Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping

Late Sept is the best experience. No bugs, less people. Quieter overall.

Beautiful and peaceful!

We backpacked Loon, Wolf and Pine 1. All trails were in good shape, latrines were well maintained and tent sites were clean. It seems other visitors are in tune with the wilderness ethic. It was a very enjoyable excursion into the wild.

Campsite Maple 1 was in excellent shape. Clean, previous camper had stacked firewood, met some Rangers while out ont our canoe and they were extremely friendly.

Loved this trail, you need gps to stay on the trail, as there are no trail markers. My hiking buddy and I got lost a few times and had to back track.

The further you paddle/portage the better. Sylvania is gorgeous.

Balsam 1 was a nice camp site.
If I were to choose again, I would definitely choose balsam 2 or either of the pine campsites.
Balsam 1 did get some Breeze off Clark lake. Black flies were pretty heavy and if you don’t have head net you’re in for a fight you won’t win.
We camped over memorial weekend so daytime temps were nice, nighttime does get chilly (30s)

I love the Sylvania Wilderness but I think it’s time to improve the condition of its backcountry sites and I understand this would take money that is never available for projects like these…

Motor boats pulling up in front of fisher campsite each day to fish. Even asking us to use our toilet. Quiet and solitude was missing from this trip. I love Sylvania, but will probably stay away from Crooked lake in the future.

Been visiting Sylvania for over 50 years missing the annual pilgrimage only a couple of years. Fishing is usually excellent thanks to catch and release regulations. Plenty of mosquitoes but thats part of the gig. Sylvania Outfitters in Watersmeet is where to get your canoe and other essentials. So glad the National Forest Service snagged this land over 50 years ago.