Area Attractions

Sheriff Creek Wildlife Sanctuary

The beautiful, ecologically diverse Sanctuary is Located within Elliot Lake and offers well defined trails, marshes and forested areas with superb opportunities for birding and wildlife viewing.

The Sanctuary includes the following natural habitats:

Cattail Marsh – Tall dense cattails create the boarder to open water covered in places by water lilies, irises and smaller plants — the cattails help filter and clean the water.

Tamarack Bog – Tamarack trees, which turn gold and lose their needles in the fall, grow here in sphagnum moss — the water in this area is acidic and supports very special bog plants.

Beaver Meadow – The beavers have created this flooded meadow of cattails and rushes — watch for beaver trails, dams and lodges.

Upland Mixed Forest – A rich diverse forest with conifers such as pine and spruce along with deciduous trees like maple and ash.

Lowland Transition Forest – Here the forest condition is returning after being disturbed by changes like mine and town sites—most common trees are poplar and birch. Under the stewardship of the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists, the Sanctuary has been enhanced with interpretive signage, bird-nesting boxes, bird blinds and viewing areas.

Mission Statement of the Penokean Naturalists – The Penokean Hills field Naturalists exists as an educational and advocacy forum for its members and the community at large to promote interest, knowledge, conservation and preservation of the natural history, habitat, and environment of this region. The club is an organization with members from Elliot Lake and across the North Shore who enjoy nature together. We hold regular monthly meetings, have informative field outings and provide opportunities for all members to become involved in nature related activities.