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Lake Ottawa Pavilion

FSU.S. Forest Service — Watersmeet · Michigan · Ottawa National Forest

AgencyFSU.S. Forest Service
AreaOttawa National Forest
LocationWatersmeet · Michigan · Ottawa National Forest · 46.07680, -88.76492 · Map
Sites1 public sites counted from the federal listing — 1 group shelter electric
Getting a siteReservable — 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.
HookupsElectric 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 lengthLongest reported site fits 17 ft
Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 0 sites · 30 ft: 0 sites · 35 ft: 0 sites · 40 ft: 0 sites
Months openNot in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov.
FeesRecreation Fee $100.00 per day  Reservation Fee $8.00 per reservation if made on-line $9.00 per reservation if made through the call center The reservation fee is non-refundable.
Check-in / outIn 6:00 AM · Out 10:00 PM (most common in the listing)
PetsAllowed at 1 sites, as reported
Accessible sites1 marked accessible in the listing
AccessibilityN
Amenities, as reportedBeach access
Phone906-358-4724

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 Planning a trip to the Lake Ottawa Pavilion? Watch for Alerts at the top of the page for any Alerts regarding this facility.  

The Lake Ottawa Pavilion, located within the Lake Ottawa Recreation Area, sits in a beautiful north woods setting; along the shore of Lake Ottawa. The Civilian Conservation Corps-era pavilion provides a large indoor gathering area complete with picnic tables, limited seating and a fireplace.

Recreation Lake Ottawa is a clear lake with a natural sandy bottom, providing excellent swimming opportunities. Just a short walk from the pavilion is the Lake Ottawa campground and trailhead for the Ge Che hiking trail. The Ge Che trail provides approximately nine miles of hiking opportunities; winding through the campground, day use area and surrounding northern hardwood forest. Spend the night in the Lake Ottawa campground. Choose from campsites located along the lakeshore or those nestled in a forest setting. The boat landing has ample parking and provides anglers with access to this fishery. Anglers enjoy fishing for trout, bass, walleye, and pan-fish. Facilities The Lake Ottawa pavilion offers an enclosed pavilion with a fireplace. Surrounding the pavilion is a very large picnic area complete with water bubblers, picnic tables and grills. The area also has a swimming beach and athletic field for family fun. Co-located within the pavilion are flush toilets and change rooms. Natural Features Lake Ottawa is almost completely surrounded by National Forest System land, providing a lovely view of the shoreline and forest.

Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (906) 661-8870. Nearby Attractions Lake Ottawa campground offers 32 campsites, paved access roads, pressurized water system, flush toilets, a trailer dump station, and a picnic shelter with two stone fireplaces and original log picnic tables which were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s. Each campsite has natural vegetation providing some privacy from neighboring sites.

Located in the general area is Lake Ottawa, Brule Lake, Hagerman Lake, Brule River, Bass Lake, and miles of hiking trails. Lake Ottawa is a deep cold water lake that provides fishermen with a good variety of game fish. There is a boat landing with ample parking to access Lake Ottawa.

The Ge Che hiking and ski trail and the Historic Mile Post Zero/Treaty Tree trail provide hiking opportunities through northern hardwood forests.

The almost one million acres of the Ottawa National Forest are located in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The forest extends from the south shore of Lake Superior to the Wisconsin border. The area is rich in wildlife viewing opportunities; breathtaking views of rolling hills dotted with lakes, rivers and waterfalls; and spectacular fall colors. Charges & Cancellations Cancellations

If you cancel reservation at least 14 days prior to check in date, all recreation fees, minus a $10 cancellation fee and the reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) will be refunded. If you cancel reservation less than 14 days prior to check in date, you forfeit the entire total paid. 

No Show

Staff will hold facility until check-in time on the arrival date.

For more information about rules and reservation policies, visit the Recreaiton.gov Rules and Reservations Policy page .

Directions, from the listing

From Iron River, Michigan:

Travel west on US Highway 2 to M 73. Turn left (south) on M 73 and travel approximately 3/4 mile to Lake Ottawa Road. Turn right (west) on Lake Ottawa Road and travel approximately 4 miles to the Lake Ottawa Recreation Area. Follow the signs to the day use area.

Nearest federal campgrounds

FSU.S. Forest ServiceLake Ottawa Campground
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FSU.S. Forest ServiceStevens Lake Campground
11 mi straight-line · Michigan
FSU.S. Forest ServiceMarion Lake Group Site
20 mi straight-line · Michigan
FSU.S. Forest ServicePerch Lake Campground
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FSU.S. Forest ServiceSylvania (Clark Lake) Campground
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Trip Card — Lake Ottawa Pavilion

Watersmeet · Michigan · Ottawa National Forest

AgencyFS · U.S. Forest Service
LocationWatersmeet · Michigan · Ottawa National Forest
FeesRecreation Fee $100.00 per day  Reservation Fee $8.00 per reservation if made on-line $9.00 per reservation if made through the call center The reservation fee is non-…
Getting a siteReservable
HookupsNone reported
Max RVUp to 17 ft
Months openNot in federal data
Sites1 sites

Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/273784 · 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.