Huron-Manistee National Forest
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 3,170 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 53
- Longest rig
- 99 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 53 campgrounds shown
- Au Sable AreaSeason not published
- Au Sable Loop Campground and Day Use AreaMay 1 – November 30
- Bear Island CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Bear Track CampgroundMay 7 – September 11
- Benton Lake CampgroundMay 6 – September 5
- Bowman Bridge Campground and River AccessMay 3 – October 10
- Bowman Lake AreaJanuary 1 – December 31
- Bowman Lake CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Brush Lake CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Bull Gap ORV Hill Climb and TrailheadMay 1 – October 31
- Buttercup CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Cathedral Pines CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Claybanks CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Condon Lakes WestMay 1 – October 31
- Diamond PointMay 1 – October 31
- Elk Canoe CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Gabions Campground and Day UseMay 1 – November 30
- Gleason's Landing Campground and River AccessMay 3 – October 10 · Reservations accepted
- Hemlock Campground and Boat LaunchMay 7 – September 5
- Highbank Lake CampgroundMay 13 – September 5
- Horseshoe Lake Campground and Boat LaunchMay 3 – November 30
- Indian Lake CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Island Lake CampgroundMay 1 – September 30
- Jewell Lake CampgroundMay 3 – October 31
- Kneff Lake Campgroundto 80 ft · 27 sitesMay 1 – September 30
- Lake Michigan Recreation AreaMay 15 – October 10 · Reservations accepted
- Luzerne Horse Trail Campground and TrailheadApril 1 – November 30
- Mack Lake ORV Campgroundto 90 ft · 42 sitesMay 1 – November 30
- Meadow Springs CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Meadows ORV Campgroundto 99 ft · 13 sites · Pull-throughMay 1 – November 30
- Meadows ORV ComplexMay 1 – October 31
- Minnie Pond CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Monument Campgroundto 50 ft · 19 sitesMay 3 – October 24
- Nichols Lake South Campgroundto 65 ft · 28 sitesMay 13 – September 5
- Old Grade CampgroundApril 29 – September 6
- Peterson Bridge South CampgroundApril 23 – October 10
- Pine Lake CampgroundMay 7 – September 12
- Pine River CampgroundApril 12 – November 30
- Pines PointMay 13 – October 10
- River Dune CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Rollways Campground and Day Use AreaMay 3 – September 30
- Round Lake Campground and Day Use AreaMay 3 – October 31
- Sand Lake Recreation Areato 40 ft · 44 sitesMay 14 – September 5
- Seaton Creek Campground19 sites · Pull-throughApril 29 – October 10
- Shelley Lake CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- South Branch Trail Campground and TrailheadMay 3 – September 30
- Sulak CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Timber Creek CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Twinwood Lake CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Wagner Lake CampgroundMay 1 – November 30
- Wakeley Lake AreaMay 1 – September 30
- Walkup Lake CampgroundMay 1 – October 31
- Whelan Lake AreaJanuary 1 – December 31
Huron-Manistee National Forest
The Huron–Manistee National Forests are two separate national forests, the Huron National Forest and the Manistee National Forest, combined in 1945 for administration purposes and which comprise 978,906 acres (3,960 km2) of public lands, including 5,786 acres (23 km2) of wetlands, extending across the northern lower peninsula of Michigan. The Huron–Manistee National Forests provide many benefits to the public, including clean air and water, recreational opportunities for visitors, habitat for fish and wildlife, and resources for local industry such as timber, minerals, and energy production. The Huron-Manistee National Forest is organized into four separate divisions. The Baldwin/White Cloud District is situated in the central region of the forest. The Manistee/Cadillac District lies in the northwest portion of the forest. The Huron and Tawas/Harrisville District is located on the eastern edge of the forest. The Milo District is positioned in the southern section of the Huron-Manistee National Forest. The headquarters for the forests is in Cadillac, Michigan.
Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness3,336 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
Drive to Huron-Manistee the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.