Twin Lakes Bog State Natural Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Twin Lakes Bog State Natural Area
Twin Lakes Bog
Twin Lakes Bog State Natural Area Location in Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin Twin Lakes Bog State Natural Area Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Taylor, Wisconsin, United States
Area	38 acres (15 ha)
Established	1996

Twin Lakes Bog State Natural Area is a special place in Wisconsin. It is protected by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. This area has a unique swamp with many tamarack trees. It lies between two lakes, North Twin Lake and South Twin Lake.

This natural area is also a Research Natural Area. This means scientists study the plants and animals here. It helps us learn more about nature.

What is Twin Lakes Bog?

Twin Lakes Bog is a tamarack swamp. A swamp is a type of wetland. Tamarack trees (Larix laricina) are special. They are conifers, but they lose their needles in the fall.

The swamp sits in a low area. This area is between two kettle lakes. Kettle lakes are formed when ice chunks melt after glaciers move.

Plants of the Bog

The ground in the swamp is open. Many shrubs grow here. These include Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum). You can also find bog laurel (Kalmia polifolia). Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata) is another common plant.

Other interesting plants live here too. These include wooly-fruit sedge (Carex lasiocarpa). You might also spot twinflower (Linnaea borealis). Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) adds to the green.

Carnivorous Plants and Orchids

Two types of sundews grow in the bog. These are Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera intermedia. Sundews are carnivorous plants. They catch insects to get nutrients.

One very special plant here is the pink ladyslipper (Cypripedium acaule). This beautiful orchid is very common in Twin Lakes Bog.

Bog Lakes and Mats

Inside the swamp, there are three small bog lakes. They are between 0.4 and 1.0 acres in size. These lakes are surrounded by quaking bog mats. A quaking bog mat is a floating layer of plants. It feels bouncy when you walk on it.

Surrounding Forests

The land around the swamp is different. It has forests with hardwood trees. These trees grew back after old logging. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a common tree here. Red oak (Quercus rubra) also grows in these forests.

Where is Twin Lakes Bog?

Twin Lakes Bog State Natural Area is in Taylor County. This is in north-central Wisconsin. It is about 10.75 miles (17.3 km) northwest of Medford.

The natural area is part of the larger Chequamegon National Forest. You can reach it by using Forest Road 1504. This road runs along the western side of the area.