 Much of the wilderness consists of wetlands alongside the Carp River, a natural trout stream listed as a National Wild and Scenic River, and the unit's wilderness designation helps protect part of the river's drainage.The wilderness is also a template of natural succession that contrasts with most of the Hiawatha National Forest, which continues to be managed for harvestable pulpwood.The unit's terrain is dominated by postglacial moraines and sand dunes left behind by the Wisconsin glaciation and modified by the stormy climate that accompanied the glacial meltoff.