Big Island Lake Wilderness
Twenty-three lakes, ranging in size from 5 to 149 acres are found in this Wilderness where ducks, loons, and great blue herons are often seen feeding. Bald eagles are occasional visitors, and sandhill cranes frequent the open upland in the area's northern section. Hardwoods (maple, white birch, beech, and quaking aspen) dominate the uplands which are inhabited by black bears, pine martens, bobcats, raccoons, porcupines, and chipmunks. Hemlock, spruce, and balsam fir are found in the low wetlands along streams and bogs. Logged between the 1890s and 1930s, old stumps can be seen scattered among second-growth, but the area has recovered much of its appearance of the earlier forest, with large trees and a closed canopy overhead.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Michigan |
| Size | 5,268 acres |
| Designated | 1987, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.22° N, 86.51° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 26 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
14 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
13 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 7 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bil - Haywire Byer Portage | 2.5 | |
| Bil - Vance Hiking | 1.6 | |
| Bil - Twilight-Byers Hike | 0.9 | |
| Bil - Neds Lake Portage | 0.5 | |
| Bil - McInnis/Klondike Portage | 0.3 | |
| Big Island Lake Portal | 0.2 | |
| Bil - Twilight | 0.2 | |
| Bil - Twilight-Byers Portage | 0.2 | |
| Bil - Coattail/McInnisportage | 0.1 | |
| Bil - Mid/Coattail Portage | 0.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSilver Leaf
46 mi from the center point · 12 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 12 miLobb House ↗Munising, MI
- 12.4 miSchoolcraft Furnace Site ↗Munising, MI
- 14.4 miGrand Island Harbor Rear Range Light ↗Christmas, MI
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Michigan
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes on and Around the North Country Trail - Michigan and WisconsinThomas Funke, 2016Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Big Island Lake Wilderness?
5,268 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Big Island Lake Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Big Island Lake Wilderness in?
Michigan.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Big Island Lake Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1987.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Big Island Lake Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Big Island Lake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.219° N, 86.508° W. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is 24 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Big Island Lake Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Silver Leaf at 46 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Big Island Lake Wilderness?
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (24 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Big Island Lake Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Lobb House and Schoolcraft Furnace Site.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.