Sylvania Wilderness 101

Thinking of doing a loop around Sylvania next year and got some questions.

Sounds like all campsites by reservation. Assume it’ll allow booking a campsite tor a single night if you are planning a loop?

Vehicle needs a Ottawa National Forest window sticker? Sounds like these some other fee that’s waved if you're camping. Assume ranger should know if you are camping granted your self-serve entrance registration has vehicle make/model/license.

Fishing…barbless hooks, no live bait and believe I saw something about non-toxic sinkers too. Saw few different definitions of ‘artificial lures’ and can’t tell if those Gulp baits would qualify. Don’t know if they are plastic or some organic material. I know they must be scented and that there might be a disqualifier.

Would be awesome to get a lake trout for the fry pan, 30” size limit, however. Not sure if catching monsters that big there is common or should give up on that dream. Overall it sounds like fishing isn’t that great here…maybe C&R bass, but would possibility of a fish fry would be nice.

Does this place get hammered with visitors? Seeing pictures/videos of campsites it looks like the forest is beat down, no undergrowth and sparse trees. Not a place for a hammock?

I would call the Ottawa National Forest Service HQ to get the information, follow up questions answered by someone that is paid by your tax $ to supply the information you require. They may even send you a packet of the current regulations along with other planning information. To rely on second or third hand rumor or speculation is probably not what you need.

I have been going to Sylvania for 50 years. Consider it to be Boundary Water lite. It is a relatively small area, something under 20,000 acres. It was formerly a longtime private hunting/fishing club so it is unique in that it is one of the few virgin never logged forests in the Upper Midwest.

As you noted the established campsites are reservable and the during the summer months it is often fully booked, especially on the weekends. I typically go before it officially opens (May 15) or after it closes (Sept 30) so it is no cost self registration. It is open for use year round, but no services are available outside May-September open season. During open season the entrance station is open as well as a day use building with hot showers. I especially enjoy trips in the fall (Oct/Nov) after the leaves have dropped and during full moons - I find the forest to be enchanting at night.

The campsites have been in the same locations for many decades so are well used. They all have a level tent pad, a steel fire ring and wilderness box latrine. Since the forest is virgin growth, there is almost no understory growth, so there are long sight lines.

There are special fishing regulations for Sylvania since the USFS is trying to preserve the native fish population. I understand when it was privately owned it was stocked. These should be available on the website as well as info on fees - as I recall each vehicle needs an entrance sticker and campers need a permit for the nights they will be camping in the backcountry or in the drive in campground. The off season has no fees.

During the open season it is patrolled by rangers who are diligent in enforcing fishing regs and the general USFS wilderness regs such as party size, no cans/bottles, etc. Personally I find I enjoy it much more in the cooler/colder weather - right after ice out and later in the fall. Few, if any other people, no/few bugs, the heat of summer gone.

Lastly, it not really a place people move from campsite to campsite. It isn’t that big and arranging reservations for multiple campsites is cumbersome. The place has what I have always considered to be a northern loop of lakes and a southern loop of lakes, each easily paddled in a day. So go in basecamp and go out with a day pack with lunch and tour the area. I stopped fishing many years ago so can’t really comment on that. But I do know there are often fishing violators so those regs are strictly enforced.

In the same general area is Northern Highland American Legion (HNAL) State Forest in Northern Wisconsin. A large forest which has a number of canoe routes with some primitive camping. Sylvania is in Upper Peninsula of Michigan within the Ottawa Nat Forest just north the Wisconsin/Michigan border and NHAL.

Both nice areas and both popular especially during the summer months.

How can it be a wilderness, if you have to reserve camping spots?

How can it be a wilderness, if you have to reserve camping spots?

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Like most things in life, perspective is important. In this case, I believe, "wilderness" is a designation that the area is preserved in, or allowed to revert back to, its natural state (or as much as is possible). If the area is only 20,000 acres and near major population centers, I'd think that a reservation system would protect the area by limiting the number of users and preventing new campsite development.

Perhaps it's not "wilderness" as some know it but it's probably closer to it than many get (I have a friend who thinks Central Park in New York City is a wooded area). Like Memaquay suggested in this post, maybe the "Illusion of Wilderness" is a decent compromise and, in some cases, it may be all that we can expect.

I'm just happy that someone takes the time and makes an effort to preserve these areas in a "natural" state... illusory as that may be.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines wilderness as "areas where man's impact is essentially unnoticeable and there are opportunities for solitude." It is a Federal designation and a type of land use. I agree that permit systems maybe necessary in some places. I used to hike in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness near Seattle. But that was 50 years ago. We just went. Now the waiting list for an overnight permit is 1-2 years. No thanks.

Blukanu said:

Thinking of doing a loop around Sylvania next year and got some questions.

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Great idea, it's a nice place.

Blukanu said:

Sounds like all campsites by reservation. Assume it’ll allow booking a campsite tor a single night if you are planning a loop?

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Yes, but it's kind of a pain. We did three sites over seven days. Note about the sites: most "double" sites (eagle 1, 2; pine 1, 2; etc.) are within easy eyeshot of each other. Get the single sites or rent both sites if you can.

Blukanu said:

Vehicle needs a Ottawa National Forest window sticker? Sounds like these some other fee that’s waved if you're camping. Assume ranger should know if you are camping granted your self-serve entrance registration has vehicle make/model/license.

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If you are staying overnight, you do not need a sticker or pay any additional fees. You will fill out a short form and drop it in a box at the entry, retaining the blue copy during your trip.

Blukanu said:

Fishing…barbless hooks, no live bait and believe I saw something about non-toxic sinkers too. Saw few different definitions of ‘artificial lures’ and can’t tell if those Gulp baits would qualify. Don’t know if they are plastic or some organic material. I know they must be scented and that there might be a disqualifier.

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The fishing regulations were byzantine. I don't fish, but my buddy was a bit frustrated. We did have some good fishing during our stay.

Blukanu said:

Would be awesome to get a lake trout for the fry pan, 30” size limit, however. Not sure if catching monsters that big there is common or should give up on that dream. Overall it sounds like fishing isn’t that great here…maybe C&R bass, but would possibility of a fish fry would be nice.

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Smallmouth were the primary catch on our trip.

Blukanu said:

Does this place get hammered with visitors? Seeing pictures/videos of campsites it looks like the forest is beat down, no undergrowth and sparse trees. Not a place for a hammock?

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It's fairly busy, about like the BWCA two portages in.. the forest is NOT beat down, there just isn't much understory due to the massive trees.

Three of us hammocked every night, and there was no shortage of options.

Clark Lake and Loon lake are beautiful. Long lake is shallow and has large plankton blooms, resulting in VERY green water and clogged filters. It was crazy how different the clarity was from lake to lake. Loon was at least 12', Clark more than that. Long was like 1', tops.

The portages are very easy and well-groomed.

Lots of day paddlers on Clark.