Gaylord Nelson Wilderness
In 2004, 80% of the land area of Wisconsin's Apostle Islands National Lakeshore was designated as federally protected wilderness. The new wilderness area - Wisconsin's largest by far - honors former Wisconsin...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Wisconsin |
| Size | 33,500 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2004, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.9372, -90.5827 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0 miManitou Camp ↗Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI
- 0 miHadland Fishing Camp ↗La Pointe, WI
- 0.1 miRocky Island Historic District ↗La Pointe, WI
- 2.8 miHokenson Fishing Dock ↗Bayfield, WI
- 3.2 miShaw Farm ↗Bayfield, WI
- 3.3 miSevona Cabin ↗Bayfield, WI
- 3.8 miMarquette (shipwreck) ↗La Pointe, WI
- 4.4 miBass Island Brownstone Company Quarry ↗La Pointe, WI
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
33,500 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Gaylord Nelson Wilderness in?
Wisconsin.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Gaylord Nelson Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2004.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Camping Permits, 8 miles out. 1 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
How do I get to Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.937, -90.583. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 8 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (adjacent). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Gaylord Nelson Wilderness?
17 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Manitou Camp and Hadland Fishing Camp.
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.