U.S. Forest Service · Hiawatha National Forest · Munising, MI

Cookson Lake Campsites

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.

Open nowReservable · Recreation.gov5 sitesNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in Michigan · pets allowed in Michigan

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Cookson Lake CampsitesCookson Lake CampsitesCookson Lake CampsitesCookson Lake Campsite
Photos courtesy of USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, USFS-Hiawatha National Forest · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups5
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

5 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
01Lakefront8 / 2Yes
02Lakefront16 / 2Yes
0316 / 2Yes
0416 / 2Yes
0516 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The campground offers five primitive campsites for tent and RV camping. Each offers tables and campfire rings. There is a primitive toilet present at these sites. Lake Name: Cookson Lake Number of Sites: 5 Maximum Number of People: Site 1 (8), Sites 2-5 (16) Toilets: 1 Boat Access: Back-In Lake Size (acres): 35

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonMay 15 to Columbus Day
ForestHiawatha National Forest
BookingReserve Cookson Lake sites or view and interactive map at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233211
FeesCamping fee is $8 per night per site. Federal Recreation Passes (Golden/America the Beautiful) are accepted.

Hiawatha National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cookson Lake Campsites10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 3.54 inches of precipitation, 46.0 inches of snowFebruary: 2.38 inches of precipitation, 32.4 inches of snowMarch: 2.01 inches of precipitation, 17.9 inches of snowApril: 2.94 inches of precipitation, 9.6 inches of snowMay: 3.08 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.23 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.15 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.93 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowNovember: 3.47 inches of precipitation, 14.9 inches of snowDecember: 3.44 inches of precipitation, 39.1 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 17.4°F averageFebruary: 18.4°F averageMarch: 26.2°F averageApril: 36.6°F averageMay: 48.9°F averageJune: 58.3°F averageJuly: 64.1°F averageAugust: 63.4°F averageSeptember: 56.7°F averageOctober: 44.6°F averageNovember: 33.3°F averageDecember: 23.5°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 in50 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Munising, 16 miles from the campground at 680 feet, station USC00205690 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 40 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 161 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Munising, Michigan: Drive east on M-28 towards Wetmore. Turn right (south) on Forest Highway 13 at Wetmore and drive 11.9 miles to FR 2258. Turn left (southeast) and drive about 2.5 miles to FR 2257 (just before the bridge over the Indian River). Turn left (northeast) on FR 2257 and drive 1.8 miles across the access road.

Nearest townMunising, Michigan
Coordinates46.1956° N, 86.5615° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • A pit toilet is located near one of the sites, but toilet paper is not provided.
  • Drinking water is NOT present at these sites.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗18.3 mi
RV sales & serviceHilltop RV Superstore ↗37.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Video of Cookson Lake Campground, MI from Nancy O.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.8 mi
    Pine Marten Run ↗
    25.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.1 mi
    Bil - Neds Lake Portage
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.3 mi
    Bil - Vance Hiking
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.9 mi
    Bil - Mid/Coattail Portage
    0.09 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.9 mi
    Bil - Coattail/McInnisportage
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.9 mi
    Big Island Lake Portal
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Hiawatha National Forest.

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.

Natural features

Cookson Lake Campsite offers a primitive place to stay in the thick of Michigan's wilderness. Beautiful forests surround several lakes in the area, providing ample opportunity to enjoy nature in all its forms. These campsites is located in a large open field on the shores of Cookson Lake. All of the campsites are surrounded by a mixed stand of aspens and northern hardwoods on the south shore of the lake. This 35 - acre lake boasts two small islands, and a variety of wildflowers abound in the area during warmer months.

Recreation

Visitors enjoy swimming and fishing in the 35-acre adjacent lake. Largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and bullhead are among the typical catch. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters. Fish cribs were placed around the Island in 2023. A public boat ramp is located adjacent to site 2, which can be used to access Cookson Lake's fishery of largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and bullhead.

Nearby

Cookson Lake is near the Indian Wild and Scenic River and the Big Island Lake Wilderness Area. Groceries, ice, gasoline, fishing and camping supplies, ice and deli are available 5 miles east on County Road 437 in the Steuben Area.

Guidebooks for Hiawatha National Forest and Michigan

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Field Guide Hiawatha National Forest Ecological Classification System
    Greg Kudray, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Tent Camping: Michigan
    Matt Forster, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Michigan
    Kevin Revolinski, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cookson Lake Campsites?

Sites at Cookson Lake Campsites are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reserve Cookson Lake sites or view and interactive map at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233211 Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Cookson Lake Campsites?

Camping fee is $8 per night per site. Federal Recreation Passes (Golden/America the Beautiful) are accepted.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Cookson Lake Campsites?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Cookson Lake Campsites open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May 15 to Columbus Day.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Cookson Lake Campsites have?

5 sites, including 5 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Cookson Lake Campsites?

Cookson Lake Campsites is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Cookson Lake Campsites?

Yes, pets are allowed at Cookson Lake Campsites. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Cookson Lake Campsites?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Cookson Lake Campsites?

Visitors enjoy swimming and fishing in the 35-acre adjacent lake. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Cookson Lake Campsites?

Munising, Michigan. Cookson Lake is near the Indian Wild and Scenic River and the Big Island Lake Wilderness Area.

Source: Getting there

What if Cookson Lake Campsites is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Ironjaw Lake Campsite (1.8 mi), Lake Nineteen Campsite (1.8 mi), and Ewing Point Campsite (2 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby