Kangaroo Lake State Natural Area, Protected natural area in Door County, United States
Kangaroo Lake State Natural Area covers 357 acres around the northern section of the lake with marshes, forests, and rock formations as the main features. A ridge drops roughly 130 feet to where Peil Creek flows into the water, creating varied terrain throughout the protected land.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources established this protected area in 2002 to preserve the natural shoreline and diverse ecological systems found here. The landscape itself carries traces of ancient glacial Lake Algonquin, which shaped the terrain thousands of years before protection efforts began.
The name reflects early settlers' interpretations of the landscape, though local fauna such as beavers and herons are the true inhabitants you'll encounter today. These animals shape how the wetlands and forests function as living ecosystems.
A 2.4 kilometer looped hiking trail winds through the area and is open from sunrise to sunset year-round for visitor exploration. Sturdy footwear is wise since the ground becomes slippery in wetter sections, especially during spring and after rain.
The area shelters the world's largest breeding population of the endangered Hine's Emerald Dragonfly species. This rare insect depends on the specific freshwater wetland conditions that this location provides in abundance.
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