Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness
The Wild and Scenic Sturgeon River rushes out of the northern portion of this Wilderness, over the 20-foot volcanic outcropping of Sturgeon Falls, and through a gorge that reaches 300 feet in depth and a mile in width. Throughout this rugged, steep Wilderness, the Sturgeon and Little Silver Rivers and their tributaries have carved falls, rapids, ponds, oxbows, and terraces. Stunning views are possible from the eastern rim of the gorge. Except for a few naturally bare slopes, most of the land is forested with pine, hemlock, aspen, sugar maple, birch, and basswood. When the leaves of the hardwoods change color in fall, they form a vivid tapestry. On a trek through here you might see deer, bears, mink, otters, beavers, skunks, and foxes.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Michigan |
| Size | 16,704 acres |
| Designated | 1987, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.61° N, 88.70° 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 Forest Service recreation site
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 2 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.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 1 miSturgeon River Gorge Wilderness ↗Backpacking · January 1 to December 31
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
5 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 10 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sidnaw Creek ↗ | 6.8 | |
| Nfst-T2211 | 1.1 | |
| Sturgeon Falls | 0.9 | |
| Pine Bluff | 0.8 | |
| Bears Den | 0.3 |
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
- WildfireCraig Lake 1
25 mi from the center point · 606 acres · 90% contained
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
- 7.2 mi
- 8.3 miCanyon Falls Bridge ↗L'Anse Township, MI
- 12.1 miUs-41 (old)--Backwater Creek Bridge ↗Barage Township, 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 Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?
16,704 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness in?
Michigan.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1987.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Sturgeon River Gorge 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 Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.611° N, 88.700° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Craig Lake 1 at 25 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Saint Henry's Evangelical Lutheran Church and Cemetery and Canyon Falls Bridge.
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.