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Established Camping

Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest

Campers are Saying

Leg Lake Campsites, near Rapid River, Michigan, is a straightforward camping area that offers a no-frills experience for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors. With a row of sites set in an open meadow surrounded by trees, it’s a decent choice for campers who appreciate a simple setup without the distractions of modern amenities.

The campground features fire pits and access to a nearby creek, making it a nice spot for evening campfires and some fishing. Visitors have enjoyed the sunshine throughout the day, which is perfect for solar setups and stargazing at night. As one camper noted, “It’s great for solar setups— all day sunshine.”

While privacy between sites is limited, the atmosphere is generally relaxed, with a camp host on-site selling firewood. The area is also known for its wild blackberries, which campers have enjoyed picking right behind their spots. If you’re looking for a place to unwind and connect with nature, Leg Lake Campsites offers a straightforward camping experience that’s worth considering.

General Overview

USDA Forest Service

Hiawatha National Forest

Overview

There are many campsites on the Munising and Rapid River/Manistique Ranger Districts of the Hiawatha National Forest. Many are located on inland lakes and are in a rustic forest environment with few to no amenities and no drinking water. The rustic environment offers a wonderfully serene and peaceful setting for your next camping experience. All of these sites are nestled in hardwood trees and pines. All of them are on small inland lakes, which offer a wide variety of fishing opportunities.

Recreation

Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at these dispersed campsites. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters. Leg Lake has good fishing for northern pike, largemouth bass, black crappies and bluegills. Some yellow perch and bullheads may be caught. There is an unimproved boat access located adjacent to site 2. It is intended for day use only. Only small boats and trailers are recommended at this access. There is a good swimming area at site 1, but because much of it is lower than the campsite, it cannot be seen from the site.

Facilities

Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at these dispersed campsites. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters. Leg Lake has good fishing for northern pike, largemouth bass, black crappies and bluegills. Some yellow perch and bullheads may be caught. There is an unimproved boat access located adjacent to site 2. It is intended for day use only. Only small boats and trailers are recommended at this access. There is a good swimming area at site 1, but because much of it is lower than the campsite, it cannot be seen from the site.

Natural Features

There are two campsites located on Leg Lake. These sites lie about 0.25 miles west of County Road 437 between Forest Roads 2697 and 2438. Each of these has specific features as detailed below: Site 1 is located on the west side of the lake. It is a very large semi-open area that would be suitable for group camping or family gatherings with trailers.__ Site 2 is a small, wooded area located on the east side of the lake. This site is suitable for one family.

contact_info

For local information, please call (906) 474-6442 or call (906) 387-2512 for general information.

Nearby Attractions

There is a number of horse, bike, and hiking trails within minutes of several of the sites. In over a mile from these campsites, visitors can expect to find: bait shops, general and grocery stores, gas, a pay phone, trailheads, a fishing pier, biking, and kayak/canoe rentals. Gasoline, groceries, fishing and camping supplies, ice and deli are available approximately two miles south on County Road 437 in the Thunder Lake area.

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Location

Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest is located in Michigan

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Cooks (about 12 miles west of Manistique or 24 miles east of Rapid River on US-2): drive north 4.4 miles on County Road 442 to CR 437.____ Turn left (north) on CR 437 and drive 13.3 miles to FR 2697.____ Turn left (west) and drive to site 2 or To get to site 1: turn left (west) off CR 437 at about 13.2 miles on FR 2438 and drive 0.7 mile to reach site 1.

Address

RAPID RIVER/MANISTIQUE RANGER DISTRICT 8181 US HWY 2
Rapid river, MI 49878

Coordinates

46.128889 N
86.4825 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Available
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • Reservable
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Pull-Through Sites

Reviews

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4 Reviews

Reviewed Sep. 4, 2021

No Privacy and Lots of Loose Dogs

Not our favorite campground but will do in a pinch, plus the price was very reasonable. 

Not too far off of 101, easy paved drive, just a little winding. $8 for camping, and the America the Beautiful and other Interagency passes are honored here and is half off with a pass. 

This is a campground of just a row of sites with a driveway down the middle. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon in early August and found a spot, but it was more busy than we expected it to be. Very open and zero privacy at each site. No clear boundary between sites. Fire pits and picnic tables throughout. Campground sits along a creek and is surrounded by trees which is nice. Lots of sun during the day here. Water spigots, dumpsters (no recycling) and pit toilets available. 

Bonus…wild blackberries! We picked a bunch right behind our spot. 

There is a camp host on site that had firewood for sale and were a bit surprised to see people actually lighting up big campfires when restrictions exist. Recommend the creek side as another road runs along the campground which was quite busy. 

Access to creek is entering from outside the campground or though someone else’s spot. 

Very weak/ non existent cell service. But weboost helped a lot. 

BE AWARE: Loose dogs……literally all over! We only stayed one night because of this alone. Everyone had multiple dogs and at one point there was a wild dog ruckus near the water that went on for a while!

Month of VisitSeptember
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  • Review photo of Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest by Laura M., September 4, 2021
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Reviewed Aug. 29, 2021

Meadow BLM

$8 a night or $4 w interagency pass. On-site host who sells firewood. Vault toilets, clean but strong smell if you have a site down-wind. But GREAT for solar set ups- all day sunshine. Good for stargazing too. But no privacy between sites, basically just a big meadow. A bit of a party camp but quiets down at night. Close to day use area w access to the river. Solo female traveler approved for chill vibes.

Site27
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2021

Escape from the reservation system!

Basically, this campground is an open field surrounded by trees. There are no electric hook ups, so be ready for some generators running. However it’s a short walk to the 60s river, and the pace was pretty quiet. We nabbed a site mid week, at the height of the season in July, and they were still a couple of sites left.

Month of VisitAugust

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the max vehicle length at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest?

    Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest allows vehicles up to 32 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest?

    There are 37 campsites at Leg Lake Campsites — Hiawatha National Forest and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts