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Dorothy Lake State Natural Area

Dorothy Lake
State Natural Area
Dorothy Lake
Dorothy Lake State Natural Area is located in Wisconsin
Dorothy Lake State Natural Area
Location within Wisconsin
Dorothy Lake State Natural Area is located in the United States
Dorothy Lake State Natural Area
Location within the United States
LocationChippewa County, Wisconsin
Coordinates45°13′28″N 91°18′6″W / 45.22444°N 91.30167°W / 45.22444; -91.30167[1]
Area95 acres (38 ha)[2]
Elevation1,145 ft (349 m)[1]
Established2010[2]
OwnerChippewa County[2]
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Wisconsin State Natural Areas

Dorothy Lake State Natural Area is a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-designated State Natural Area featuring forested end moraine topography, with many steep-sided ridges and depressions. This results in a diverse mosaic of natural communities, including forests, swamps, fens, lakes, and streams.[3]

Location and access

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Dorothy Lake State Natural Area is located in northern Chippewa County approximately 9 miles (14 km) west of Holcombe. Access is via a forest trail off of Deer Fly Trail, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south of County Highway M.[4]

Description

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The namesake of the natural area, Dorothy Lake, is a 5.2 acre soft-water seepage lake, and contains a large, diverse assemblage of invertebrates, as well as three rare plant species. Three smaller, unnamed lakes surround Dorothy Lake, one of which contains a high-quality floating poor fen border. The uplands surrounding the lakes and wetlands contain northern mesic and dry-mesic forests, of primarily white pine (Pinus strobus), red pine (Pinus resinosa), and red oak (Quercus rubra). Rare plant species that can be found on the site include Blunt-Lobe Grape Fern (Botrychium oneidense), Prickly Hornwort (Ceratophyllum echinatum), White Adder's Mouth (Malaxis monophyllos), Farwell's Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum farwellii), Bog Bluegrass (Poa paludigena), and Hidden-Fruited Bladderwort (Utricularia geminiscapa).[2][3]

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Dorothy Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Dorothy Lake". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "Biotic Inventory and Analysis of the Chippewa County Forest" (PDF).
  4. Dorothy Lake State Natural Area Map (Map). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
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