USFWS · Ohio

West Sister Island Wilderness

When sailing ships first plied the waters of Lake Erie, they were guided safely on their way by a lighthouse perched on the westernmost point of West Sister Island. Keepers operated the light until 1937...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
West Sister Island Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateOhio
Size77 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1975, by Congress
Center point41.7399, -83.1056
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 6)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near West Sister Island Wilderness20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.12 inches of precipitation, 12.4 inches of snowFebruary: 1.82 inches of precipitation, 13.5 inches of snowMarch: 2.38 inches of precipitation, 5.5 inches of snowApril: 2.88 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowMay: 3.64 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.32 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.22 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.56 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.13 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.56 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 2.54 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowDecember: 2.13 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.9°F averageFebruary: 26.7°F averageMarch: 35.0°F averageApril: 46.7°F averageMay: 57.8°F averageJune: 68.4°F averageJuly: 72.4°F averageAugust: 71.2°F averageSeptember: 64.5°F averageOctober: 52.1°F averageNovember: 40.2°F averageDecember: 30.7°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Newport 4Sse, 17 miles from the center point at 578 feet, station USC00205822 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 33 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 41 inches a year on the same inches scale.

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

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 3 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is West Sister Island Wilderness?

77 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages West Sister Island Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is West Sister Island Wilderness in?

Ohio.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was West Sister Island Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1975.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at West Sister Island Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to West Sister Island Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 41.740, -83.106. Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial is 16 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at West Sister Island Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 6 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 West Sister Island Wilderness?

Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial (16 mi) and River Raisin National Battlefield Park (18 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near West Sister Island Wilderness?

3 National Register listings within 15 miles, including West Sister Island Light and Carroll Township Hall.

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.