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movington
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I'm going to Sylvania Wilderness for the first time later this month. I expected a larger group and reserved 2 campsites, Lynx-1 and Lynx-2 on Mountain Lake. I only need one of these and will cancel the other. Anyone here camped on either one and can recommend which one I should keep?
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Exo
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Yep, high lake is a special one. Very cool to watch fish swimming 30 feet below you.
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awbrown
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I highly recommend paddling the loop that Jackfish mentions. If it is a calm day, High Lake can be absolutely stunning. It's hard to describe how clear the water can be.
The water depth in this picture is over 10 feet.
Campsites in Sylvania are mostly back from the lake shore so as not to spoil the "wilderness" feel. This is both good and bad. No nice view of the lake from your site and no nice bug clearing breezes. However, most campsites are nice.
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movington
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Thanks for the info. I'll let you know how it goes.
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mirth
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High Lake is incredibly clear. Like, gin clear. It is beautiful.
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movington
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Can't wait to check it out and to try out my, new to me, canoe
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movington
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Hey, thanks for the info. You're right. The western site is Lynx-1. I'll let you know how it goes.
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Exo
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The western Lynx site is better. Shallow up front, kind of a neat staircase leading to the tent area. Nice open woods from grate to shoreline. I believe the western site is Lynx-1.
Of course, the online map I'm looking at *could* have the sites in the wrong spots, but the site location and satellite imagery coincide with my memory.
I've caught both large and smallmouth on the lake. Very clear water. Hit up the north shoreline and sight-cast into the submerged trees.
Let us know how the trip goes!
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movington
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Hey, thanks for the info. You're right. The western site is Lynx-1. I'll let you know how it goes.
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jcavenagh
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I, too appreciate the info. I'm getting a bit down on IL State parks and need some other places to go.
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mirth
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Sylvania is great for canoe camping. Moreso if you like to fish. Not so much if you like to eat the fish you catch.
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movington
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Thanks Exo for the tip on the Lynx site. We stayed at the more western site, Lynx 1, and it was a better site. Had a lot of rain and mosquitoes, but caught some nice bass. Did the loop. High lake was as clear as was mentioned. All in all a nice trip.
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movington
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Here's a pic of Mountain Lake
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Jackfish
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Wish I could help you, but I haven't set foot on either of those sites. Mountain Lake is a nice lake though and most of the campsites are very nice. Hard to go wrong.
If you can, try to do the natural loop through the lakes in the northeast corner of Sylvania. Go from Mountain to Crooked, High, Kerr, West Bear, East Bear and back to Mountain.
Here's the Sylvania map
Portages are easy, state park-esque trails. Time to do the entire loop? I'd say four hours unless you want to make a meandering day of it (and why wouldn't you?) :)
You'll enjoy Sylvania. Let us know how the trip went.
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