Sackville River Wilderness Area protects over 800 hectares of near-urban forest, wetlands and open water just north of Middle Sackville. It consists of two larger tracts and several smaller parcels.

Most of the wilderness area supports a mix of mature softwood and mixedwood forest. Hardwood forest covers several well drained hills known as drumlins. These drumlins are a defining feature of the Sackville Drumlins natural landscape, which is poorly represented in Nova Scotia’s protected areas network.

About half the wilderness area drains into Sackville River, which has been the focus of longstanding community efforts to restore fish habitat and Atlantic salmon.

The wilderness area borders over one kilometer of frontage on Sackville River near where it is flows under Highway 101. This area overlaps with a portion of the Pockwock Protected Water Area; Halifax Water’s management of these lands will be recognized by amending a licence held by Halifax Water. The western side of the wilderness area is bordered by a power line.

Sackville River Wilderness Area is popular for hiking, hunting, fishing, paddling, camping and other activities. Residential streets, forest access roads, and ATV trails surround much of the perimeter of the area, providing easy access by vehicle. Hawkin Hall Lake is a popular destination. At Lewis Lake, the boundary extends to a Crown parcel that is leased to the Lewis Lake Girl Guide camp and which is not part of the wilderness area.

There are currently no managed hiking trails in the area.

A lease held by Driftclimbers Snowmobile Club, off Chesapeake South Branch Road, is included within the wilderness area. Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change intends to honour this lease, including access to the site.

Connecting off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails near Brushy Hill and south of Hawkin Hall Lake (Chesapeake South-Rosley Main) can be authorized by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change by adding them to trail management agreements with All-terrain Vehicle Association of Nova Scotia (ATVANS) or other OHV organizations.

Sackville River Wilderness Area was designated in 2022.