The North Country Hiking Trail & Porcupine Wilderness
By Kathy Moe • USDA Forest Service • Hayward, Wisconsin
The Porcupine Wilderness, designated in 1984, is 4,446 acres located on the western border of the district off Forest Roads 214 and 213, near Lake Owen. Designated by Congress in the 1964 Wilderness Act, wilderness is defined as an area of undeveloped, federally-owned land where wilderness characteristics and the forces of nature are allowed to “play out”, it possesses outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, it is an area large enough that continued use will not change the unspoiled natural character, and it provides the opportunity for self-reliance and challenge.
The western section of the trail is gently rolling hills, forested with red oak, sugar maple, red maple, hemlock, and pines. From FR 213 to 18 Mile spring Pond is a 2.2 mile hike or a person could hike the short spur farther east on FR213 to the Spring Pond.
This is a beautiful section of the trail that overlooks 18 Mile Spring Pond. Many years ago, long before wildernesses were being established in this part of the country, an attempt was made to “dredge” the spring pond with an old type steam shovel. If you look carefully to the east of the spring you may be able to see the spoils of the dredging. About 27 years ago a tornado and strong winds came through leaving their mark in the surrounding woodland. The trees blocking the trail were cut out or the trail was re-routed in extremely damaged areas. Since that time there have been numerous wind events along the North Country Hiking Trail.
The next scenic section on the trail is along Porcupine Lake. The hiking trail meanders along with several picturesque overlooks of Porcupine Lake. Eighteen Mile Creek area is another favorite area of mine with towering, majestic hemlocks shading the rocky creek. To cross the creek one has to carefully step across rocks and logs to continue along the hiking trail. If a person would like to set up a camp the site must be 100 feet away from the trail and water’s edge. (A few other important wilderness regulations are) No motorized equipment or mechanic transport such as bicycles or transport wheels are allowed in the wilderness and you need to pack out what you pack in. Campfires are permitted, however keep your fires small or better yet use a small camp stove. If you do build a fire, be sure it is dead out when you leave the camp site and cold to the touch by pouring water on the coals and stirring.
The next section of the trail has a woodland mix of aspen, balsam fir and maple with flat terrain, having been part of an old glacial drainage. Along this section of the trail you may encounter areas flooded by beavers, although this could happen to any section of the trail. Since this is a wilderness, the Forest Service isn’t going to intervene with nature. The hiking trail isn’t marked in the wilderness, except for difficult intersections. It would be a good idea to travel with a compass, just in case one would need to skirt a beaver flowage. Deer, bear, fox, coyote, wolf, beaver, loons and many species of birds are common wildlife of the wilderness. From Porcupine Lake to County D trailhead is a 4 mile hike. This is the eastern boundary of the Porcupine Wilderness. The wilderness trails aren’t mowed, groomed or clipped; it’s a trail for the adventurous and those seeking solitude. Our District offices have nice wilderness maps for your adventure.
