Giant White Pine Grove
No. 118
Photo by Thomas A. Meyer/DNR
Giant White Pine Grove features one of the best examples of mature hemlock hardwoods with a white pine super canopy in northeastern Wisconsin. Located in the Headwaters Wilderness Area, hemlock, sugar maple, yellow birch, and basswood dominate the forest with taller white pines up to 3 feet in diameter adding a super canopy stratum. Saplings are primarily sugar maple and shrubs include mountain maple, beaked hazelnut, red elder, and fly honeysuckle. Groundlayer species are bunchberry, yellow blue-bead-lily, American starflower, wild sarsaparilla, large-leaved aster, shining club-moss, and oak fern. Summer resident birds include ovenbird, blackburnian and black-throated blue warblers, winter wren, pileated woodpeckers, and evening grosbeak. Other interesting forest inhabitants include porcupines, snowshoe hares, and black bears. Giant White Pine Grove is owned by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and was designated a State Natural Area in 1974.
Very few State Natural Areas have public facilities, but nearly all are open for a variety of recreational activities as indicated below. Generally, there are no picnic areas, restrooms, or other developments. Parking lots or designated parking areas are noted on individual SNA pages and maps. If a developed trail is present, it will normally be noted on the SNA map and/or under the Maps tab. A compass and topographic map or a GPS unit are useful tools for exploring larger, isolated SNAs.
The good majority of SNAs are isolated and have few or no facilities. Some SNAs have vehicle access lanes or parking lots, but their accessibility may vary depending on weather conditions. Parking lots and lanes are not plowed during winter. Hiking trails may be nonexistent or consist of undeveloped footpaths. A GPS unit or compass and a detailed topographic map are useful tools for exploring larger SNAs.
Non-DNR lands
Entrance fees: For non-DNR-owned SNAs, we are unaware of any vehicle or admission fees. However, please contact the landowner for more information.
Hunting and trapping
Other activities
Other allowable activities such as - but not limited to camping, geocaching and bicycling are determined by the landowner. Please contact them directly or visit their websites for details.
Location
Within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Forest County. T38N-R12E, Sections 3, 10. 43 acres.
Driving directions
From the junction of Highways 45 and 32 in Three Lakes, go south and east on 32 for 4.7 miles, then east on Julia Lake Road for 0.6 miles, then south and east on Scott Lake Road (FR 2183) for 3.1 miles, then north on Giant Pine Road (FR 2414) 1.6 miles to a parking area on the west side of the road. A hiking trail loops through the site.
The DNR's state natural areas program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions and private individuals. While the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary according to individual ownership policies. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities.
Users are encouraged to contact the landowner for more specific details. The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries. To create your custom map where you can zoom to a specific location, please use the DNR's Mapping Application.
Giant White Pine Grove is owned by: US Forest Service