Headwaters Wilderness

The largest of Wisconsin's wildernesses is characterized by generally flat terrain with forested swamps and muskeg, and bog lowlands overlooked by a few hardwood ridges. The headwaters of the Pine River, a legally protected Wild River, lie within the area. In the southern portion you'll find the Giant Pine Grove and Shelp Lake, where some of the largest and oldest trees of the Nicolet National Forest grow. The quiet waters of Shelp Lake, shadowed by towering pines on the southwest boundary, are worth a peek. Deer hunting, bass fishing, hiking, and a chance for solitude lure people to Headwaters. The area is subdivided into three sections. The northern half for the most part consists of the Kimball Creek Unit, drained by Kimball and several other creeks; the Shelp Lake Unit lies in the southwestern portion, with Shelp Lake in its southwest corner; and the Headwaters of the Pine Unit comprises the southeast portion. While all three units are crisscrossed with trails off the Forest Service roads that border the entire Wilderness, only 2.25 miles of system trail are maintained. The Wilderness is in Wisconsin, is managed by the Forest Service, and was designated in 1984.