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 grow in the low wetlands along streams and bogs. Logged between the 1890s and 1930s, the area still shows old stumps scattered among second growth, but it has recovered much of its earlier appearance, with large trees and a closed canopy overhead. This is a small Wilderness and outside sounds can sometimes be heard, but it provides a glimpse of a northern hardwood forest from earlier times. The primary access is by canoe, with numerous lakes joined by marked portage trails. The terrain rolls easily but trails are limited, and hikers may find movement off-trail challenging due to brush. Fishing is popular and the state has special regulations in place; the 54 clear-water acres of Twilight Lake provide a trout fishery. Between mid-December and mid-March the snow pack averages four feet and attracts snowshoers and cross-country skiers, and 34 inches of annual precipitation keeps the countryside wet. Designated in 1987 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service.