Moose Lake State Natural Area

Moose Lake is an exceptional example of a large, undeveloped lake in a wilderness setting. The 270-acre soft water drainage lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and harbors a diversity of emergent and submergent aquatic plants. It drains into 13-acre Little Moose Lake. The fishery contains mostly northern lake fishes including a reproducing population of muskellunge. While a diversity of wetland communities surround the lake, most of the shoreline is covered by a dense thicket of alder and sweet gale; the remainder is predominantly lowland conifer and hardwoods dominated by black spruce, white cedar, and black ash. The upland forest surrounding the lake has pockets of higher rocky terrain dominated by sugar maple, basswood, paper birch, and balsam fir. Sedge hummocks and alder mark the two small inlet streams and the site also harbors pockets of old-growth hemlock, especially to the south. The high canopy, mature timber, and numerous decomposing logs on the forest floor give this site a magnificent virgin appearance. Dominant trees are hemlock and yellow birch, some more than 2 feet in diameter at breast height. White spruce, white cedar, balsam fir, sugar maple, and red maple are found occasionally and the groundlayer species composition is representative of northern boreal forest. Some dead standing hemlock and yellow birch accentuate the unmanaged appearance. Hemlock is reproducing as evidenced by seedlings and saplings. Large numbers of wildlife including black bear, hooded merganser, and blue-winged teal use the area. Breeding birds include bald eagle and common loon. Moose Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1992.