Michigan Islands Wilderness
The Michigan Islands Wilderness comprises Pismire, Scarecrow, and Shoe Islands, three of the eight islands designated as part of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Lakes Huron and Michigan. These islands provide nesting grounds for numerous bird species, including great blue herons, black-crowned night-herons, herring gulls, ring-billed gulls, great black-backed gulls, common terns, Caspian terns, and double-crested cormorants, which gather here in substantial numbers. The primary vegetation includes standing dead green ash trees, accompanied by a dense understory of common elderberry, scattered red-osier dogwood, and various weedy plants. The decline of ash trees is largely due to the high concentration of cormorants.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Michigan |
| Size | 12 acres |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.91° N, 83.33° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 7) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
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
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWelcome Lake South Rx
42 mi from the center point · 35 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
- 4 miMormon Print Shop ↗St. James, MI
- 7.3 miProtar, Feodar, Cabin ↗St. James, MI
- 7.5 miGrays Reef Light Station ↗Bliss Township, MI
- 8.2 miWhite Shoal Light Station ↗Mackinaw City, MI
- 10.3 miWaugoshance Light Station ↗Waugoshance Island, MI
- 10.8 miThunder Bay Island Light Station ↗Alpena, MI
- 10.9 miLansing Shoals Light Station ↗Newton Township, MI
- 10.9 miSkillagalee Light Station ↗Cross Village, 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 Michigan Islands Wilderness?
12 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Michigan Islands Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Michigan Islands Wilderness in?
Michigan.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Michigan Islands Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Michigan Islands Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.913° N, 83.329° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Michigan Islands Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Welcome Lake South Rx at 42 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Michigan Islands Wilderness?
The National Register has 16 listings within 15 miles, including Mormon Print Shop and Protar, Feodar, Cabin.
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.
- 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.