Big Lake State Forest Campground near Watton, MI, is surrounded by dense forest terrain and a large lake. The area experiences temperatures ranging from 20°F in winter to 80°F in summer. Nearby attractions include the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness and the Ottawa National Forest, offering opportunities for hiking and exploring nature.

Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html

Big Lake State Forest Campground

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Covington. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Covington camping trip.

Covington

The Best Camping Near Covington, Michigan

Way off the beaten path but the sites are HUGE! Quiet setting right on Big Lake. Probably my most beautiful site in the UP so far.  Vault toilets and no shower. Very clean. Boat launch. 

Beautiful and Quiet

The Michigan State Forest Campgrounds continue to delight us. For $15 a night you can experience camping like I did as a child – simple, unelectrified, and in beautiful outdoor locations. Lots of space in between most sites gives you a good deal of privacy.  In mid-October, we woke up to full on winter one morning, so be prepared for anything in the shoulder season.  Also, the entrance to this campground is not for low clearance vehicles...it is full of HUGE flooded potholes (small ponds really).  Not recommended for 2 wheel drive, low clearance vehicles.

  

Getting to Big Lake leads you through some marvelous pine meadows and wetlands with browsing deer and pheasants. The North Country Trail (long distance backpacking trail) winds through this part of the UP, and the Big Lake campground would make a perfect starting or ending place for a section hike. Within 10 miles back on the highway is a large gas station/convenience store and café where you could get a hot meal or stock up on a few essentials. 

  

Opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling or fishing abound in this area, so plan to bring your gear with you. There is a small craft launch right in the campground to access the lake, which as it turns out isn’t very big when you compare it to nearby Lake Superior. I imagine that this might be a popular deer hunting campground during rifle season. Bathrooms are simple pit-toilets, and water is accessible year-round with the hand operated well pump.

Winter comes early to the UP

This area is being logged so many trees are gone. This makes it less pleasant now but that will change over time. Once we saw this we left and looked for another spot. 

The campground is small but some space is between sites. Several are close together - perfect if you need a group type spot. Vault toilet and water hand pump are available. Go all the way to the boat launch and you can find a beach. Some campers found campsites here too. 

This is a bit of a drive from the main road so maybe reflect on the logging before heading over. Don’t get us wrong though, the area is still quite beautiful. 

Recent logging removed some of the charm

Long windy road into the the campground resulting in a peaceful area. The lake was nice and there was a small beach. Enjoyed listening to the sandhill cranes every morning.

Photos of Big Lake State Forest Campground

Real photos from real campers