Border Lakes, or the Catherine Wolter Wilderness Area as The Nature Conservancy calls it, encompasses 15 undeveloped lakes in northwestern Vilas County. A parking area is located on East Bay Road, southeast of Presque Isle. Numerous trails that are more like access roads, loop through the site.
As my mother and I pulled into the parking area, we were just in time to see a truck, full of hunters, empty out and head into the woods. With some trepidation, we decided to proceed with our hike, but with the caveat of sticking to the trail and not wandering around in the forest or other more interesting areas. The scenery was very beautiful with calm, undeveloped lakes surrounded by a forest in various stages of autumnal hues. Some trees had lost their leaves while others maintained them in a variety of orange, yellow, and red varieties. With being self-restricted in my ability to explore this site, I most definitely would like to return. I saw a handful of the lakes, but would like to see them all, as well as exploring the swamp and bog areas.
More of my photos (and full-res) from Border Lakes can be viewed here.
Additional Information
| SNA # | 411 |
| County | Vilas |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Lake, Pond, Bog, Cedar Swamp, Black Ash Swamp, Northern Wet Forest |
| Size (Acres) | 2292 |
| Parking | Parking Area (gravel) |
| Trails | Yes |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | The Nature Conservancy; More info: Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | Catherine Wolter Wilderness Area |
| Dates Visited | 10.9.10 |
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State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 