Sand Lake Campground
Sand Lake, near Irons · Huron-Manistee National Forests
Forty-four sites on Sand Lake, a shallow inland lake of about fifty acres in the Manistee National Forest. Mixed hardwood forest, so some sites sit in heavy shade and others are more open. Sandy swimming beach, boat launch, and fishing for bluegill, perch, and smallmouth. Flush toilets, coin showers, and drinking water, but no hookups. The first loop (roughly sites 1 to 30) is more wooded and spread out. Sites above 30 sit closer together. Cell service is thin, Verizon especially.
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
- 44 reservable sites.
- Has accessible sites.
- Reserved through recreation.gov, not us. We don't track openings here yet.
In Lake County near Irons, about 30 min north of Baldwin and an hour southwest of Cadillac.
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.