role in the quality of the White and Fox Rivers downstream.
This site is best enjoyed by canoe. For information about how to access this site, visit the White River Sedge Meadow , White River Prairie/Tamaracks , and Puchyan Prairie pages of the State Natural Areas Program website.