Sylvania Wilderness is an 18327 acre (7,416.7 ha) protected area located a few miles west of Watersmeet, Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

. Sylvania is located entirely within the bounds of the Ottawa National Forest

Ottawa National Forest

The Ottawa National Forest is a 1.0 million acre national forest in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S...

, and is currently being managed as a wilderness area as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System

National Wilderness Preservation System

The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...

 by the U.S. Forest Service.

Within its borders lie 34 lakes set against a backdrop of old-growth forests. It represents one of only a handful of such areas left in the Midwest.

History

Little is known of the area prior to the late 1800s, other than the area was frequently used by clans of Ojibwa

Ojibwa

The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...

 native Americans, as evidenced by the few scattered artifacts that have been found there. In 1895, a Wisconsin lumberman by the name of A.D. Johnston purchased 80 acres (32.4 ha) of land at the south end of Clark Lake with the intent to cut the large pines located there. Upon seeing the land for himself, he was so taken by the rugged beauty of it that he changed his mind and decided to preserve it. He soon invited friends, many of whom were equally impressed and so moved to purchase adjacent lands, and after some time the Sylvania Club was formed, with fishing, hunting, and hiking being the main focus. The owners built lodges and cabins on the larger lakes, and the area became an exclusive resort for a small number of affluent and influential guests. Ownership changed hands over the years, and finally the entire area was purchased by the United States Forest Service in 1967, which promptly removed all buildings and began managing it as a special recreation area. In 1987 it was designated as a federal wilderness when the Michigan Wilderness Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

.

Sylvania Facts

Sylvania straddles the divide between the Lake Superior and the Mississippi River drainage systems, occupying some of the highest ground in the Midwest. As an example, many of the lakes in the park are more than 1700 feet (518.2 m) above sea-level. Due to this apex position, these deep, clear lakes are primarily landlocked, fed by springs and local run-off. There are no surface streams entering the park, which is one of the reasons the lakes remain pristine and pure. For this same reason, the lakes are a bit "fragile" (low flush rates, low nutrient loads, etc.). Special fishing regulations on these lakes, including catch and release for all bass, have helped to preserve the lakes' fisheries. The Sylvania Wilderness also features 25 miles (40.2 km) of hiking trails and portages within its 30 square miles (77.7 km²).

The old-growth northern hardwood forest

Northern hardwood forest

The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south central Canada, extending south into the United States in northern New England and New York, and west along the Great Lakes to Minnesota and western Ontario...

s in this wilderness are some of the most extensive in North America, nearly spanning the entire park at some 15000 acres (6,070.3 ha). Sugar Maple

Sugar Maple

Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...

, Eastern Hemlock

Eastern Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...

, and Yellow Birch

Yellow Birch

Betula alleghaniensis , is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, southern Quebec and Ontario, and the southeast corner of Manitoba in Canada, west to Minnesota, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.It is a...

 are the most common trees, and are found along with White

Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...

, Red

Red Pine

Pinus resinosa, commonly known as the red pine or Norway pine, is pine native to North America. The Red Pine occurs from Newfoundland west to Manitoba, and south to Pennsylvania, with several smaller, disjunct populations occurring in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia, as well...

, and Jack Pine

Jack Pine

Jack pine is a North American pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Northwest Territories to Nova Scotia, and the northeast of the United States from Minnesota to Maine, with the southernmost part of the range just into northwest Indiana...

, White Spruce

White Spruce

Picea glauca is a species of spruce native to boreal forests in the north of North America, from central Alaska east to Newfoundland, and south to northern Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine; there is also an isolated population in the...

, Balsam Fir

Balsam Fir

The balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States .-Growth:It is a small to medium-size evergreen tree typically tall, rarely to tall, with a narrow conic crown...

, and Paper Birch

Paper Birch

Betula papyrifera is a species of birch native to northern North America.-Description:...

.

Wildlife abounds in the park, with White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...

, 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...

, Grey Wolves, Porcupine

Porcupine

Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...

s, Bobcat

Bobcat

The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...

, Beaver

Beaver

The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...

, Otter

Otter

The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....

, Coyote

Coyote

The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...

, Fox

Fox

Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...

, Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...

, Loon

Loon

The loons or divers are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia...

, Osprey

Osprey

The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...

, and many others, all available and waiting for the visitor to encounter.

There are 84 designated campsites in 29 locations throughout the wilderness, each with rudimentary amenities such as outdoor toilets, tentpads, pack racks (for keeping foodstuffs out of reach of wildlife), and fire-grills.

List of Major Lakes in Sylvania

• Big Bateau Lake (Michigan)
• Clark Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
  Clark Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
  Clark Lake is a lake located in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Clark Lake is one of about two dozen clear, clean lakes located in the Sylvania Wilderness of Ottawa National Forest a few miles to the west of the town of Watersmeet. The shoreline is undeveloped except for a picnic...
  
  
• Clear Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• Crooked Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• Deer Island Lake (Michigan)
  Deer Island Lake (Michigan)
  Deer Island Lake is a lake located in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The Lake is one of about 24 clear, clean lakes located in a special wilderness area known as the Sylvania Wilderness, which in turn is located within the Ottawa National Forest a few miles to the west of the town...
  
  
• Devils Head Lake (Michigan)
• Dream Lake (Michigan)
• East Bear Lake (Michigan)
• Fisher Lake (Michigan)
  Fisher Lake (Michigan)
  Fisher Lake is a small, isolated lake located in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Fisher Lake is one of about two dozen clear, clean lakes located in a special wilderness area known as the Sylvania Wilderness, which in turn is located within the Ottawa National Forest a few miles to...
  
  
• Florence Lake (Michigan)
• Glimmerglass Lake (Michigan)
• Helen Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• High Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• Indian Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• Katherine Lake (Michigan)
• Little Duck Lake (Michigan)
• Long Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• Loon Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
  Loon Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
  Loon Lake is a lake located in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Loon Lake is one of about two dozen clear, clean lakes located in a special wilderness area known as the Sylvania Wilderness, which in turn is located within the Ottawa National Forest a few miles to the west of the town...
  
  
• Marsh Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)
• Moss Lake (Michigan)
• Mountain Lake (Michigan)
• Snap Jack Lake (Michigan)
• West Bear Lake (Michigan)
• Whitefish Lake (Gogebic County, Michigan)

External links

• Sylvania Wilderness, Ottawa National Forest, USFS
• Map of Sylvania Wilderness, Ottawa National Forest, USFS