The nearest unincorporated community is Spread Eagle, Wisconsin, but the closest large city is Iron Mountain, Michigan; 6 miles (10 km) away.

[3] Despite the barrens name, many plants and animals call Spread Eagle home.

The open landscape is maintained by timber harvesting and controlled burns.

Some of the birds that live in the area are: northern harrier, upland sandpiper, northern raven, winter wren, eastern bluebird, warbling vireo, Nashville, chestnut-sided, pine, and mourning warblers, clay-colored sparrow, common nighthawk, eastern towhee, and Brewer's blackbird.

Black bears, fishers, badgers, coyotes, red foxes, and white-tailed deer are some of the animals that roam the area.