Beebe Lake and Woods

This Natural Area is an active floodplain of Fall Creek. It has a long history of human disturbance, but also still retains natural features. Like many floodplains in the area, it has rich soils. It has been known historically for its high diversity of native and naturalized plants, abundant wildflowers and rare species. After it was designated as a garden, some native plant species were reintroduced or added to the site.

Take a virtual tour of the Beebe Lake Trail using Google Street View:

Click here for a view of Beebe Lake from Sackett Bridge.

Click here for a view of Beebe Lake and Sackett Bridge from the lower trail.

Take a self-guided tour of Beebe Lake using the "Pocketsights" App:

Explore the natural and cultural history of Beebe Lake with a Google-driven map that provides images and information at various points of interest. Search for "Pocketsights Tour Guide" in the App Store or Google Play Store.

Wildlife Watching Spots:

History

Beebe Lake was once a forested swamp. In 1838, to capture the waterpower of Fall Creek, the first dam was built above Triphammer Falls, which raised the level of Beebe Swamp 18 feet and created Beebe Pond. In 1898, Beebe Lake was formed when the dam was raised another ten feet; the trees in the wetlands surrounding Beebe Pond were cut, and water filled the lowlands. The lake has been dredged several times. The east shore and parts of the south shore of Beebe were created with the spoils from the dredging, while the large gravel island near the inlet was preserved during the restoration. The plantings placed there were predominantly native species.

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Beebe Lake and Woods