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THE LAND

Nestled atop a precipice overlooking Lake Superior and 2,000 acres of forests, inland lakes and streams, the site is truly magnificent. Its wide variety of habitat and careful integration of facilities with the surroundings enhance Wolf Ridge’s position as an international leader in environmental education.

 

Wolf Lake: During the spring and fall brigades of hearty voyageurs are observed, paddling their 36 foot birch bark canoes toward a regularly used campsite located on the portage from Raven Lake. Modern day canoeists, in their 17 foot Wenohah canoes, have learned to steer clear of the voyageurs, known for their lusty songs and behavior. Two canoe launch sites and a swimming beach are also located on Wolf Lake.

Winter’s snow and ice converts the surface of Wolf Lake into the shortest route between many locations used for learning. Paths to the winter shelters used for doing lake study and ski and snowshoe tracks crisscross the lake from December until April, creating a crazy quilt pattern that changes with time and the weather.

Peregrines and ravens have been known to compete for prime nesting sites on the sheer rock cliffs located on the west side of Wolf Lake.
Raven Lake: Raven Lake features both rocky cliffs and, on the northern shore, a large wetland area. During summer and fall Voyageur encounters are less likely on Raven Lake and groups of students are regularly encountered as they conduct a variety of wetland studies or practice their newly acquired canoeing skills.

During the winter, ski trails transect the northern edge of the bog as part of one of many ski trail systems located at Wolf Ridge. The Raven Lake trail features a spectacular overlook of Lake Superior.
Baptism River: Named by the French missionaries who regularly used the large pool located where the river enters Lake Superior for religious purposes, the Baptism is a young and robust river that cuts its way through the million year old rocks that underlie Wolf Ridge. Waterfalls and wildlife are common on the wild and undeveloped stretch of the river located on Wolf Ridge.

Approximately two miles of Baptism River frontage flows through the Wolf Ridge campus. The trail system located adjacent to the river is used for a variety of natural history activities year round. The trails are groomed for ski use in the winter and use the forest ecology building as the ski storage area and starting point. A large variety of forest and wildlife management study sites are located adjacent to the river and throughout the campus.
At Wolf Ridge, everything; instruction, facilities and natural surroundings, are intended to spark the understanding and then the resolve, to make the changes essential to the future of all life on earth.
Scenic Overlook: Wolf Ridge contains a number of natural and constructed scenic overlooks with views in all directions. This view from the north side of the ridge overlooks more than 100 square miles of uninterrupted forest lands. For many, children and adults, this view, plus the horizon to horizon vista of Lake Superior seen from the south side of Wolf Ridge are first time experiences that have lasting impact.
Trails: The Wolf Ridge campus is divided into four specific natural history areas traversed by 18 miles of trails. The four areas are the Superior Uplands, the Sawmill Creek Bottoms, Wolf and Raven Lakes and the Baptism River highlands. Each area contains a trail head and well-signed trail system. Each contains a number of destinations which are dedicated to specific environmental education activities.
Sawmill Creek: The stairway from the top of Wolf Ridge to the Sawmill Creek bottomlands begins on the ridge at 1380 feet of elevation and ends nearly 200 feet “down slope”. Containing more than 200 steps (many kids know the exact number,) it has been called the “stairway of death.”

Sawmill Creek meanders through more than 2 miles of alder and spruce bog. It is home to beaver and brook trout and is regularly visited by moose and other large mammals. Hundreds of feet of elevated board walk and a bridge have been constructed to enable a variety of aquatic and wildlife activities to be conducted along the creek.

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