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307 reviews
Sylvania Wilderness offers a stunning, serene environment ideal for first-time campers, with beautiful weather, mild portage trails, and clean, spacious campsites. Visitors enjoyed peaceful paddling experiences, abundant wildlife, and friendly park staff, making for a memorable outdoor adventure. While some reported issues with mosquitoes and campsite accessibility, the overall experience remains highly praised, with many eager to return.
Based on guest feedback
4.5
Based on 307 reviews
Showing 307 reviews
June 8, 2022 Stayed at: SQUIRREL-1, Loop: Crooked Lake
A great place to take a short trip into the wilderness. You'll need to be fit enough to canoe or kayak into the area and prepared with appropriate food/water/supplies. If that is something you're used to you'll have a great time. We saw eagles fishing, swans landing just a short distance from our canoe and otters that had found a blown down set of trees near our camp. It was a wonderful trip and very enjoyable.
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June 6, 2022 Stayed at: ASH-1, Loop: Clark Lake
A nice place to visit in the spring and fall when it is not busy as it is during most of the summer, particularly on weekends.
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June 4, 2022 Stayed at: EAGLE-1, Loop: Loon Lake
Backcountry experience was top notch and there is nothing like the backcountry campsite
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May 27, 2022 Stayed at: LOON, Loop: Loon Lake
Wonderful to see that no trace ethics are being observed. I didn’t find any evidence of trash, disturbed natural flora or human impact. Other visitors were very respectful by being quiet and almost unnoticed. Absolutely love visiting the Sylvannia Wilderness.
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May 25, 2022 Stayed at: PINE-2, Loop: Clark Lake
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.
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May 23, 2022 Stayed at: SQUIRREL-2, Loop: Crooked Lake
Great adventure we didn't even get lost
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October 8, 2021 Stayed at: LYNX-1, Loop: Mountain Lake
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.
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October 5, 2021 Stayed at: BEAR-1, Loop: Mountain Lake
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.
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October 4, 2021 Stayed at: CHIPMUNK, Loop: Crooked Lake
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.
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October 1, 2021 Stayed at: PIKE-2, Loop: Whitefish 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!
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Sylvania Wilderness, Watersmeet, MI 49969 United States
Elevation: 554 ft
Backcountry wilderness campsites can be accessed from the Sylvania Recreation Area by parking at the Clark Lake or Crooked Lake Boat Landings, or from entry points on the perimeter of the wilderness (see map). To reach the Sylvania Entrance Statio...
Backcountry wilderness campsites can be accessed from the Sylvania Recreation Area by parking at the Clark Lake or Crooked Lake Boat Landings, or from entry points on the perimeter of the wilderness (see map). To reach the Sylvania Entrance Station and Recreation Area: From Watersmeet, travel approximately 3.5 mi west on US 2 to County Road 535 (Thousand Island Lake Road), then drive south on CR 535 approximately 4 mi to the Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area entrance.
The campground is accessible via US 2, located approximately 3.5 miles to the north. From US 2, take County Road 535 (Thousand Island Lake Road) south for about 4 miles to reach the Sylvania Entrance Station.
Last updated: October 24, 2026
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