Sylvania Wilderness
Sylvania Wilderness is a 15,237-acre wilderness area in Gogebic County, Michigan. It rises from about 1,639 to 1,854 ft. The nearest town is Watersmeet, 3.3 miles away in a straight line.
Sylvania Wilderness map
Sylvania Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- Watersmeet, MI is the nearest town, 3.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Sylvania Wilderness is about 1,854 ft, and its lowest about 1,639 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages Sylvania Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 15,237 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Watersmeet Ranger District, 906-358-4551 |
Getting to Sylvania Wilderness
- Watersmeet, MI is the nearest town, 3.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
Trailheads at Sylvania Wilderness
- East Bear Lake (0.01 mi outside the boundary, 1,701 ft), at 46.2503, -89.2465
- Thompson Lodge (0.02 mi outside the boundary, 1,786 ft), at 46.2443, -89.3043
- Devil's Head Trailhead (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 1,765 ft), at 46.2191, -89.2371
- South Gate (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 1,711 ft), at 46.1671, -89.2300
- Whitefish - 1 (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 1,728 ft), at 46.2126, -89.3724
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Sylvania Wilderness
- Banks Lake lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-30.
Campgrounds in and around Sylvania Wilderness
- Sylvania (Clark Lake) Campground (right at the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
- Clark Lake Pavilion camping (right at the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
- Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping camping (right at the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
Fishing and water
Hilltop Lake fishing (0.2 miles outside the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
Public lands next to Sylvania Wilderness
- National forest Most of Sylvania Wilderness lies inside Ottawa National Forest.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Michigan
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- apps.fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.