Physical Setting
- The Sylvania Wilderness lies in that stateside portion of the Canadian Shield -- the rocky exposed core of the North American continent -- called the Superior Upland; in parts of northern Wisconsin and the western U.P., this rough, heavily timbered region is sometimes referred to as the Northern Highlands. One of the great Pleistocene continental glaciers, the Wisconsin, deposited the Sylvania’s defining landform: the rolling rampart of ice-transported sediment called the Winegar Moraine. Chunks of ice melted within the moraine left hollows called "kettles," many of which are filled with water. Impressive virgin timber cloaks the wilderness, and some 35 lakes, many rimmed by little sand beaches, are scattered within its bounds.
The Wilderness Complex
- About seven miles west of Watersmeet and 40 miles east of Ironwood, the Sylvania Wilderness was once the private domain of an outdoors club -- a fact that spared it from the axe during the widespread North Woods logging of the early 20th century -- before being acquired by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1960s. Immediately across the road forming its northern border is the smaller Sylvania Recreation Area; together the wilderness and recreation area cover over 18,000 square miles. The Sylvania complex is encompassed by the Ottawa National Forest. A permit is required for entry into the wilderness portion.
Sylvania Camping
- There are 50 established campsites in the Sylvania Wilderness, spread along the shores of eight lakes: Clark, High, West Bear, East Bear, Crooked, Mountain, Whitefish and Loon. From May 15 to September 30, all must be secured with a reservation available from the Sylvania Entrance Station, which involves viewing a video about Leave-No-Trace backcountry practices. Outside that time frame, the sites are first-come, first-served. Each site boasts a grilled fire ring, a latrine and a pad for tents. To the north, the Sylvania Recreation Area includes Clark Lake Campground, which has 48 drive-in campsites -- allowing car campers the chance to set up a base from which to hike or paddle into the official wilderness area. The recreation area also has showers, among other amenities. At time of publication, Sylvania Wilderness sites cost $10 per night, while those at Clark Lake Campground were $16 per night.
Attractions
- Exploring some of the most pristine and wild country in the Upper Midwest is the prime attraction of the Sylvania Wilderness. Barely ever logged, the northern mixed-hardwood forests here are magnificent old-growth cathedrals of sugar maple, white pine, red pine, yellow birch, eastern hemlock and other great trees. Many of these veterans likely seeded after wildfires in the 17th century, and thus are 400 or more years old. Alongside easily seen ravens and white-tailed deer, there’s also the chance to spot more elusive wildlife -- from fishers and martens to gray wolves, moose and black bears.
