Sugar Camp Hemlocks State Natural Area

Situated on gently rolling terrain, Sugar Camp Hemlocks features an old-growth hemlock dominated forest, apparently of fire origin. Dense stands of large 9-15 inch hemlock are present with scattered super-canopy white pine. The largest hemlock stand is located on the western edge with a small 2-3 acre grove of very large super-canopy red pine over dense hemlock adjacent to the conifer swamp. The low-light conditions due to the dense canopy have led to a depauperate ground flora and shrub layer. Several small outlying islands of hemlock and white pine occur in the conifer swamp west of the main hemlock stand. Except for a few pine and yellow birch stumps from a past salvage harvest, there has been very little recent disturbance. This northern forest community type and late successional stage are not well represented on the local landscape. Sugar Camp Hemlocks is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2009.