NPS · Isle Royale National Park · Houghton, MI

South Lake Desor Campground

South Lake Desor Campground is located inland on the south side of Lake Desor off of the Greenstone Ridge Trail. There is no canoe/kayak/boat access. Stay Limit: 2 nights effective from June 1 – Labor Day. Access: Foot

First-come, first-served

More like this: first-come in Michigan

South Lake Desor CampgroundSouth Lake Desor CampgroundSunset at South Lake Desor Campground
Photos courtesy of NPS / Paul Brown, NPS / Katie Keller · Recreation.gov

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near South Lake Desor Campground10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.35 inches of precipitation, 12.2 inches of snowFebruary: 1.03 inches of precipitation, 8.0 inches of snowMarch: 1.33 inches of precipitation, 8.0 inches of snowApril: 2.79 inches of precipitation, 7.7 inches of snowMay: 3.11 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 3.58 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.42 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.04 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.13 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.40 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowNovember: 2.65 inches of precipitation, 6.7 inches of snowDecember: 1.74 inches of precipitation, 11.9 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 10.5°F averageFebruary: 13.1°F averageMarch: 23.7°F averageApril: 35.8°F averageMay: 47.4°F averageJune: 56.9°F averageJuly: 63.0°F averageAugust: 62.6°F averageSeptember: 54.4°F averageOctober: 42.4°F averageNovember: 29.6°F averageDecember: 17.5°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Grand Portage, 33 miles from the campground at 730 feet, station USC00213296 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 31 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 55 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

South Lake Desor Campground is located on the south side of Lake Desor off of the Greenstone Ridge Trail.

Nearest townHoughton, Michigan
Coordinates47.9707° N, 88.9715° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗28.2 mi
Outdoor gearMountain Warehouse ↗32.4 mi

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

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Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Isle Royale Wilderness.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Isle Royale National Park and 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 South Lake Desor Campground?

No. South Lake Desor Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: South Lake Desor Campground Official Website

What is the nearest town to South Lake Desor Campground?

Houghton, Michigan.

Source: Getting there

What if South Lake Desor Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are North Desor Campground (1.2 mi, first-come), Hay Bay Campground (2.9 mi, first-come), and Little Todd Campground (4 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby

Which national park is South Lake Desor Campground in?

South Lake Desor Campground is a Isle Royale National Park campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Isle Royale National Park