Mabel Lake Campground

Nice basic standard USFS campground in the Chippewa NF.

$14/night, self pay, no reservations, no host. There’s a vault toilet on site and a pump-handle water faucet. No trash service here, please pack out. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. 

Mosquitos were brutal here! 

Surprised to have ok (not great) verizon and ATT service here. 

A little ways from the campground is the day use picnic area and boat ramp. You can walk along the main road or take a little connecting trail to it, but just a heads up that the mosquitoes are lying in wait in this trail. We decided to go for it and try out the trail (instead of walking back out to the main road), quickly regretting it and almost running through the whole thing to come out the other side (entrance to trail is near campsite 21). 

Campsites were decent, not very private, and some were oddly shaped where you just pull onto the grass, with no clear driveway or parking area. But they were fine.

I love the NF campgrounds. My choice always.  But it depends on where they are.  This was a family outing campground close to a town. Multiple cars, trucks, and campers in spots. Only 4-5 sites by the lake and all the noise from there made me glad I was back in the woods. Like some campgrounds close to a town , its a few days where people have their own lakefront. Smoke also filled the air, but that is true of most state parks and forest campgrounds.  This is FCFS sites, so midweek is best and then move on before the weekend. Site on the lake are WAY to close. All dirt and eroded shoreline.  

On the other hand for $7 a night (with Golden Eagle Pass) and a boat you would be all set for a week of great fishing.

Great spot on Maple Lake! 22 sites only. Wide open sites with lots of space. No fires during our stay. That was nice. No smoke from other campers. Perfect place for star gazing. Host is very nice guy name Dave. Stopped by and introduced himself. Beware of a lot of yellow jackets!! Our site 13 gave us direct path to the lake.