Rock River Canyon Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Rock River Canyon Wilderness is a 4640 acres (18.8 km²) unit within the Hiawatha National Forest
. It is located in Alger County, Michigan
. The wilderness is accessible from M-94
, which runs south of the unit in a west-to-east direction. The nearest town is Chatham, Michigan
, which is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the wilderness unit's eastern end.
Like the rest of the Hiawatha Forest, the Rock River Canyon Wilderness was logged starting about 1880 and ending about 1930. The typical method of logging was to clear-cut all marketable timber and leave the discarded slashings on the forest floor. A severe forest fire was almost inevitable, followed by severe erosion
and the creation of a second-growth forest that differed from the previous old-growth forest in many ways. The wilderness is now a template of natural succession that contrasts with most of the Hiawatha National Forest, which continues to be managed for harvestable pulpwood
.
Today, the Rock River Canyon Wilderness is a roadless unit within the managed Hiawatha Forest. The wilderness centers on two small sandstone canyon
s, approximately 150 feet (45.7 m) deep, through which flow the Rock River
and its tributary Silver Creek. Rockclimbing is discouraged because the wilderness's sandstone
cliffs are friable and crumbly. The wilderness also includes a 15 feet (4.6 m) waterfall, Rock River Falls, and a shallow 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) lake, Ginpole Lake. Both waterways, the waterfall, and the lake are all part of the Lake Superior
drainage basin.
Large fauna withn the Rock River Canyon Wilderness includes the black bear
and the whitetail deer. Fish in Rock River and Silver Creek include the northern pike
, coho salmon
, brook trout
, brown trout
, and rainbow trout
.
The Rock River Canyon Wilderness was created by Congress in 1987.
Hiawatha National Forest
Hiawatha National Forest is a National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan in the United States. Commercial logging is conducted in some areas. The United States Forest Service administers this National Forest; it is physically divided into two subunits, commonly called the...
. It is located in Alger County, Michigan
Alger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
. The wilderness is accessible from M-94
M-94 (Michigan highway)
M-94 is a state trunkline in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for from K. I. Sawyer to Manistique. The highway is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour during a concurrency with M-28. M-94 crosses the Siphon Bridge in Manistique, unique for the fact that the bridge roadway...
, which runs south of the unit in a west-to-east direction. The nearest town is Chatham, Michigan
Chatham, Michigan
Chatham is a village in Rock River Township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 231...
, which is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the wilderness unit's eastern end.
Like the rest of the Hiawatha Forest, the Rock River Canyon Wilderness was logged starting about 1880 and ending about 1930. The typical method of logging was to clear-cut all marketable timber and leave the discarded slashings on the forest floor. A severe forest fire was almost inevitable, followed by severe erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
and the creation of a second-growth forest that differed from the previous old-growth forest in many ways. The wilderness is now a template of natural succession that contrasts with most of the Hiawatha National Forest, which continues to be managed for harvestable pulpwood
Pulpwood
Pulpwood refers to timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production.-Applications:* Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance...
.
Today, the Rock River Canyon Wilderness is a roadless unit within the managed Hiawatha Forest. The wilderness centers on two small sandstone canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s, approximately 150 feet (45.7 m) deep, through which flow the Rock River
Rock River (Michigan)
-References:*...
and its tributary Silver Creek. Rockclimbing is discouraged because the wilderness's sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
cliffs are friable and crumbly. The wilderness also includes a 15 feet (4.6 m) waterfall, Rock River Falls, and a shallow 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) lake, Ginpole Lake. Both waterways, the waterfall, and the lake are all part of the Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
drainage basin.
Large fauna withn the Rock River Canyon Wilderness includes the black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
and the whitetail deer. Fish in Rock River and Silver Creek include the northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
.
The Rock River Canyon Wilderness was created by Congress in 1987.