I stood standing on the edge of the Silver Lake Basin, surveying the area. I was sure there would be a moose there. It was the perfect environment but unfortunately, the wrong time of day. Moose or no moose, the Silver Lake Basin is stunning.
Silver Lake Basin
We started on this adventure in search of Wildcat Canyon Falls, but fell in love with the Silver Lake Basin. The vast lake stretched out before us, abundant with wildlife. It was hard to believe that this place was buried deep within the Huron Mountains. A hidden gem.
In 2015, the DNR approved 14.3 acres of land acquisition from Plum Creek Land Company. This acquisition allowed public access to the basin, including fishing opportunities.
Wildcat Canyon Falls
Wildcat Canyon Falls is a 15 drop waterfall in a rocky outcropping just west of where Wildcat Canyon Creek enters the Silver Lake Basin.
To get there, we parked at the basin just north of the Dead River and followed the shoreline until we ran into a small campsite.
Bypassing the campsite, we continued north-west, bushwhacking over steep, rough terrain towards Wildcat Canyon Creek. Along the way, we came across some moose scat that was only a day or two old.
After a short but difficult hike, we finally reached the creek and the falls. It was completely dry. Not even a trickle. We were extremely disappointed.
Wildcat Canyon Falls did have the potential for being impressive, just not at this time of year. We were frustrated with the difficulty of the hike and the disappointment of the dried-up waterfall.
Not all was lost though. We did find a potential moose viewing area and were able to enjoy the views of the Silver Lake Basin.
Beautiful!