Bowman Bridge
Pere Marquette River, near Baldwin · Huron-Manistee National Forests
A Huron-Manistee National Forest loop on the Pere Marquette River, the canoe and trout-fishing river is the whole reason to come. About 17 standard sites plus a few walk-in and group sites, no hookups, vault toilets, drinking water, no showers. It is wooded, but a 2005 tornado thinned the canopy here, so expect less shade than the campgrounds around it. A North Country Trail connector runs off the loop.
From above. USDA NAIP, public domain.The vibe
Works for hammock, tent, RV, van / car. Measured dark skies, a real one for stargazing.
Hanging a hammock?
Hammocks are fine in Michigan state parks. There's no rule against them. The rule is about the tree: use wide, tree-friendly straps, no nails or wire, and don't tear the bark. The state sets no strap or tree-size requirement, so when in doubt, ask the park. We'll point you at sites that likely have trees worth hanging from, but we can't see the trunks, so eyeball it on arrival.
The facts
- 17 reservable sites.
- Has accessible sites.
- Reserved through recreation.gov, not us. We don't track openings here yet.
About 10 min west of Baldwin, in the northern Lower Peninsula.
Thicket is not the Forest Service and not affiliated with it. The facts come from the federal RIDB (public domain); the vibe read is our estimate from open data (OpenStreetMap, USGS elevation, NASA Black Marble nighttime light). Sites, fees, and access can change. Confirm and book at recreation.gov, and leave no trace.