Bear Lake Natural Area

Access

Open from dawn until dusk.

Location

• Bear Lake Natural Area Location Map
• South Campus, farms area, southwest of the intersection of I96 and Dunkel Dr.
• Accessibility is limited due to the natural growth of vegetation and the terrain.
• Entrance Points - map
• Access is easiest from the northwest corner of the natural area, off the bike path.

Parking

• Bear Lake Natural Area Location Map
• Street parking available at the corner of Leawood Dr. and Wabash Rd.

Features

• Area: 161 acres
• Remnant northern Michigan forest/bog community.
• Contains six recognized vegetational zones: The Chamaedaphne-Decodon mat, mature bog forest remnants, high shrub zone, Betula-Larix zone, marginal fosse, and north fence clearing.
• 168 total vascular plant species have been identified in the bog (Hunter 1975).

Publications & Reports

• Flanders, R. A. (1971). Temporal associations among woodland plants in southern Michigan. Michigan State University. Department of Botany and Plant Pathology.

• Hunter, P.A. 1975. A botanical inventory of Bear Lake Bog. M.S. Thesis, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State University, East Lansing.

• Parmelee, George. W. 1947. Postglacial forest succession in the Lansing area of Michigan: A study of pollen spectra. M.S. Thesis, Michigan State University, East Lansing.

• Poland, T. M., & Mccullough, D. G. (2014). Comparison of trap types and colors for capturing emerald ash borer adults at different population densities. Environmental Entomology, 43(1), 157-170.

• Ward, S. (2024). Bear Lake Natural Area Bio-inventory Report. Michigan State University.

• Witter, S. G., Kline-Robach, R., Long, D. T., Bartholic, J., & Poston, F. (2001). MSU-Water: A new way of addressing water quality and quantity challenges. Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, 119(1), 7.