Jon97Z

Background:
We usually go camping about once a year in the UP of Michigan. We usually stay in the Hiawatha National Forest just north of Manistique.
The dry areas in the Upper Peninsula have brought on a burn ban for all the counties up there. We have our campsite reserved for all of next week up there. With the burn ban in effect, we aren't allowed a campfire. (At least as of right now.) Anyone who's ever camped before knows there isn't much use in going without being able to have a campfire. We like to go primitive...no campground/RV crap.

So, I've been looking into the lower counties of Michigan that aren't under a ban. Is there any places up there that have the same seclusion/scenery as the UP offers that is NOT a campground? We like to fish, ride our quads, etc.

I'm still hoping the ban for the UP gets lifted in time, but I'm guessing it won't. I only have less than 5 days before we're scheduled to leave.
Any recommendations would be welcomed...

ws6transam

I was just at a park like what you describe. It's near LeRoy, just south of Cadillac by about 20 miles. It's called Sunrise Lake, and it borders on state forest land. The lake is nice and clear, lots of room for jetski, and only one mile down the road from the campground is a technical 23 mile ORV loop. You can ride your ATV on the shoulder to get to the ORV loop in that county, too.

Over Labor Day there were only seven of us campers in the 17 site campground. It felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.

http://www.michigan.org/travel/detail.asp?m=&p=B10335

jeepbeast

i used to always goto campsites around higgins lake, in oscoda county near mio. lake is super clean and they have a good atv trails sand dune in the area, bull gap. i haven't been there in a couple years so i dont know if the dune is still open. the two camp sites i went to were mack lack campground and for not so rustic, higgins lake family campground.

Dave89IROC

I was camping a month or 2 ago at Newago State Park, It got a little busy on the weekends, but the lake kicks ***

WhiteHawk

Newaygo is pretty awesome, I used to go there when I was a kid. Nowadays I camp up in Empire Michigan at the Empire City Campground. It is totally rustic, but they have showers and one flush toilet for your lady. Plus, you get the sandy Lake Michigan beach, with the national park beach rules - open alcohol permitted just not in glass, and fires allowed on the beach at night. It is right around the sleeping bear dunes area.

-Geoff

Jon97Z

To my knowledge the ban is still effect, so we've decided to try out the northeastern part of the lower peninsula. (Huron Forest region.) Hopefully we'll find some nice sites up there. We leave on Saturday morning.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll check these out...

Timberwolf

Pigeon River Country State Forest. Just northeast of ******* near the Atlanta area. 96000 acres. I go there every year and rustic camp. there is a campground there, but I have never been inside the gate. too many two tracks and remote areas to go. Campgrounds FTL!

Dave89IROC

try the National Forest Campground at Jewel Lake, it is rustic, but few people go there, i went there 3 years in a row, the lake is a little shallow, but a ok size