Rock River Canyon Wilderness
From west to east, remote waterways Rock River and Silver Creek flow through 150-foot-deep canyons. The two canyons are separated by a broad, flat ridge and surrounded by relatively flat uplands. Second-growth...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Michigan |
| Size | 4,724 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1987, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.3986, -86.9602 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
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.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 24 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| North Country NTL Scenic -West ↗ | 23.5 | |
| Rock River Falls Hike | 0.9 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3.2 miPaulson House ↗AuTrain, MI
- 4.7 miM-94 (old)--Au Train River Bridge ↗Au Train Township, MI
- 7.2 miM-28--Sand River Bridge ↗Onota Township, MI
- 8 miMikulich General Store ↗Traunik, MI
- 9.6 miKing Road--Whitefish River Bridge ↗Limestone Township, MI
- 10.5 miBay Furnace ↗Christmas, MI
- 11.1 miGrand Island Harbor Rear Range Light ↗Christmas, MI
- 12.4 miLobb House ↗Munising, MI
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Rock River Canyon Wilderness?
4,724 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Rock River Canyon Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Rock River Canyon Wilderness in?
Michigan.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Rock River Canyon Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1987.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Rock River Canyon Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Au Train Lake Campground, 3.7 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 Rock River Canyon Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.399, -86.960. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Rock River Canyon Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 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 Rock River Canyon Wilderness?
9 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Paulson House and M-94 (old)--Au Train River 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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.