Porcupine Lake Wilderness

During the ice age, glaciers covered this area, scouring it into rolling hills in the west and dropping to swampland in the east. Many lakes dot the area, six of them larger than five acres. Sugar maples, red maples, yellow birches, white and red pine, and hemlock form a dense canopy overhead. Logged at the turn of the century, the area has recovered much of its earlier appearance. This is a small Wilderness and outside sounds can sometimes be heard, but it provides a glimpse of how the northern hardwood forests used to be. The North Country National Scenic Trail traverses the Wilderness from east to west for approximately eight miles and touches the northern tip of Porcupine Lake. Two other short trails enter from the northern boundary and connect to the North Country Trail. Black bears are frequently seen — store your food hung off the ground and away from your campsite. Fishing and paddling attract visitors to Porcupine Lake, which holds northern pike, largemouth bass, and bluegill, and all of the major streams in the area contain trout. Cross-country skiers enjoy the Wilderness in winter. Designated in 1984 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service.