What is road access like going back to the Crooked Lake put in? I think I saw one report some time ago that said it was not "car friendly" and maybe one should consider something along the lines of an SUV somethingerother. If you have first hand knowledge that would be great. I'm taking my 80 year old father in as a prequel to his BWCA church outing.

Thanks!

I've been ther a couple of times and have had no problems. It's all paved. I don't think you'll have any issues.

JJ that's great news. Thank you for the reply!

Roads are fine.....once you leave the ranger station where you register, You have a choice of turning left or right. One way takes you to the Crooked Lake landing, the other takes you to the Clark Lake landing.

The roads are paved and there are parking lots. At Crooked Lake you can unload at the launch but must then park your vehicle in the parking lot which is adjacent to the landing, up a short hill.

Same at the Clark Lake launch.

Clark Lake also has a shower house and a swimming beach at the north end.

If you paddle on Crooked Lake, be aware that there is the possibility of encountering motor boats......the only lake in the wilderness that allow the use of motor boats. I have never run into a motor boater that wasn't extremely polite by slowing down and causing no wake.

As long as you are on Crooked Lake, make sure you visit High Lake, which is a short portage away. It is one of the most stunningly beautiful bodies of water I have ever encountered. It is so clear that it is like paddling in a pool.

Enjoy!

As a matter of fact - Dad and I will be camping on High Lake Bobcat site for three nights. We'll be doing a lot of frogging around in the rest of the wilderness but coming back to High Lake.

qisit uote Woodbender: "As a matter of fact - Dad and I will be camping on High Lake Bobcat site for three nights. We'll be doing a lot of frogging around in the rest of the wilderness but coming back to High Lake."

Hope you have a nice time. Sylvania is a nice park for someone your Dad's age. Not too taxing, if you take your time. In 3 days you can pretty much visit the whole park. The wilderness is a former estate so there are a number of hiking trails throughout, if portaging gets taxing.

Don't forget that there are showers at the north end of Clark Lake when you need them.

The access points are paved.

High Lake is...well I've never seen anything else like it. I want to brag that the clarity is over 50 ft, but I'd just be guessing. I was there is June and it had an emerald tone to it.

Mountain lake is also very nice. Great smallie fishing on mountain, north side. I've caught largemouth on the south side.

Crooked is nice, lots of wildlife. The water is a bit darker than others. The Bear Lakes were similar. Clark is beautiful and Loon is also outstanding. Have never been to Bateau or deer island lakes. Next time I'm sure.

The campsites are all 150 to 200ft off the water. Not at all like BWCA in that respect.

Paved roads and lots! Wow! That's first class compared to the Bdub.

quote fitgers1: "Paved roads and lots! Wow! That's first class compared to the Bdub. "

To me Sylvania has the feel of a State Park with canoe-to campsites. If you are use to BWCA scale on the maps you'll probably think Sylvania is much bigger than it is. The lakes will be smaller than you're used to. The portages are almost literally a walk in the park.

Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable. And for some folks will be superior to the BWCA. But compared to the BWCA, it is smaller, easier, no rocks, easy and short portages. To me it just more park-like than wilderness.

And your cell phone will probably work. And you can canoe to the car and run to the intersection of 2/45 and get more beer...without a re-entry permit.

Still, even though it is park-like, there is a wild feel to it. The trees/forest are amazing. Clark and Crooked seem like "average" size lakes in BWCA. But it's still worth it.

We were camped at one end of Clark Lake on a windy day and our water filter clogged. A couple of us took the water containers and walked to the campground at the other end of the lake to fill them.

Everything is connected with walking trails. I think you can hike to any lake in the wilderness. These trails are all old roads, so they are wide, even and easy.

quote Bannock: "

quote fitgers1: "Paved roads and lots! Wow! That's first class compared to the Bdub. "

To me Sylvania has the feel of a State Park with canoe-to campsites. If you are use to BWCA scale on the maps you'll probably think Sylvania is much bigger than it is. The lakes will be smaller than you're used to. The portages are almost literally a walk in the park.

Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable. And for some folks will be superior to the BWCA. But compared to the BWCA, it is smaller, easier, no rocks, easy and short portages. To me it just more park-like than wilderness."

Agree.........and that is why it is just perfect for a gentleman in his 80's.

quote Exo: "And your cell phone will probably work. And you can canoe to the car and run to the intersection of 2/45 and get more beer...without a re-entry permit.

Still, even though it is park-like, there is a wild feel to it. The trees/forest are amazing. Clark and Crooked seem like "average" size lakes in BWCA. But it's still worth it.

Just make sure your beer is in plastic containers, cans and glass are no longer allowed.

The wilderness is small in scale, but very interesting in its own way. It was a former private estate so there are old roads all over, that are now hiking trails. In addition, because it was a private estate he was not logged.

One of the unique things I noticed about Sylvania on my first visit was the areas of virgin, old growth timber. Huge hemlock (big tree with tiny cones) and yellow birch trees. Very little under growth in those areas and so many feet of pine needles it feels like you are walking on a mattress. You'll notice that many of these huge trees are growing on top of what appear to be ridges.

Most trees actually grow on top of old, rotting trees that have fallen. The ground is so devoid of nutrients that rotting trees are the prime source of "fertilizer" so to speak. So the new trees grow out of the old dead trees. Quite interesting when you see it, but it looks strange to see.

Here is a link to a short trip I took there a few years back, with lots of pictures

sylvania trip report

Dogwoodgirl that was a great report. Thanks for the link!

quote dogwoodgirl: "Here is a link to a short trip I took there a few years back, with lots of pictures

sylvania trip report "

Very well done. I think you captured the essence and uniqueness of the place quite well. Thanks!

Nice pictures dogwoodgirl!

Thanks for linking the report dogwood girl. Great photos. Definitely looks like it will make for a nice three day side trip for me in the summer.

Bannock - I see what you mean. It is more like a state park with a lot of hike in campsites. Yes, not like the Bdub but then again any camping out in the woods is good camping.

I did a report of my trip in 2012, which we camped on High in Bobcat. Raccoon has a better beach for swimming but Bobcat was just fine for the 3 boys we had along.

The throne has a commanding view of the campsite. =)

With Verizon I had no problem getting enough signal to send texts. Calling didn't work so well during the day, and I don't think we tried it at night.

You may have noticed an earlier post that we're going to Bobcat. So it has an exposed thunder box huh? Crap.

quote Woodbender: "You may have noticed an earlier post that we're going to Bobcat. So it has an exposed thunder box huh? Crap."

Just take a small tarp along to block the throne.

Yeah - I know JJ. Just trying to be funny.

Yeah, I saw your post.

At the time we were there there was just enough of a tree in front of it to make it not 100% exposed, but from the right angle you could certainly see somebody was up there.

Lots of baby maples all around the site. Almost like ferns in how they were covering the floor.

There's a very large bass that lives in the bay to the north of the site, between Bobcat and Raccoon. Do what you'd like with that intel.

Here's a lake topo: Linky

Found a few old photos from the Crooked Lake area. These were from a visit in October of 1990.

This is High Lake, note the water clarity.

Also High Lake

Portage from Crooked to Mountain Lake

Crooked Lake

Boat Landing at Crooked Lake

Oh-Oh folks.....Looks like the roads within Sylvania are going to be closed this summer.

Yeah we received a notice. They are shutting down access to Clark and keep access open to Crooked Lake until June 15th. Sounds like parking will not be available at Crooked Lake access point so we will have to get dropped off. This knocks two nights off our three night trip.

High lake is amazingly clear, I remember watching schools of Smallmouth about 15 feet below the surface.

I talked today with Bob from Sylvania Outfitters and he indicated that they will be constructing a temporary parking lot and access point for Crooked lake just to the Northeast of the boat ramp. He said the landing won't be quite as nice but at least access is still available. I booked my trip.

Wow - Jiimaan!
Thanks for the update! Are they providing access into that parking lot? Just wishful thinking I guess. It'd be nice to have our full three nights rather than get chased out on Sunday.
Thanks for your update.

quote Woodbender: "Wow - Jiimaan!
Thanks for the update! Are they providing access into that parking lot? Just wishful thinking I guess. It'd be nice to have our full three nights rather than get chased out on Sunday.
Thanks for your update."

Constructing a temporary lot. Go ahead Woodbender, plan on your full trip.

Northeast of the existing boat landing there is a road leading past private property at the north end of the lake. There were existing properties that were allowed to remain so when the wilderness was created. So the access road already exists. As long as there will be a parking area and a spot to land your boat, you're good to go. However, it may be on or through private property so we need to treat the area respectfully.


I figured they'd be doing something on a temporary basis.

quote awbrown: "

quote Woodbender: "Wow - Jiimaan!
Thanks for the update! Are they providing access into that parking lot? Just wishful thinking I guess. It'd be nice to have our full three nights rather than get chased out on Sunday.
Thanks for your update."

Constructing a temporary lot. Go ahead Woodbender, plan on your full trip.


I figured they'd be doing something on a temporary basis. "

Awbrown - are they allowing access from that road that Sylvania Wilderness Cabins are on to get to that parking lot? Otherwise they're closing off the "main" road in to the Crooked Lake parking area right?

quote Woodbender: "

quote awbrown: "

quote Woodbender: "Wow - Jiimaan!
Thanks for the update! Are they providing access into that parking lot? Just wishful thinking I guess. It'd be nice to have our full three nights rather than get chased out on Sunday.
Thanks for your update."

Constructing a temporary lot. Go ahead Woodbender, plan on your full trip.



I figured they'd be doing something on a temporary basis. "

Awbrown - are they allowing access from that road that Sylvania Wilderness Cabins are on to get to that parking lot? Otherwise they're closing off the "main" road in to the Crooked Lake parking area right?"

Forest Highway 535 is the main road that you take to enter Sylvania from US Route 2. Before you approach the actual entrance to the park, there is a road that leads you to the private properties located along the north end of Crooked Lake. This is not a dead end road, it goes past the private properties and loops back into 535. This would be the road along which they would be building the temporary parking lot.

After you pass this road that I'm describing you will come upon the entrance into Sylvania. You drive south into Sylvania about 100 yards and there is a small ranger station. Approximately 50 feet south of the ranger station is the main road inside Sylvania that takes you to Crooked Lake if you turn east (left) and Clark Lake if you turn west (right). It is this road that they are shutting down for construction.

When I first read about the road construction, I figured that there would be some sort of temporary provisions to allow access to the wilderness. Without some sort of arrangements, Sylvania Outfitters would be out of business and nobody wants to impact the local businesses any more then necessary.

AwBrown - thank you for your findings. I am looking forward to having some time out there with my dad. You've made it a little less hectic.

quote Woodbender: "AwBrown - thank you for your findings. I am looking forward to having some time out there with my dad. You've made it a little less hectic."

Have a good time and don't worry too much about any snafu's ruining your trip. Even if you get there and find that you have any problems, the area around Watersmeet has a number of public camp grounds that are pleasant. Many times I have stayed at the Marion Lake or Imp Lake campgrounds and done day trips into Sylvania......I've spent a lot of time around there with my Grandson's.

Sylvania is a nice place to visit, has it's own uniqueness and is quite charming.

While in the area, if you find yourself looking for something else to do, pay a visit to Bond Falls or go visit the Mystery Lights of Paulding. There's also an Indian owned Casino in Watersmeet if you're into that sort of thing.

Have a good time with you Dad......those days are precious and few.