South Manistique Lake State Forest Campground
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2020

Rustic camping at its finest

I have been visiting this campground since the early 90s with my family. My Dad used to come here when he was young. It does not have all the modern “glamping” amenities - no water/electric hookups here! No showers or running water! Outhouses only! And that’s just how it should stay. Half of the campsites have direct private lake access for swimming or boating purposes. The other half cozy up against the deep woods. All campsites are decently private, with a fair amount of foliage and woods separating all of them, unlike some places where you pitch a tent ten feet from your neighbors. There is a boat launch and a fish cleaning table, and every site has a picnic table and a metal ringed fire pit. This is perfect for the true rustic tent camper. I spent five days here in early July 2020 with nothing but my motorcycle and a two person tent, and it was all bird songs and wildlife. The only downsides are that there’s only one location to dispose of trash, so you could have a decent hike to do so, and the fact that there’s no electric hookups means glampers tend to run generators which can be a little annoying. But this is a wonderful place and it holds many good memories for me!

  • Review photo of South Manistique Lake State Forest Campground by Joshua L., August 2, 2020
  • Review photo of South Manistique Lake State Forest Campground by Joshua L., August 2, 2020
  • Review photo of South Manistique Lake State Forest Campground by Joshua L., August 2, 2020
  • Review photo of South Manistique Lake State Forest Campground by Joshua L., August 2, 2020
  • Review photo of South Manistique Lake State Forest Campground by Joshua L., August 2, 2020