Blackjack Springs Wilderness
The Blackjack Springs Wilderness was established by Congress in 1978 and is located in Northeast Wisconsin in the Eagle River Ranger District of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Much of the area was changed by logging and fire in the early 1900s with subsequent reforestation, road building, and timber harvest under National Forest management. Portions of abandoned logging roads and railroad grades are still visible. Amid the Wilderness, four large crystal-clear springs, for which the Wilderness is named, form the headwaters of Blackjack Creek. Three streams drain the area and produce occasional ponds and wetlands. Here, glaciation from the last ice age has produced a rolling and uneven terrain.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Wisconsin |
| Size | 5,912 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.97° N, 89.09° 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 7 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.
Trails
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 39 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Vilas County Snowmobile ↗ | 35 | |
| Whispering Lake | 1.8 | |
| Blackjack Springs | 1.4 | |
| Access | 0.6 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1.1 miAnvil Lake Campground Shelter ↗Eagle River, WI
- 3.3 miJabodon ↗Washington, WI
- 3.9 miEverett Resort, The ↗Washington, WI
- 4.7 miMayo School ↗Eagle River, WI
- 5.5 miEagle River Stadium ↗Eagle River, WI
- 6.9 miSt. Peter's Catholic School ↗Eagle River, WI
- 7.5 miTrunck, Joseph and Augusta, Boathouse ↗Three Lakes, WI
- 7.6 miMayer, George P., Boathouse ↗Town of Three Lakes, WI
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Wisconsin
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 Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
5,912 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Blackjack Springs Wilderness in?
Wisconsin.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Blackjack Springs Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Blackjack Springs 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 Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.968° N, 89.088° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
The National Register has 14 listings within 15 miles, including Anvil Lake Campground Shelter and Jabodon.
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.