Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Ottawa National Forest, MI is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Ottawa National Forest is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"The lakes are stocked with brook trout and the fishing is amazing. Picnic areas are located near the falls and hiking in the surrounding areas is limitless."
"In the morning, I walked the loop and found several others that we could fit(now that it was light out), and we moved over one site to W6."
"This was a beautiful small campground with only 6 campsites arranged around a loop and are spaced well. Access to the campground is off of a gravel road which is somewhat narrow."
"We were able to work and talk nice walks while we had free time.
A few bars with Verizon and we can log on. Big plus."
"Clean bathrooms, pet friendly. Awesome location on Lake Gogebic shore. Close to Porcupine Mountains and Bond Falls and hiking trails. Would love to visit again."
"This was a GREAT campground to stay at for checking out some of the numerous popular waterfalls in upper Michigan. Our grassy site was on the shore of the lake with lots of trees."
$22 - $26 / night
"The are 4 campground loops and many campsites out around the lakes. We chose a spot in loop 3.
Our site is large with plenty of space for our teardrop and screen room. Water is right next to us."
"Access to the lake was easy, and the fact that tete are so few camp sites on the lake really makes it feel secluded. There are 2 nice beaches on either end, and easy portage to other lakes."
"Beautiful, quiet, free campgrounds right next to the Ontonagon River and Mex-i-mine Falls (you can hear the rushing water)."
"We did look around and it’s a decent place.
A couple sites are large enough for a small camper and screen room. Others will only fit a tent. There is a vault toilet but no water or garbage."
"It felt remote but was a quick drive out of the woods to wintersweet with convenience of a gas station and casino. There was a fire pit, vault toilet, picnic table and lantern hook on the site."
"Love the big tree all around and the view from site 19"
$25 / night
"The RV dump station is right next to the flush bathroom building.
The campsites were nice and open. There was evidence of larger trees by our site but there were gone. "
"Pros: nice campground, right on the lake. Has a nice beach access (although keep in mind it may be closed in early summer due to swimmers itch)."
"This is a small simple campground with lovely lakeside tent sites among rather dense trees. If you walk east you’ll find a sandy beach to splash in."
"The forest roads gradually got smaller as we kept driving. Recent rain left muddy areas to be traversed. Trucks and equipment are working here too but on the weekend all was quiet."
"Numerous lakes nearby for fishing; a boat ramp into the Wisconsin River for canoes/kayaks is just across 45
I’ve been here April through October"
LegendThis campground is one of the best in/near the Ottawa National Forest. Sites are large and there are lots of trees creating privacy. We loved the hiking trails surrounding the area! This is a more rustic place to camp, but the feel of nature surrounding you is worth it.
GuideThis patch of wilderness within the Ottawa National Forest is unmatched. I didn’t think I was in the Midwest. Remote and not well traveled. I highly recommend heading over to nearby Silver Mountain.
TravelerThis campground is located just off the Sturgeon River in the Ottawa National Forest and is first come first serve with no reservations. From speaking with a local who frequents the campground, it is usually quiet with few sites actually in use at a time; it seems this year (2020) there have been more people out camping, though, so getting there earlier is better to ensure finding a site.
It is rustic -- there is no water pump, but there are pit toilets in the center of the site. If you don't bring enough water the river next to most sites can provide drinking water with the proper filtration. The national park website says there are 9 sites, but only 7 are actually available. My best guess is the MIA sites existed in the central part at one time.
Two sites can fit a camper, but they also happen to be the sites with the best view of the river. The remaining sites are tent-only due to a set of rocks blocking off the sites so vehicles do not drive in. From what I could tell with observations, 4 or 5 sites are either right on the river or have a short trail to get to the river.
The locations are sparse enough that the only thing really heard from other campers is the occasional shutting of a car door. The soft sound of the river drowns most noises out. Each site has a fire ring, most have a grate on the ring, a lantern hook, and a picnic table.
GuideThis was our first time camping in Michigan and we loved being so close to Lake Superior. We're used to MN state parks, so we found the campsites in MI to be a bit small and too close to each other. The fire ring for the site behind ours was very close to the bed area of our camper. Our spot was campsite #98. There's not a lot of shade or vegetation between campsites in that row, but it was easy walking distance to the modern restroom/showers and Lake Superior. Next time we would like to camp along the lake. The trail around Lake of the Clouds was well worth it!
RangerBlack River Harbor Campground is a rustic campground on the shores of western Lake Superior. It’s a 38 site campground, and accommodates everything from tents to RVs; however all sites are non electric and there are no pull thru sites or dumb stations, so keep that in mind. It’s part of the the National Forest, so going online and reserving it was super easy. The sites are large and give you plenty of privacy, and we even scored an awesome view of the lake. Unfortunately there’s no lake access, but we weren’t upset by that (Lake Superior is like 10 degrees anyway). The vault toilets were... well typical vault toilets. There were also water faucets around, which was really convenient for cooking and drinking water! Now for the down side: black flies. They. Are. EVERYWHERE. We went early-mid July and it was so bad we left with at least 20 bites each. Deet does nothing. In fact, we were told by a local that “no bug spray works, any spray that says it does is lying.” All you can do is either hide in your car and hope they don’t fly in or buy a solid anti-itch stick. Although we loved the campground setup and location, the black flies alone were enough to dock a star.
As far as things to do around the area, there’s PLENTY! At the harbor, there a place to put a boat in and a large picnic area that was actually kind of busy for such a hidden gem. I’ve read that there are fishing charters that’ll take you out on Lake Superior from there as well, but we didn’t look into them since we were only there 1 night. The main attractions are the 5 waterfalls, each with their own short trail and parking area. There are all along Black River Scenic Byway, so they are easy to find. The NCT also runs through the area, and if you’re looking for a longer hike, it connects all 5 falls. My personal favorite was Sandstone falls, we were able to walk out on the falls themselves. About 20 minutes away is the worlds largest freestanding ski jump, it’s called Pine Mountain Jump and it’s in Iron Mountain. Being in the heart of the Ottawa National Forest, there are plenty of trails and things to see, these are just some suggestions (:
Overall, it’s an awesome campground in an AMAZING area, but don’t forget your anti itch stick for all those flies!
TravelerWe come up every year for the meteor shower, and every stay is a great one. New shower rooms, and huge dog park are awesome!
GuidePet-friendly. Site can be reserved. Shore access & trail access to many waterfalls within a short walking distance.
LegendCampground Review:
A nice well maintained campground in the Ottawa National Forest. This campground is very close to the North Country Trail, Lake Superior, and to several beautiful waterfalls. A large loop, there are 38 sites to pick from of varying sizes. If you are lucky, you will score a site that is set back a bit from the road and has some good hammock trees. Try to get a site on the outside of the loop, closer to the lake. No sites are on the lake with beach access, but there are a few that have lake views. The vault toilets are older but well maintained, and there are water pumps scattered around the campground. There are no hookups for RV’s, but they are permitted in the campground. There are no pull through sites. Just up the road is the Harbor with a boat ramp and large picincing area with some historical buildings and signage. There is some construction going on here, so be aware there might be some parking lots and access points closed. Further inland is a series of four spectacular waterfalls that can be accessed either individually from pull outs and parking lots or along the North Country hiking trail. Be forewarned: there are LOTS of stairs to access the waterfalls. Not too far away is Copper Peak, the only ski flying facility in North America. In the summer you can ride up to the top to see pretty far. It’s not for the faint of heart, you really can’t mind heights if you are going up there. The Red Bull X Games used the ski launch for some crazy competition earlier this summer.
Product review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, from time to time I get to test products. On this camping trip I tested the Matador Camera Base Layer while hiking and photographing the waterfalls. I think some of the purpose of the Matador Camera Base Layer is to provide some insulation for sensitive cameras from extreme cold air, but I was hiking in July so this was not something I could really put to the test. However, I could test the padding and the water resistance of the 30D Cordura fabric and the integrated rainfly.
Here’s what I liked:
Here’s what could be improved:
Overall, I like the product and am glad I had it with me while out clambering around the ravines and waterfalls.
GuideBeautiful & clean. Great site overlooking Lake Superior. Need to walk over highway to get to water. Very orderly and great Park Manager. Family & pet friendly with awesome playground.
Discover the joy of camping with your furry friends near Ottawa National Forest in Michigan, where several campgrounds welcome pets and offer a range of amenities and activities for an enjoyable outdoor experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Ottawa National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Ottawa National Forest is Bond Falls Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 16 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Ottawa National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 114 dog-friendly camping locations near Ottawa National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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