Wilderness
What is a Wilderness Area?
The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines wilderness as an area of undeveloped federally owned land, designated by an Act of Congress, that has the following characteristics:
- Affected primarily by the forces of nature, where people are visitors who do not remain. It may contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historic value.
- Possesses outstanding opportunities for solitude and a primitive and unconfined type of recreation.
- Large enough that continued use will not change its unspoiled, natural condition.
- Provides opportunity for (and often requires) self-reliance and challenge.
No reservations are required - however, some parking areas may require a $5.00 daily parking fee.
Wilderness Areas on the Chequamegon-Nicolet
There are 5 Wilderness Areas on the forest totaling over 44,000 acres. Sizes range from the 4,292-acre Porcupine Lake Wilderness to the 18,188-acre Headwaters Wilderness.
Blackjack Springs Wilderness
This 5,800-acre area is located 7 miles northeast of Eagle River, WI in Vilas County. Blackjack Springs main feature is a series of four large, crystal-clear springs that form the headwaters of Blackjack Creek, in the midst of dense forest cover.
Headwaters Wilderness
This 18,000 plus acre wilderness is located 16 miles southeast of Eagle River, WI in Forest County. Portions of this area contain some of the largest and oldest trees on the forest.
Porcupine Lake Wilderness
This 4,446-acre wilderness is located 4 miles southeast of Drummond, WI in Bayfield County. Some of the wilderness contains rolling hills covered with oak, maple, hemlock and white pine. The remainder of the area is fairly flat.
Rainbow Lake Wilderness
The total area encompasses 6,583 acres, located 4 miles north of Drummond, WI in Bayfield County. Among the unique features of this wilderness are the numerous narrow gauge railroad grades that were used for log hauling in the early 1900s.
Whisker Lake Wilderness
This 7,500-acre tract is located 11 miles west of Florence, WI on the Michigan-Wisconsin border in Florence County. The area got its name from the large pines near the shoreline of Whisker Lake.