Au Sable River Primitive Camping

I launched from the Pine Acres Boat Launch and stayed at one of the primitive campsites on Cooke Dam Pond. The boat-in sites are great because they're super spaced out and private. Always an enjoyable time!

The drive in sites near the whirlpool are my favorite sites in the Lower Penninsula. Quiet and very private. They only have a fire ring, no picnic tables or bathrooms. Large, wide open sites overlooking the Ausable River. We can at site 101 every year and will continue to do so for a long time.

The absolute BEST campsite I have ever camped at in Michigan! The perfect morning and evening view of the river. Directly across from the best fishing spot and shoreline to soak up the summer sun. Kayaking only to get there was SUCH a fun experience! Highly recommend this gem of a spot.

The site we stayed at had an amazing view and was right on the water.

Beautiful spots, nicely spaced, right on the water. Ranger stopped in to say hey each day. I plan on going back before it gets too busy.

We absolutely love camping here weather it’s in a tent, hammock or RV we have always loved camping here.

Night sounds are so relaxing.

We typically do the sites closer to Mio sites 1-6

Plenty of trails and fishing.

No water No electric No sewer

I first camped here in college when some friends organized a group to go during our spring break. It was such a fun time. Our site was private and had great access to the pond/river below. The rangers stopped by just to say hi and were very cool.

Remembering this trip and camping area, my wife and I decided to take our toddler on his first rustic camping trip. It was a bit stressful as our site had a significant drop off to the river below. This meant we were constantly chasing our crazy kid to ensure he didn’t take a tumble down. There are sites with a much less significant drop off. Our goal is to get one of those next year. That being said, it was a lot of fun. There were steps at our site that made it easy for us to carry and put in our kayaks for day trips on the Cooke Dam Pond. Fishing was excellent. Sunsets and sunrises were great. Our site had lots of shade and space. I would definitely recommend this place. Book early to have your pick of sites or late to look for last minute cancellations.

This is a beautiful place to camp. I’ve only been to the boat-in only sites and I love it. You are surrounded by forest and dunes and the sites themselves provide ample space for a group of 5 or more. The islands (site 41c specifically) are the best spots - there’s very little reason to worry about critters when you’re on an island. The one thing I don’t like are the powered boats. In the “lower AuSable” areas like Cooke Dam Pond, you will see and hear pontoon boats, speed boats and the occasional jet ski, which kind of takes away from the dispersed camping/backcountry feel. Still a wonderful place to get away from it all.

So much fun floating down the river! This camp spot had a rope swing attached, so look out for this spot by mio!

We visited this campsite for a long weekend in October, looking for that autumn experience. Our site was right on the lake, and had a great view of the river and the trees changing. Our site was very large, especially for tent camping, and that seemed to be the trend. Others were camping with campers and tents, but there was pretty of room to spread out in the late fall.

This place was set up unlike any other I have been to yet. Our campsite was right along the AuSable River and we kayaked in. There are just over 100 sites on a 50 mile stretch of the river so things are secluded and peaceful. The sites are divided up across several "ponds." Our site was situated with a fairly steep slope to the river which was challenging but not impossible. We went kayaking for a full day and loved it! There is no potable water so bring a filter, no toilets so bring a shovel, and it is pack-in pack-out. There was a campfire ring at the site. The fishing here was ok. More of an excuse to be on the water than anything. There are fly fishing opportunities here but I was not equipped for it.