Ottawa 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
- 2,441 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 20
- Longest rig
- 88 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 · 20 campgrounds shown
- Black River Harbor Recreation Area40 sitesMay 24 – October 15 · First-come, first-served
- Bob Lake CampgroundMay 24 – October 31
- Bobcat Lake CampgroundMay 24 – September 3
- Burned Dam CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Courtney Lake CampgroundMay 24 – October 31
- Golden Lake CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Henry Lake CampgroundMay 24 – September 30
- Imp Lake CampgroundMay 17 – September 30
- Lake Ottawa Recreation Area32 sitesMay 16 – October 9 · First-come, first-served
- Lake Ste Kathryn CampgroundMay 24 – October 31
- Langford Lake Boat LaunchSeason not published
- Marion Lake CampgroundMay 17 – September 30
- Moosehead Lake CampgroundMay 24 – September 30
- Norway Lake CampgroundMay 24 – October 31
- Perch Lake Campground20 sites · Pull-throughMay 24 – October 31
- Robbins Pond CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Sparrow Rapids CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Sturgeon River CampgroundJanuary 1 – December 31
- Sylvania (Clark Lake) Campgroundto 88 ft · 48 sites · ElectricMay 17 – September 30 · First-come, first-served
- Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping50 sitesJanuary 1 – December 31 · First-come, first-served
Ottawa National Forest
The Ottawa National Forest is a national forest that covers 993,010 acres (401,860 ha) in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service.
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.
- Sylvania Wilderness18,440 acres
- McCormick Wilderness17,184 acres
- Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness16,725 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
National parks close enough to pair
Drive to Ottawa 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.