Porcupine Lake Wilderness Area, Bayfield County, WI, US - eBird Hotspot
Habitat: Hemlock-Hardwood Forest, Mixed Coniferous Forest, Northern Hardwood Forest, Open Water.
Best Birds: This area is excellent for breeding Black-throated Blue Warbler and sometimes Swainson’s Thrush among other common forest birds such as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Broad-winged Hawk, and Hermit and Wood Thrush. Other northern forest warblers found here include Nashville, Black-and-white, and Black-throated Green. Trumpeter Swan and Common Loon are sometimes seen or heard from the lake. Forest Road 213 also provides good birding including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, Northern Parula, Black-throated, Blackburnian, Canada, and Magnolia Warbler, and occasionally Red-shouldered Hawk or Northern Goshawk.
Directions: 30 miles southwest of Ashland. From Highway 63 in Drummond travel about 5 miles south along Lake Owen Drive to Porcupine Lake Rd (Forest Road 213). Turn east and go ~1.3 miles to a small parking area on the south side a few hundred feet east of the Eighteenmile Creek bridge (46.29646, -91.15928). From the parking area, walk the small trail less than one mile south to Porcupine Lake. The North Country Trail intersects with this trail north of Porcupine Lake and extends east and west through the wilderness. Extend your visit with stops at Two Lakes Campground (46.29321, -91.19329) and Lake Owen Hardwoods State Natural Area (46.30738, -91.21138) easily accessed on Horseshoe Road and which is also traversed by the North Country Trail.
Site Address & Additional Information:
Porcupine Lake Road (FR 213), Drummond WI
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest - Porcupine Lake Wilderness (usda.gov)
Lake Owen Hardwoods State Natural Area - Wisconsin DNR
Ryan Brady
