Wilderness State Park - Snowcave Excursion 2007

Wilderness State Park, Winter 2007 Team P- Excursion to 'Ambush Portage'; overnight in a snow cave. Looking for Eastern Cougars...

The Sturgeon Cabin is among the oldest structures in the park built by the CCC.

Set deep down the end of a long dirt road, then about a quarter mile down it's own gated driveway.

It is a real log cabin.


The cabin has a huge stone fireplace modernized as a elaborate chimney for the woodstove inside. Still a awesome and impressive display of craftsmenship of old.
The west facing shallows make for excellent sunsets and great kayaking.


WildernessStatePark.net's discussion forum on Sturgeon Bay Cabin:
http://www.wildernessstatepark.net/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=8

Information on the Sturgeon Bay Cabin from the MDNR:
STURGEON BAY CABIN GRAVEL SURFACE/DIRT SURFACE/SAND SURFACE/STURGEON BAY CABIN IS LOCATED NEAR THE WATER ON STURGEON BAY. THERE IS A PATH LEADING TOWARD THE WATER. THE CABIN IS A CCC ERA LOG CONSTRUCTION AND HAS A WOOD FLOOR. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IT CAN BE ACCESSED BY SNOWMOBILE IN ADDITION TO HIKING, SNOWSHOEING, AND CROSS COUNTRY SKIS. THIS CABIN IS NOT ACCESSIBLE BY AUTOMOBILE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. IT IS THE MOST REMOTE CABIN IN THE WINTER MONTHS. DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE HUNTING SEASONS, THE CABIN GATE MAY BE OPENED TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE AREA SOUTH EAST OF THE CABIN TO OTHER PARK VISITORS.THE CABIN IS RUSTIC. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. AN OUTHOUSE AND OUTDOOR HANDPUMP ARE PROVIDED. EACH CABIN HAS A FIREPIT AND PICNIC TABLE OUTSIDE. THE INTERIOR IS VERY BASIC AND IS ONE ROOM. THE CABIN INTERIOR CONSISTS OF TWO BUNK BEDS, ONE SINGLE BUNK, TABLE, CHAIRS OR BENCHES, COUNTER TOP AND A WOOD STOVE.

Station Point Cabin, Wilderness State park, Michigan USA

Station Point Cabin, Wilderness State park, Michigan USA
The Station Point Cabin the third cabin along Waugoshance Point Road.

After the locked gate you have a long driveway lined with large trees

The Station Point Cabin is handicap accessible
view of cabin from beach

view of beach from cabin

looking west down beach

looking east up beach

Looking due north from cabin


As you can see it's quite a beautiful place.

Nebo Cabin, Wilderness State Park, Michigan USA

The Nebo Cabin is the most secluded cabin set miles back in the woods. The woods are beautiful thru there and in the wintertime are closed to snowmobile traffic making them ideal for cross country skiing. The Nebo Cabin was built during the CCC era and is an actual log cabin. Recommended for secluded winter snowshoe or cross country ski excursions.*
NEBO CABIN GRAVEL SURFACE/DIRT SURFACE/SAND SURFACE/NEBO CABIN IS LOCATED INLAND APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. THE CABIN IS A CCC ERA LOG CONSTRUCTION AND HAS A WOOD FLOOR. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IT IS ONLY ACCESSSIBLE BY HIKING, SNOWSHOEING, AND CROSS COUNTRY SKIS. THIS CABIN IS NOT ACCESSIBLE BY AUTOMOBILE OR SNOWMOBILE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. IT IS LOCATED 2 MILES FROM THE WINTER PARKING AREA. THE AREA AROUND THE CABIN HAS A VARIETY OF FOREST TYPE AND CONSISTS OF MANY RIDGES. IT IS IN A REMOTE SETTING AND IS VERY POPULAR WITH HUNTERS AND HIKERS AS IT IS LOCATED ON NEBO TRAIL.THE CABIN IS RUSTIC. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. AN OUTHOUSE AND OUTDOOR HANDPUMP ARE PROVIDED. EACH CABIN HAS A FIREPIT AND PICNIC TABLE OUTSIDE. THE INTERIOR IS VERY BASIC AND IS ONE ROOM. THE CABIN INTERIOR CONSISTS OF TWO BUNK BEDS, ONE SINGLE BUNK, TABLE, CHAIRS OR BENCHES, COUNTER TOP AND A WOOD STOVE.

Cap's Cabin, Wilderness State Park, Michigan USA

Cap's Cabin, Wilderness State Park, Michigan USA

I have been told that the Cap's cabin used to be referred to as the 'Burnt Cabin Site' and just down from Cap's cabin towards the beach you can still see the remnants of a chimney that was from the original cabin that was said to have been occupied by Captian Edward LeWay. The original cabin was said to have been struck by lightning and burned down. Apparently one of Captain LeWay's decendents, Judy LeWay-Ranville wrote a book called 'Memories of Mackinaw' that has at least a chapter on Captain LeWay. I have yet to acquire and read the book. Anyone with any information please let me know. I know that there is at least one copy of the book at the Mackinaw Public Library.


The driveway to the cabin

leads to a woodpecker's totem pole

on to the privy

and the cabin


water pump

And of course the beach:

I consider myself an aficionado of Great Lake's shoreline and have to consider this among the finest stretches anywhere.

Not to mention that a nightime eastward glance up the beach gleams with the Mackinac Bridge lit up in all it's glory.

Cap's Cabin discussion board on WildernessStatePark.net:
http://www.wildernessstatepark.net/discussion/viewforum.php?f=12

Information on Cap's Cabin from the MDNR:
LAKEFRONT/RIVERFRONT/CAPS CABIN IS LOCATED NEAR THE WATER BUT TREES INHIBIT THE VIEW OF THE WATER FROM THE CABIN. IT IS A STICK BUILT CABIN WITH HALF LOG EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR. IN ADDITION TO HIKING, SNOW SHOES AND CROSS COUNTRY SKIING IT CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED BY SNOWMOBILE WHEN CONDITIONS PERMIT. THIS CABIN IS NOT ACCESSIBLE BY AUTOMOBILE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. THE CABIN IS RUSTIC. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. AN OUTHOUSE AND OUTDOOR HANDPUMP ARE PROVIDED. EACH CABIN HAS A FIREPIT AND PICNIC TABLE OUTSIDE. THE INTERIOR IS VERY BASIC AND IS ONE ROOM. THE CABIN INTERIOR CONSISTS OF FOUR BUNK BEDS, TABLE, CHAIRS OR BENCHES, COUNTER TOP AND A WOOD STOVE

Big Stone Bay Cabin Description and Photos

The Big Stone Bay Cabin in Wilderness State Park, Michigan USA.

The Big Stone Bay Cabin is the first cabin along Waugoshance Point Road as you head deep into the park almost two miles past the ranger station.

Big Stone Bay has a beautiful tall cedar lined quarter mile driveway.


The Cabin sits in the woods just off the beach.


Path to Beach


The Beach


Information from the MDNR on the Big Stone Bay Cabin:
"BIG STONE BAY LAKEFRONT/RIVERFRONT/BIG STONE BAY CABIN IS LOCATED NEAR THE WATER AND HAS A MINIMAL VIEW OF THE STRAITS FROM THE CABINS. IT IS A STICK BUILT CABIN WITH HALF LOG EXTERIOR AND TONGUE AND GROOVE INTERIOR. IN ADDITION TO HIKING, SNOW SHOES AND CROSS COUNTRY SKING IT CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED BY SNOWMOBILE WHEN CONDITIONS PERMIT. THIS CABIN IS NOT ACCESSIBILE BY AUTOMOBILE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. THE CABIN IS RUSTIC. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. AN OUTHOUSE AND OUTDOOR HANDPUMP ARE PROVIDED. EACH CABIN HAS A FIREPIT AND PICNIC TABLE OUTSIDE. THE INTERIOR IS VERY BASIC AND IS ONE ROOM. THE CABIN INTERIOR CONSISTS OF FOUR BUNK BEDS, TABLE, CHAIRS OR BENCHES, COUNTER TOP AND A WOOD STOVE."

Wilderness State Park, Michigan USA

WILDERNESS STATE PARK, EMMET COUNTY LOWER MICHIGAN, USA Welcome to our Wilderness State Park webpage. The majority of the many miles of shoreline consist of wide sandy beaches with scattered cobble, backed by one of the best developed and most diverse forested dune and swale complexes in Michigan, with some spectacular wetland areas mixed throughout. The scattered cobble beach areas provide some of the best habitat in Michigan for the federally endangered piping plover. In fact, almost the entire shoreline of the proposed natural areas is designated as critical habitat for the piping plover. The Great Lakes population of piping plovers was historically several hundred breeding pairs in size, but had declined to 17 breeding pairs by the time the species was listed as endangered by the federal government in 1986. Since then, the population has fluctuated between 12 and 50 breeding pairs with breeding areas largely confined to Michigan, and a large portion of those have been consistently at Wilderness State Park. During the 2002 nesting season, 16 of 52 active nests were at Wilderness. Most of this area was cut-over prior to 1900, leaving only one small stand and scattered individual trees intact. Yet, the area has re-grown and now stands as it once did, providing its visitors an opportunity to experience a Michigan landscape as it occurred prior to European settlement. It supports fine populations of two Great Lakes endemic plant species - Pitcher's thistle and Houghton's goldenrod - and additional threatened plants - Lake Huron tansy, Pumpell's bromegrass, and butterwort.