We are fortunate to have a number of designated wilderness areas in Michigan, which can be easy to forget when you live close to one of the sprawling metropolitan areas that seem to keep expanding. It is a constant source of sadness for me to see local woodlands disappear every single year as the conquest of development marches on. It is a small comfort to know that such expansion does ultimately have limits, even if far away.
A recent visit to the entire list of wilderness areas showed Michigan has a total of 16 designated wilderness areas, amounting to 291,153 acres, or 454.95 square miles (1178.3 sq. km). While this may resemble a gnat’s eyebrow compared to the area of the state (only 0.78%), forested areas still make up over 50% of Michigan’s total land area despite the constant felling of trees locally. Designated wilderness areas have special recognition and federally enforced protection that create havens even amongst our numerous state and national parks. One such special wilderness area I visited some years ago is the Sturgeon River Wilderness in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a small portion of the Ottawa National Forest.
“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”
~ Howard Zahniser
What is a designated wilderness area in Michigan?
For many people, once you cross the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula – they may colloquially call it “wilderness,” escaping from the noise and congestion of the Southern Lower Peninsula urban / suburban environments. These special subsets are even more isolated, rare, and have a formal federal recognition and regulation. The US Government passed the Wilderness Act of 1964, written by Howard Zahnieser quoted above, establishing this formal system. Twenty-three years later, the U.S. Congress passed the Michigan Wilderness Act of 1987 adding 10 areas of the State to the National Wilderness Preservation System, which included the Sturgeon River Wilderness area. As mentioned, Michigan has a total of 16 today.
Photos of Sturgeon River Wilderness
These areas have regulations prohibiting the use of motorized vehicles, extending even to mountain bikes as a means to keep it preserved in as natural state as possible. Think of very strict Leave No Trace principles. No roads going in, no structures, zero development.
I only took short hikes in from the perimeter, and didn’t actually make a lot of photos as I had a long itinerary of places I wanted to explore that day. I came across the area exploring, not specifically as a destination – eventually recognizing I was in a really remote area. And just as the 1987 MWA states, it certainly met the criteria to “have outstanding opportunities for solitude,” perhaps to a truly eerie extent of feeling like you were the last human alive.
I am not much of a backcountry camper, and clearly this is a place where you better know what you are doing if you wander in for a bit. I only had a small taste and I never made it to the actual river, which I understand is quite beautiful.
Sturgeon River Wilderness is certainly a place worth much more exploring, which I would like to do given the opportunity. However, if I am going to be honest with myself, there is only so much time one has. Given this location is quite far away, the reality is I may never make it there again except on another “passing by.” In the spirit of the regulations though, that seems how it is meant to be, simply left alone – no need for visitors.
Of Michigan’s 16 formal wilderness areas, I believe I’ve visited just 5. I have no ambitious goals of visiting them all. It is more comforting to know that at least 16 areas will be forever untrammeled.
My experience of nature centers around conservation areas in my town and surrounding towns. I’d love to go to wilder area, even if only to get to the edge of one. As it is, I can wander off in the woods out of sight of the houses in my suburban town. Lovely images. Other than federal protection, towns, private land trusts and nature organizations buy land to set it aside – all efforts I like to support.
It’s so important to have these wild places, after all, as an old book said, ‘In Wildness is the Preservation of the World.’ Washington State has a much higher percentage of wilderness areas but it’s never enough in my view. Your photo of the aspens is beautiful – I’m very fond of that look!
We have certainly built a society that doesn’t place enough value on them. Thank you Lynn.
Wonderful to have undisturbed places of solitude. We need more of these (only 0.78% you said). Your comment that you might never return reminded me of the Seals & Croft song We May Never Pass This Way Again
Wow, that’s a song I haven’t heard in a long time. It’s kinda amazing how I instantly recognized the chorus though.
I feel the same as you, we need to keep these areas “forever untrammeled.” I had to go and look it up but Colorado has 42 national wilderness areas. This includes National Forests, Grasslands and National Parks. I just may have to start venturing out to these areas to experience them before I can’t. This is a wonderful post and touches me inside. Love those fall colors!!
Nice! I had a feeling Colorado would be high up on the list. They may offer something the National Parks can not – a bit more separation from the masses.
Nice Mark! We have 18 Land Trusts here (The Great Works Land Trusts, which is a pretty cool name) and a few are close by so we can take the dog for romps in the woodlands each day.
With all the hurdles it takes just in trying to protect our local big trees, I have a renewed appreciation for protected public lands, even if not formal wilderness areas. Anything to keep it out of the hands of developers.