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Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area
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Copyright: USDA Forest Service
Sylvania Wilderness Bass, Ottawa National Forest
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Sylvania is made up of wilderness with an adjacent recreation area. The 18,327-acre wilderness is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Combined with the recreation area, Sylvania offers an outstanding experience for those who want to camp, fish, hike, canoe, ski (32 km) or enjoy the solitude of a wilderness experience.Few wildernesses compare to Sylvania. Here you can find 34 named lakes, some with sandy beaches, others surrounded by record-size red and white pines. The large natural area with its old growth forest and pristine lakes provides habitat for a wide range of living things. While exploring Sylvania, you might see threatened or endangered plants and animals such as rare orchids, bald eagles, loons and osprey. Deer, bears, raccoons, skunks, otters, beavers, fishers, porcupines, coyotes, foxes, and squirrels thrive in the forest along with a variety of woodland and water-related birds. Bird species include such memorables as the crow-size pileated woodpecker, red-eyed vireo, yellow-rumped warbler, black-throated blue warbler, and the ovenbird. Special fishing regulations protect this unusual lake habitat. Only artificial lures may be used, and all bass, some of which reach impressive proportions, must be released. The recreation area offers a 48 unit drive-in campground with running water and flush toilets; a developed beach and picnic area, a day use building, an information center where visitors can register and learn Wilderness ethics, and a road system that provides access to wilderness entry points. Within the wilderness there are 84 designated campsites in 29 locations bordering lakes. Campsites have a wilderness latrine and a cast iron fire ring. Wilderness campsites can be reached by canoe or foot trail. A well-maintained 30 mile trail system that wanders through the giant trees provides access. In particular, the 8-mile Clark Lake / Lakeshore Trail offers not only scenic beauty but affords excellent wildlife viewing. Excellent backcountry skiing is found amid ungroomed trails. Overnight wilderness campers need a validated permit, and special rules apply. Winter camping on Sylvania is referred to as excellent. Come here for some of the loveliest backpacking in the Midwest. It's an ideal spot for recreationists to canoe and swim in summer, or ski in winter. No matter when you visit or what you do, plan to Leave No Trace.
Directions from Watersmeet, MI: Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area is bordered by US 2 on the north, SR 535 on the west, Wisconsin state line on the south and FR 6320 on the east, respectively.
Seasonal Information:
Normally Open:
Year-round .
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Filed By: Michael
(Chicago, IL)
Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl
Recommend to a Friend: Highly
Report: Beautiful,quiet forest hiking amongst scenic lakes and some meadows. Three night stay, May 18,19, and 20,2004.
I stayed at the Mallard camp on Loon Lake ; it's a very nice, secluded site just off the lake with a nice small beach/canoe landing. It's on the east side of the lake so the afternoon sun is warming even if the forest is cool. It also makes for beautiful sunsets. There are two sites at Mallard so you may end up sharing the site. A canoeist came in on Thursday night.
The campsites are hard to locate;there are no signposts other than brown posts on the lakeshores(not always) to identify pullouts /campsites for the canoe/kayaks. So look for those then search for the fire ring. I wanted to stay at the Bobcat site on High Lake on Friday but I could not find the fire ring/site. Must of walked right by it, but hard to tell because the trail maps don't have specific locations.You cannot camp off trail in Sylvania, you must use the designated sites. So even though it is a wilderness and no trail markings should be expected I think that if you are expected to camp in designated sites those should somehow be better identified. It turns out that there is a book at the A frame that describes each site and although it doesn't tell you exactly where the site is it is definetly helpful. I didn't know to ask for the book and wasn't shown the book until after I came out. So ask for the book and check out the site you want. Also, neither the visitor center nor the A frame had the topo maps for the area! Evidently it is being reprinted. So try to get one from somewhere before you go--Black Oak Lake quad. You won't really need it to navigate unless you bushwhack, but the trails do get very faint at times and are easy to lose for stretches.The trails are a combination of old roads and foot paths. The roads are pretty easy to follow the foot paths can be difficult to follow. The Clark Lake trail has blue blazes on the trees but they disappear for a while,off and on, in some of the most confusing stretches.(But just follow the lakeshore, you won't get lost) This is a wilderness but still maintained pretty well. Some(most?)of the intersections are really hard to spot. Previous hikers have marked some of the major intersections with small cairns which are helpful. There are a lot of blowdowns and deadfall. The Clark Lake loop is a really nice 8 mile hike around the lake. There is a gorgeous beach on the south end of the lake. The Mountain Lake trail,whose intersection is just south of the end of Clark lake is hard to spot, but once on it it is easy walking with the occasional deadfall requiring little detours. The Deer Island Lake intersection is marked and if you head to Deer Island Lake it is also easy walking on an old forest road, mostly open terrain. It is also very remote and secluded a very nice hike. The trail to Mountain Lake is also on an old forest road and easy to follow. It goes through deep forest and is nice and spooky at times.
As far as wildlife I saw three eagles, two hanging out in the hemlocks(?)on the southwest side of Clark Lake and on Thursday night an eagle was in the tree at Mallard raising holy hell. It killed a grouse, man what a racket! I crossed the paths of a couple of porcupines, one just chattered at me the other got defensive and wanted to shoot me with its' quills. Saw a couple of deer, no sign of bear. Did I hear wolves howl one night? I think so. Didn't see but heard the woodpeckers and owls. Saw, through the trees what I think was an osprey.
Bugs weren't too bad all things considered but if you're not used to them they'll bother you.
Check it out.
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| Activity |
Remarks |
On Site |
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Camping |
Modern Campground |
Yes |
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Cross-country Skiing |
Ungroomed Trails, 32 km |
Yes |
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Fishing |
Bass, Catch-and-Release |
Yes |
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Forest Areas |
Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area |
Yes |
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Hiking & Walking |
Trail Network |
Yes |
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Winter Hiking |
Winter Camping, too! |
Yes |
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Plant Identification |
Orchids |
Yes |
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Bird Identification |
Eagles, Osprey, Loons, Warblers |
Yes |
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Canoeing |
34 Named Lakes |
Yes |
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Backpacking |
Finest in Midwest |
Yes |
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Viewing Wildlife |
Deer, Bears, Otters, Fishers, Porcupines, Coyotes |
Yes |
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