Bobcat Lake Camp
Located in Gogebic County just 3 miles southeast of Marenisco, Mi. on the Bessemer Ranger District in the southern half of the Ottawa National Forest. Bobcat Lake campground features one loop with 11 campsites. Campsites are bordered by vegetation providing privacy between sites. These drive in sites offer a tent pad, wood table, fire ring, lantern post and gravel parking spur. Two accessible vault toilets are located in the campground and water is provided by a centrally located hand pump in the loop. A sandy beach and day use area, complete with vault toilets, tables, grills and changing house is located 1/2 mile east of the campground.
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in Michigan
Site map
11 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | May 24 to September 3 |
| Forest | Ottawa National Forest |
| Fees | $13 a night for camping. |
| Rules | Fees shown are for the summer recreation period when full services are provided. During the early spring and late fall when no services are provided the fees at some areas are not charged. Camping in a developed recreation site is allowed for a period not longer than 14 days, except as otherwise posted. After this time, you must move to another campground or dispersed site for at least 24 hours. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Bessemer, Mi. travel east on US 2 approximately 19 miles, turn right onto Fair Avenue and travel approximately 1 mile to M 64, turn left onto M 64 and travel approximately ¼ mile to FR 8500, turn right onto FR 8500 and travel approximately 2 miles to the campground.
| Coordinates | 46.3592° N, 89.6729° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireBlack River
13 mi from the campground · 300 acres
- WildfireBlack River
13 mi from the campground · 382 acres · 60% contained
- WildfireCamp 4 Grade
20 mi from the campground · 16 acres
- WildfireBog
21 mi from the campground · 94 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 8.4 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Big Sno Outfitters ↗ | 19.7 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.2 miNfst-85160.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.5 miNfst-85290.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.5 miNfst-85330.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.6 miNfst-85090.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.6 miNfst-85100.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.6 miNfst-8510-B0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Ottawa National Forest.
- inOttawa National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,562,423 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Guidebooks for Michigan
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Bobcat Lake Camp?
No. Bobcat Lake Camp is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Bobcat Lake Camp?
$13 a night for camping.
Source: Forest Service
Is Bobcat Lake Camp open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May 24 to September 3.
Source: Forest Service status
What if Bobcat Lake Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Henry Lake Camp (5.9 mi, first-come), Pomeroy Lake Camp (7.1 mi, first-come), and Moosehead Lake Camp (8.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby