Lake Michigan At St. Ignace
Lake Michigan Campground at St. Ignace provides great views and unlimited access to Lake Michigan. The area has excellent trails, winding hikers through ancient sand dunes, windswept foundations and a variety of vegetation.
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.
More like this: first-come in Michigan · reservable in Michigan · big rigs in Michigan · pets allowed in Michigan
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 33 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
33 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 002 | Back-in | 45 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 003 | Back-in | 45 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 004 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 005 | Back-in | 45 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 006 | Back-in | 45 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 007 | Back-in | 45 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 008 | Back-in | 45 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 009 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 010 | Back-in | 38 | Gravel | Full | 8 / 1 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 45 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Tent pads | Yes |
| Fees | Check in time is anytime after 2 p.m. Early arrivals will be charged for the previous day. |
The campground offers many shaded and open sites for tent and RV camping. Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided. Accessible vault toilets are available, as well as drinking water. Hookups are not provided. Parking spurs are comprised of grass and dirt. A trash collection bin is available at the campground and a dump station can be found at Brevort Lake.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Season | First come, first serve, May 17; Reservations open May 23 to September 14 |
| Forest | Hiawatha National Forest |
| Booking | You can use the National Recreation Reservation System (NRRS) to reserve some sites at Lake Michigan Campground. To check availability or to make a reservation go to: Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Site Fee $24 - Day Fee $6.00 - Federal Recreation Passes (Golden/America the Beautiful) are accepted. |
Weather by month
Getting there
W 3853 US-2 Moran Michigan 49760. From Mackinac Bridge, take Highway 2 approximately 18 miles west to the campground entrance.
| Nearest town | St. Ignace, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 45.9858° N, 84.9717° W · Directions ↗ |
Charges and cancellations
Please cancel 7 days in advance if you need to cancel your reservation. Reservation sites cannot be traded for walk up sites.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 12.5 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Adventure Up North ↗ | 14.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Petoskey RV USA ↗ | 40.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Lake Michigan Campground at St Ignace MI
Trails nearby
- 1.4 miRidge Trail0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.7 miBrevoort River Canoe ↗10.8 mi trail · paddle
- 3.6 miSand Dunes Ski ↗9.7 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
- 4.8 miBrevoort-Cedarville OHV ↗36.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
- 4.8 miCastle Rock Snomo ↗17.5 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
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
Mackinac Wilderness begins about 5.8 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 5.8 miMackinac Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 11,358 acres
- 10.8 miHorseshoe Bay Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 3,879 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
Historic landmarks nearby
Natural features
The campground stretches along a bluff between the highway and the lake. Dunes, waves, sand and wind are the primary environmental factors present. Visitors enjoy watching shorebirds, like the Spotted Sandpiper, which can often be seen running up and down the beaches throughout the day.
Recreation
The campsites are located between 20- to 30-foot high sand dunes and are just steps away from great body-surfing waves, that crash onto the lake's sandy beaches during commonly high winds. Lake Michigan does offer fishing, but anglers tend to prefer Brevort Lake better, for its catches of walleye, pike, bass, perch and crappie. Campers at Lake Michigan have access to the popular Sand Dunes Cross-Country Ski Trail, as well as the North Country National Scenic Trail, which connects a host of natural areas, from valleys to hilltops, prairies to forests and everything in between. Both trails offer miles of terrain, keeping hikers busy for as long as they choose.
Nearby
Brevort Lake is about five miles from the campground. St. Ignace is about 18 miles from the campground and is the closest town.
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 SystemGreg Kudray, 2019Find 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 Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
Check in time is anytime after 2 p.m. Early arrivals will be charged for the previous day.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Lake Michigan At St. Ignace open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season First come, first serve, May 17; Reservations open May 23 to September 14.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Lake Michigan At St. Ignace have?
33 sites, including 33 standard sites without power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are there showers or a dump station at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
A trash collection bin is available at the campground and a dump station can be found at Brevort Lake.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
Yes, pets are allowed at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
The campsites are located between 20- to 30-foot high sand dunes and are just steps away from great body-surfing waves, that crash onto the lake's sandy beaches during commonly high winds. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Lake Michigan At St. Ignace?
St. Ignace, Michigan. Brevort Lake is about five miles from the campground.
Source: Getting there
What if Lake Michigan At St. Ignace is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Brevoort Lake Campground (1.5 mi, partly first-come), Carp River Campground (12.6 mi, partly first-come), and Three Lakes (23 mi, partly first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby