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Bear Lake Campsite
FSU.S. Forest Service — Rapid River · Michigan · Hiawatha National Forest
| Agency | FSU.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Hiawatha National Forest |
| Location | Rapid River · Michigan · Hiawatha National Forest · 46.07056, -86.49833 · Map |
| Sites | 1 public sites counted from the federal listing — 1 standard nonelectric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 0 of 1 sites Water hookups at 0 of 1 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 1 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 1 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Longest reported site fits 24 ft Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 0 sites · 30 ft: 0 sites · 35 ft: 0 sites · 40 ft: 0 sites |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Not reported — the federal listing carries no fee description for this campground. |
| Check-in / out | In 2:00 PM · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Pets | Allowed at 1 sites, as reported |
| Accessibility | N |
| Phone | 906-474-6442 OR 906-387-2512 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-02-25.
From the official listing
Overview The Munising and Rapid River/Manistique Ranger Districts of the Hiawatha National Forest offer a variety of camping experiences. Many are located on inland lakes in a rustic forest environment with no drinking water. The rustic environment offers a wonderfully serene and peaceful setting for your next camping experience.
Recreation Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at the designated campsites located on the Hiawatha National Forest. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters.
There is a carry - in boat launch at the day use area on the south end of the lake. This is intended to prevent the overfishing of this excellent brook trout fishery, which is maintained by annual stocking.
Swimming is marginal with a thin layer of sand covering a mucky bottom.
Facilities There is NO drinking water available at these sites.
There are NO toilets.
Lake Name: Bear Lake
Number of Sites: 1
Maximum Number of People per Sites: 8
Toilets: No
Boat Access: Carry in ONLY Boat Access to the South of the site. There is a Boat Launch on the East side of the lake down FR 2633.
Lake Size (acres): 21
Natural Features The Bear Lake campsite is situated on the gorgeous 21- acre Bear Lake, high upon a hill overlooking the lake. The site is surrounded by spectacular paper birch, aspen and oak tree species.
Nearby Attractions There are a number of horse, bike, and hiking trails within minutes of several of the sites. In over a mile from these campsites, visitors can expect to find: bait shops, general and grocery stores, gas, a pay phone, trailheads, a fishing pier, biking, and kayak/canoe rentals.
Groceries, gasoline, fishing and camping supplies, ice and deli are available five miles northeast on County Road 437 in the Thunder Lake Area.
Contact Info For local information, please call (906) 474-6442 or call (906) 387-2512 for general information.
Directions, from the listing
From Cooks (about 12 miles west of Manistique or 24 miles east of Rapid River on US-2): drive north 4.4 miles on County Road 442 to CR 437.
Turn left (north) on CR 437 and drive 8.7 miles to FR 2217. Turn left (northwest) on FR 2217 and drive 2.4 miles to FR 2696. Turn left (south) on 2696 and drive 0.5 mile to the campsite
Nearest federal campgrounds
1 mi straight-line · Rapid River MichiganFSU.S. Forest ServiceJackpine Lake Campsites
1 mi straight-line · Rapid River MichiganFSU.S. Forest ServiceLyman Lake Campsites
2 mi straight-line · Rapid River MichiganFSU.S. Forest ServiceGooseneck Lake Campsites
2 mi straight-line · Rapid River MichiganFSU.S. Forest ServiceCamp Seven Lake Campground
3 mi straight-line · Munising Michigan
Trip Card — Bear Lake Campsite
Rapid River · Michigan · Hiawatha National Forest
| Agency | FS · U.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Location | Rapid River · Michigan · Hiawatha National Forest |
| Fees | Not reported in the federal data |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | None reported |
| Max RV | Up to 24 ft |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 1 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/273341 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.