Lake Ottawa Campground
Lake Ottawa, near Iron River · Ottawa National Forest
Thirty-two drive-in sites in forested northwoods on Lake Ottawa, a deep cold-water lake in the Ottawa National Forest. Tents and RVs both fit. Flush toilets in old CCC-era log buildings, potable water, an RV dump station, no hookups and no showers. The swimming beach and boat launch sit in the day-use area next door. The Ge-Che Trail, about 9 miles of dirt, runs from the campground.
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
- 32 reservable sites.
- No accessible sites listed.
- Reserved through recreation.gov, not us. We don't track openings here yet.
About 5 miles southwest of Iron River, in the far western UP.
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.