Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping

Mid May smallmouth fishing was surprisingly good. Wind can be a challenge on the water. Some days it may be better to just hike and not try to battle it. Take the time to just marvel at the wonder and majesty of standing in an old growth forest.

Great adventure we didn't even get lost

The extra effort to get to back country campsites is well worth it at Sylvania. The reward is solitude, beautiful lakes and wetlands, spectacular forest, and abundant wildlife including otters, waterfowl and more.

A beautiful area in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula!! Campsites are very good, fishing is great and the overall experience in this wilderness area was outstanding!!
This was my second trip of the year and I am working on a Speing trip plan now.

Enjoyed my first ever visit to Sylvania. Liked the CLEAR water (except for Crooked Lake, which was quite murky) enjoyed to beach on Clark's south-east end and the old growth trees and open understory. Almost had a "fairytale" feel to the campsites. I would not plan on Crooked Lake for any potable water use, even with a filter as it was full of silt and algae to the point of being opaquely green. We got our potable water (and then filtered it) from adjacent lakes. I would hope the forest service would consider above-ground fire rings/grates if any other campsites are developed. At some sites, the floor of the fire pit was about a foot, or more, below grade and made for bending and reaching way down to start or tend a fire. While it reduced some of the "freedom" to choose a campsite once in the park, I found the reserve-ahead system for campsites appealing as one was assured a site would be available once you reached the desired lake.

Having anything refelctive on the backcountry campsites wood posts would make them much easier to find in the dark in case you are coming off the water later in the day than intended.

Campsites were great, loved the trip, and will be back sometime.

Thanks!

My wife and I had an incredible experience! We spent four nights on Crooked Lake and portaged for day trips to other lakes. We stayed at Squirrel 2, which was a great campsite. Though, due to a fallen tree in the water, the landing for the canoe was a bit tricky to get into. Crooked Lake had a lot of green in it (which inst a bad thing), so if you are looking for the crystal clear water, then Clark Lake, Mountain Lake or some of the other lakes would be better for you. From Squirrel 2, we were really close to the portage to Clark Lake and Mountain Lake wasn't that far either. It was a truly wonderful time in a truly beautiful place.

My first time as a five day canoe trip in the Sylvania Nationall Wilderness was so much more than expected. Everything from reserving campsites, receiving email reminders, to signing in at the entry station was well administrated. The landing was well groomed and maintained. The area is not overbooked and retains a remote wilderness feel. The virgin timber was inspiring! Campsites were clean and uncluttered. Portages were very walkable. I appreciated the campsite identification posts along the shoreline. Locating the firepits and tenting areas away from the shoreline is genius. My canoe trip experience in Sylvania reminded me very much of what a BWCA trip used to be in the 1970s.

Excellent campsite, private, quiet, and easy to access.

favorite place to camp. so amazing