← National forest campgrounds

Monocle Lake

Hiawatha NF, near the Soo · Hiawatha National Forest

Reserve on recreation.gov

Hiawatha National Forest campground on Monocle Lake, 42 wooded sites cut into the trees with real shade and room between you and the next pad. Vault toilets, drinking water, no hookups. Swimming beach and a boat ramp on the lake. Point Iroquois Lighthouse is under two miles off.

Aerial view of Monocle LakeFrom above. USDA NAIP, public domain.

The vibe

On a Great LakeDark skies (Bortle ~3)Real sceneryWooded

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

  • 42 reservable sites.
  • Has accessible sites.
  • Reserved through recreation.gov, not us. We don't track openings here yet.

About 25 minutes west of Sault Ste. Marie, near Brimley.

Reserve at recreation.gov →

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.