All roads into Sylvania past the Entrance Station (the old A-frame)will be closed after June 15th. The Clark Lake campgrounds and visitors center will be closed. There will be no parking available at Clark or Crooked Lakes. You will still be able to access some lake via trail heads (Snap Jack, Helen, Whitefish, Marsh. etc.) but parking will be limited.

I would think that they would allow access to Clark via the old double rut road that was open when the park first opened up in the 60's but maybe it is easier to close everything.

This will be the first time since I was young that I won't be going up for some quick summer trips.

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Conflicting reports... it says here that the roads will be worked on during the fall and winter.

Yes, I'm sorry, it will be closed during the summer. Thank you for the clarification.

Glad you posted this as we were thinking of going up there this year. Guess we'll go some other year.

Am I missing something here? I see no mention in the Ottawa National Forest announcement of closed roads during the summer.

One of the sources might be dated. Sylvania Outfitters has info on their website

http://www.sylvaniaoutfitters.com/

I will call Bob or Eli tomorrow to get the latest.

Thanks Vando... Based on the posting date of February 14th, it doesn't get much more current than that. Thanks for the info. Going to be a challenge in Sylvania this summer.

You would think they would do part one year and part another so as to not have the whole area shut down and difficult to get into. But then that's government planning for you. I've been to some state parks where they were doing road construction and had the whole are shut down for a year or two, instead of tearing up half one year and repairing it and then the other half the next year.

Thanks for the heads up on this.

I bet the wilderness is a lot quieter this year, and Bob doesn't have a good year due to drop in traffic.

Agree with the others about why couldn't they do half and half, but I suppose there's a halfway valid reason for doing it the way they're doing it.

It is not a short portage from the ranger house to either Clark or Crooked. Wonder if they'll let people put in on Katherine and then go to Crooked? No good ways to get to Clark.

There is no parking lot for Helen but I have fished it dozens of times while parking on the Thousand Island Road. It is an easy portage from Helen to Clark.

Thanks for the info van......let us know what Bob says. It wouldn't surprise me that there are more alternate ways to access Crooked and Clark Lakes that we are currently not aware of.

I spoke with Bob this morning and he verified that people will be accessing Clark via Helen utilizing the short portage past the Clark Lake beach. Parking is limited on Thousand Island Lake road so you might want to unload your gear, drive you car back to Sylvania outfitters, and hire them to shuttle you back. He mentioned that he is working on setting up a parking lot on Crooked Lake, accessible on Crooked Lake Road. Crooked Lake Road loops off of Thousand Island Lake road and back just east of the entrance to Sylvania.

If you have any questions, contact Bob at Sylvania Outfitters. He is a great guy and provides helpful, professional service.

http://www.sylvaniaoutfitters.com/

I wonder how significant the impact will be on visitors. Will it be a ghost town and thus THE year to visit?

I feel bad for the impact it will have on Bob's business.