Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping

The Sylvania Wilderness is a well kept secret even for Michigan and Wisconsin residents. If you want solitude and to get away from crowds this is a great place to visit. The fishery is well preserved, the wildlife is abundant and the sites are well kept. We stayed on West Bear Lake and didn't see anyone for 5 days on that lake. We went to East bear and saw one other paddler. The color of High Lake was really cool to see. This is a nice alternative to Boundary Waters and much closer for most people to travel to. Keep it clean and well preserved!

The canoeing was great, people were friendly and the mosquitoes were hungry. I morn the loss of beaches due to global warming. I am still ambivalent about the loss of picnic tables at camp sites. It was tough on my back. I saw lots of wildlife. That was quite special.

Good location (access to Southern Crooked). Easy canoe access.

2 small (3/4 person) tent locations with slight inclines.

If you're looking for privacy, this isn't the campsite for you. Fisher 1 & Fisher 2 are so close you'll hear your neighbor's campfire pop.

You won't be able to see the stars without going out on the lake at night.

If you visit in July, be prepared for mosquitoes (even during a drought like this year--2021).

Many of the lakes were clear and great for canoeing. Some of the campsites could have better portages/access for getting to them. But overall, the campsites were clean and well kept. I would encourage anyone to check out this beautiful wilderness. I love the sounds of the loons in the morning. What a great alarm clock to wake up to!

Some of the best camping in a old growth woods

The bay where Badger 1 and 2 are located is shallow and filled with weeds and algae. There's no swimming or readily accessible water. We had to paddle out over 100 yards to retrieve water. There shouldn't be campsites there.