USFS · Wilderness area · Michigan

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...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateMichigan
Size16,704 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1987, by Congress
Center point46.6107, -88.7001
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 1

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.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 3 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

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?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Bob Lake Campground, 7.3 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 backpacking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 46.611, -88.700. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 10 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness?

3 National Register 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.
  • 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.