There is a nice sand. Also, campsites for Sylvania can be reserved in advance, alleviating any worries about fighting potential holiday crowds for a campsite, so I reserved campsite Birch on Clark Lake for the July 4th weekend. Visitors enjoy endless canoeing, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities.RecreationSylvania's abundant lakes provide plentiful non-motorized boating, canoeing, … We didn’t get very far before the wind was pushing us around, and Amber began asking to go back. The only part of the portage I didn’t like was walking through the beach sand, but it was easy enough there were really no complaints. Join us as I make my family a hearty pancake and bacon breakfast, then we move from Lynx 1 campsite on Mountain Lake to Raccoon Campsite on High Lake. I was glad to get back to shore because I needed to cover my legs as the black flies were biting me like crazy. Use the link on Facebook, Twitter, other social media, emails, your blog, website, or any other place you can post a link, DO NOT use any links with your affiliate ID in places that commercial posting is not allowed, such as certain forums and messageboards, Remember to disclose that you are an affiliate of the company, Be aware of the commercial posting policies of the places you are putting the link, If you are looking for banner ads or other visual materials, check out the. Please choose a different date. Having spent so much time car camping in close proximity to other campers, I was ready to get out to the relative solitude of the wilderness. Later, Amber asked if we could go to the beach to swim, so we got changed and headed out in the canoe. As wilderness camping became more and more popular in the past 50 years, favorite camp sites were denuded of vegetation, fire rings multiplied, and top soil was eroded. Awesome service. Helen Lake was a very short paddle, and the portage to Clark Lake was easy to find, and since it was a temporary portage not marked on any map, I was glad we found it right away. We saw three eagles, numerous loons, turtles, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer. 4 reviews of Sylvania Outfitters "Great place to rent kayak and have nice trip on Ontonagon river.we choose route burned dam to interior trip,on two kayaks,and had great time.highly recommend!" We were out about a total of an hour before she became completely discouraged and didn’t want to try any other locations. To sum up, we came, we saw, we hiked, I paddled and we ate way too much. I was a bit disappointed as I had heard that there was some decent fishing in Clark Lake. As you probably know bass, primarily smallmouth fishing is king in the park, as there are only a few other lakes with anything else. Virtual only, all camping users must have a reservation. I played with the fire for another hour and went to bed with some signs of light still on the horizon. I expect, though, that if the campground was open that it would be much busier on Clark. We were a little hesitant because the weather was kind of iffy. I took that as a clue to get an early start and promised to wake up around 5 am, which is several hours earlier than my normal weekend waking time. If you want to unplug and be part of the creation, go to Watersmeet and relax. We spent about 2.5-3 hours and the scenery was beautiful the entire trip. Sylvania has rules you need to follow which promote “leave no trace” camping. These are a total success, and I see them on many trips to come. Many parts of this site will not work correctly without javascript. We saw a fair amount of wildlife, although not as much as I had hoped. Canoe camping; Gear reviews; Skills; Trip reports; Friday, May 29, 2015. Wilderness campsites can be reached by water or by trails. Lorraine woke me just after six asking what time it was since we were planning to get an early start to beat the predicted storms. I've been going to the Sylvania Wilderness and Ottawa National Forest for almost 40 years. The campsite itself is gorgeous, the lake is just perfect and the fishing is amazing. The Sylvania Wilderness and Sylvania Recreation Area, is located near Watersmeet, Michigan and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. She finally got her way around 8 or 8:30, and her and Lorraine retreated to the tent. Permits for campsites are required from May 15 to September 30. We mostly managed to keep our sleep stuff dry, although some water got into the tent because we left part of the fly open and because we didn’t set up the tent perfectly. ©2021 Paddle Planner, LLC. There was only one portage, and it was wide and well travelled, at about 96-97 rods long. Reluctantly, I hobbled out of bed, got started with the morning routine, skipped breakfast and started packing up. I collected a bit of firewood, of which there was plenty. I went out and got some water later Friday evening and filtered it with my Sawyer 0.02, which I got for Father’s Day. Visitors can camp in 50 designated campsites within the Sylvania Wilderness. I camped on Loon Lake at the Loon campsite and Mallard II. We continued on to Watersmeet with what was supposed to be a brief stop at Sylvania Outfitters for some fishing tackle and licenses. I wet-footed with some old tennis shoes in which I drilled holes. Based on everything I read about Sylvania, I expected the trails to be like a road, and maybe they are elsewhere, but they aren’t between Birch and Cedar (well, we didn’t quite make it to Cedar, but I didn’t see any wide-open trails ahead). The following are a few examples: A maximum of 6 people per campsite is allowed for any purpose or activity to minimize the impact on the resources near the campsites. It would be tight with a large car camping type tent, but I think one could manage a large tent here. Visited Sylvania (Clark Lake) Campground lately? This 48-site campground provides a home base for visitors who venture into the wilderness on day outings.RecreationSylvania's abundant lakes provide plentiful non-motorized boating, canoeing, kayaking and fishing opportunities. I had been a bit worried about the water quality, but we found the water to be pretty clean. I could have gotten by without bringing the saw or hatchet, but it was nice to be able to saw and split some 3-4 in. Primitive camping is $5 per night. Supper was delicious tortilla pizzas. All Sylvania Wilderness backcountry sites will be open for over night use as of June 13, 2020. No reviews $ (906) 358-4551 Watersmeet, Michigan ... Rohr's Wilderness Tours No reviews $$$ (715) 547-3639 Conover, Wisconsin Ontonagon Township Park 4.8 - 5 Reviews $$ (906) 884-2930 Ontonagon, Michigan This 48-site campground provides a home base for visitors who venture into the wilderness on day outings. Amber and I slept in on Saturday until about 8:30, and it felt wonderful after waking at 5 the day before. Phone: 906-358-4551. Follow all rules on recreation.gov site. No Cell Service, which may be ok for most people- I like to unplug, also no WIFI, even Sylvania is definitely a beautiful wilderness area, but it is quite strictly managed by the US Forest Service, so reservations and route planning are required. We. We got out of the wilderness without incident, had lunch at Brew’s Pub (or something like that) in Land O’ Lakes before running into traffic on our way home. Please enable javascript or use a javascript-enabled browser. In a report I heard, previous campers had buried remains of fish near the campsite, which attracted the bears, which led to closure of that campsite for most of the summer. weighed in at about 35 lbs. Our family’s first trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is all set for August, but I didn’t want to wait so long to get out canoe camping, and the Sylvania Wilderness seemed to be the perfect opportunity for a test run of our gear and packing strategy. My wife volunteered, and since, unlike me, she gets joy out of walking, I readily complied. Amber swam around with her life jacket on for about 45 minutes, which was enough to satisfy her. Cabins for rent on Crooked Lake next to the Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area. Because the parking lots at Clark Lake were closed for construction, someone would have to drop our gear at Helen Lake, park 1.3 miles away at Snapjack Lake and walk back to the landing. For more information about the Ottawa National Forest, visit their website. The sausage was not very good but I was glad to have some protein. Maybe I need to drop some coin on Gortex, but that won’t happen this year after all the gear we already bought. Interactive map of Sylvania Wilderness Area with campsites, portages, and a route time and distance calculator. This page was last updated on August 15, 2014. It wasn’t dangerous, but there were some 6-12” waves rocking us, and we were expending quite a bit of energy to move incredibly slowly. Policies: was 30 lbs, and the bag with clothes, sleeping bags, mats, etc. If you go wear. Storms began rolling in later in the evening, and Amber became a bit anxious wanting to go to bed. Our gear pack with tent, chairs, first aid, batteries/charger, tools, etc. For permits call the Sylvania Visitor Center at 906/358-4724. Very friendly and knowledgeable about the area and history of the area. Dispersed Camping in the Sylvania Wilderness is permitted in designated campsites only. Everyone was friendly and courteous, although we did encounter some guys fishing while carrying metal beer cans, which is clearly against the rules. Helpful Staff and I can't wait to go back! You won't regret it. I don’t think we would have packed or done much differently for a 5 day trip, so I’m feeling ready for our BWCA trip in August. Visitors enjoy endless canoeing, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities. We’re pretty slow paddlers, especially with a full load, so we covered about 3.6 miles in right at 2 hours including time at the portage. It always feels like chaos when we’re packing up, but the rain made it even worse. Sylvania is similar to the BWCA in that it is a canoe camping place with many lakes joined by portages, and it is within a National Forest. logs. May 23-25, 2015, Sylvania Wilderness, Watersmeet, MI Amber and Lorraine at the campsite marker: If you haven’t been to the Sylvania Wilderness, I highly recommend it. Did we forget something? Beautiful, Love the Loons, Mosquitos could have stayed home, Went to Sylvania with a group of boy scouts in June. Also check out Bond Falls, by far the Western Upper Peninsula's largest waterfall, to the north. Everyone there was super knowledgeable and really friendly. I was game for walking all the way to the beach but was not disappointed to turn around. My wife repeatedly asked me if I was sure it would only take four hours to get to Watersmeet, and if I knew how bad holiday traffic could be getting “up north”. Campground Details and Amenities: $$, 1 sites, All Year, No RVs, All ages, Tents only camp, 1722 ft elev, grill, toilets, fish, trail, hike, primitive hike-in sites, (C) Advertise. more. We dried off, then I flaunted around naked for a couple minutes in between changing before decided I better get dressed before the mosquitoes found me. If you own a boat, leave it at home, this place has everything you need and more! After checking in at the ranger station and watching the video, we headed to the put-in at Helen Lake. By the way, the BackCountry Navigator app is awesome and works like a charm on my Samsung G3. My rain gear seemed to work well, but I was pretty wet from sweating, so I need to think about some way to keep dry without overheating. This worked well in that our camping gear was not packed well for portaging. We chose to pick one site to camp at, and then day trip from this site. The early start really made a difference as traffic was light, and we had plenty of opportunities to make some stress-free stops, including breakfast at McDonald’s in Plover, WI. Sylvania (Clark Lake) Campground is located seven miles southwest of Watersmeet, Michigan, adjacent to the 18,327 acre Sylvania Wilderness Area. Great prices and really convenient. Sylvania is divided because, by definition, a wilderness may not be crossed by a road. Great area to go - but there are some things you should know about. See 4 traveler reviews, 8 photos and blog posts Is this a place or activity you would suggest for, Are the prices for this place or activity, Is this a must-do if you are traveling with a, Is this attraction a good place to visit on a, Is this a place or activity you would go to on a, Would you recommend this place or activity to a friend looking for an, We went as a group of nine and had the best time. Sylvania Wilderness Area We'd love to hear about your adventure. The portage was literally a walk on the beach and was a piece of cake at supposedly 24 rods (400 ft), which is shorter than many of our trips from the parking lots to the landings. Civilization is in short supply here - if you need supplies, Watersmeet is the place, and if you are into gambling, there is a casino just north of town. Validated permits are not required October 1 to May 14, but wilderness users can self-register at the main entrance station or other trailheads during that time. Just cloudy and not real warm compared to a typical normal July day. I've been going to the Sylvania Wilderness and Ottawa National Forest for almost 40 years. I have been there once. In some wilderness areas, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota and the Sylvania Wilderness in Michigan are examples, camp sites are designated. U.S. 2. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. We had hash browns, apples, and turkey sausage for lunch. Final thoughts: I had a great time with the solitude in the wilderness and definitely hope to get back to Sylvania Wilderness in the near future. Although we are incredibly slow at breaking camp, we were on the water by 8:30 am with a wet tent and tarp. Special rules therefore apply within the Sylvania Wilderness and must be observed by all visitors. The campsite was nice but loon campsite would have been a better choice. Fishing for huge fish with no one around. Sylvania (Clark Lake) Campground in Ottawa National Forest, Watersmeet Michigan. Brought to you by Paddle Planner. As usual, we immediately set up camp by putting up the tent, getting the sleeping mats and bags ready, rigging a tarp and setting up the chairs. Bears have seldom been reported in campsites, and I’ve never encountered one. If you will be camping in Sylvania Wilderness, take a few moments to watch this video that explains the rules and regulations to … We'd love to hear about your adventure. As long as there’s plenty of brown sugar, I could probably have this for breakfast everyday camping. The rain started before I could even begin packing, and the mosquitoes were brutal. Sylvania Wilderness backcountry campsite coordinates. Having spent so much time car camping in close proximity to other campers, I was ready to get out to the relative solitude of the wilderness. Friday was a beautiful day, and everything went incredibly smooth. You won't regret it. Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping Comments & Reviews. I brought along the Goal Zero Nomad 7 and Guide 10 plus, which I successfully used to charge some batteries and my phone. Happy Independence Day! The mosquitos were not very friendly, and they seemed to love hanging out under the tarp, so we mostly did not. Anything our community should know before heading out to Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping? Check out the Sylvania Wilderness several miles west off Hwy. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the campsite was, and immediately knew that I would be comfortable there. It is a beautiful place and probably worth the trip, but it is not the BWCA. But the weather the next day looked worse so we decided to go. OverviewSylvania (Clark Lake) Campground is located seven miles southwest of Watersmeet, Michigan, adjacent to the 18,327 acre Sylvania Wilderness Area. After getting organized and waiting for Lorraine, we were on the water by 1 pm, which was an hour earlier than I was hoping to start paddling. The entrance station will be closed all season and will not be collecting fees. We decided instead to swim at camp, which wasn’t actually bad. The open area near the landing was fairly small with some weeds on both sides, but once I got out about waist deep, there was some room to move around. We started at Clark Lake and camped that night at Balsam campsite. It is absolutely the best campsite in the park. Sites can be obtained by reserving or on a walk-in basis, depending upon availability. In airplane mode, it doesn’t drain too much battery, less than 10% per hour. The water came out perfectly clear and tasted good. Anything our community should know before heading out to Sylvania (Clark Lake)? We didn’t encounter very many people except at the portages. Maybe we should use an innie. Visitors can camp in 50 designated campsites within the Sylvania Wilderness. The area was clean and a nice balance between the wilderness and civilization. Javascript is not enabled on your browser. Visited Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping Campground lately? 92 were here. Follow them. The Sylvania Wilderness encompasses 18,327 acres of primitive lands and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. One of the best smallmouth bass fisheries in the Midwest. Our gear worked out well, and I can’t think of much we should have left behind, although there are some things we *could* do without. Did we forget something? Hotels near Lac Vieux Desert Resort and Casino. 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