Trails

Just under 1 mile of a looping natural surface hiking trail leads to the Pelican River, with a small boardwalk and puncheons along the way to help cross the wetlands.

Natural Features

The land is recognized for its old-growth hemlock and pine forest characteristics and has been dedicated as a State Natural Area by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Holmboe has also been inducted into the Old-growth Forest Network which recognizes publicly accessible old-growth forests throughout the country. The property includes about one-third of a mile of undeveloped natural shoreline on the Pelican River.

HISTORY

In July of 2007, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) transferred ownership of the property to NWLT.

Prior to that, it was donated by Frithjof and Thoralf Holmboe to TNC in 1965. A year before his death Frithjof’s death in 1965, he presented the original 32 acres of land to TNC to ensure it would be maintained as an animal and plant refuge. At the time, the property was considered one of the few places in northern Wisconsin that has portions of its woodland left untouched during the logging boom of the 1800s, possibly due to the steep terrain and wet soil making accessibility difficult.  In 1965, it was reported that it contained several of the rarer birds, such as the pileated woodpecker, great horned owl, raven, blue heron, golden eagle, woodcock, and partridge. Some of the rare and beautiful flowers in the tract were reported to be Indian pipe, pitcher plant, clematis, pyrola, more than 20 native orchids, and about 40 fungi in addition to 28 species of native trees. The tract had been visited by naturalists and conservationists from all parts of the United States, and they had declared that it was important for the area to be set aside and protected against disturbance.

In 1969, it was designated as a Wisconsin State Natural Area.

In October of 2022, the property was officially inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network in recognition of the outstanding old-growth forest and variety of botanical species found throughout the property. 

In early 2024, the property grew in size after NWLT acquired 6 acres of land adjacent to the State Natural Area. Read the story here.