I'm not really one for many trip reports as I'm a man of few words and too lazy to make videos. I've been lucky enough to travel with some amazing youtubers and trail companions so I'm fortunate in having some of my trips immortalized by proxy. However Sylvania Wilderness Area in Michigan's U.P. holds a special place in my heart, I go every fall and mother decided to bless our trip this year with near perfect weather. No it wasn't even near perfect, it was perfect. After another stormy season in the Northern Midwest (including Northern Wisconsin's second "100 year flood" in two years) it was truly a glorious weekend. So I'd like to share the trip gallery with the wonderful HF community with the nod to "if you haven't checked it out and have the means, do it." It is one of the few, rare areas here in the northern midwest that is considered an old growth forest, reminiscent to the time before logging changed the landscape some what (no judgement's, just the facts). Besides the natural beauty and wonderfully open forest to hike through, it also an extra boon if you are a hammock camper. There is literally (correct use of the word) no where you can't hang a hammock (disclaimer: there is no "bush" camping allowed, only at designated campsites). Every campsite is a hammock playground.
Travel conditions are set up more for canoe camping (think very mini-BWCA) but I have backpacked several times. Very accessible for hiking but there are no real loops (you have to get creative) and it's not a big mile park. For example, our dog is not good in a canoe so my wife hiked in from the closest trail head to our campsite and I paddled in from the main canoe put in. The park has been around for a long time so by now most campsites have established trails from the main trails but very rarely you will have to "bush whack" in to a particular campsite. I've only had to do that once, and it being old growth forest, it was an easy trek. If you are just wanting an easy trip, a place to unwind, perhaps test some new gear and take extra luxury slack items you wouldn't even dream of normally, this is the place to go.
Campsite recommendation: West Bear Lake - Coyote Campsite. This is the only lake in the park that has only one campsite. Sylvania can get a little busy between Memorial and Labor Day so you're going to see people. However this was the first time that we saw no one (except when we left the lake to hike around and visit Clark Lake) our entire time there. West Bear Lake is a bit off the beaten track and it is a couple of extra portages to get to, so if you're not staying there it's not really worth it to pass through there unless you're just heart set on making a loop in your travel plans. It is absolutely the best campsite in the park. The campsite itself is gorgeous, the lake is just perfect and the fishing is amazing.
To sum up, we came, we saw, we hiked, I paddled and we ate way too much. The level of relaxation achieved was again, glorious.
Sylvania Wilderness Area
EDIT: I forgot to send a shout out to Shug for the video tip on the Sony HX80. I wanted to upgrade my picture taking abilities from my iphone but I hate researching cameras, being in IT I spend way too much time online anyway. So I just went with his recommendation from a video post. While I achieve a level of photography suck that is unrivaled I had a lot of fun with it.
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Originally Posted by carmen2kayak
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