U.S. Forest Service · Hiawatha National Forest · Rapid River, MI

Lake Nineteen Campsite

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.gov1 sitePets okFires okTents only

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Lake NineteenLake Nineteen CampsiteLAKE NINETEEN CAMPSITELake Nineteen Campsite
Photos courtesy of USFS - Hiawatha National Forest · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Tent-only1
This site is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
001PartialLakefront8 / –YesBasic

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

EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

There is NO toilet or drinking water available at this site. Lake Name: Lake Nineteen Number of Sites: 1 Maximum Number of People Per Site: 8 Toilets: No Boat Access: Back-In, Located on the West side of the lake by IronJaw Site Lake Size (acres): 26

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonMay 15 to Columbus Day
ForestHiawatha National Forest
BookingReserve Lake Nineteen and view interactive map at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/273344
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 Lake Nineteen Campsite10°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, 18 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 the intersection of US-2 and Forest Highway 13 (about 14 miles east of Rapid River): drive north 18.7 miles on Highway 13 to County Road 440. Turn right (east) on CR 440 and drive 4.6 miles to FR 2733. Turn left (north) and drive 1.3 miles to the parking area.(Small area in-between Iron jaw campsite and hill for Boat launch on lake nineteen).

Nearest townRapid River, Michigan
Coordinates46.1717° N, 86.5442° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗20.2 mi
RV sales & serviceHilltop RV Superstore ↗37.3 mi

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

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.8 mi
    Pine Marten Run ↗
    25.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.8 mi
    440 Trailhead
    2 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.7 mi
    Bil - Vance Hiking
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.7 mi
    Camel Riders
    2.5 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.9 mi
    Bil - Haywire Byer Portage
    2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 3.1 mi
    Bil - Neds Lake Portage
    0.5 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

Like it's neighbor Ironjaw Lake to the west, Lake Nineteen is located in the heart of the Ironjaw Semi-Primitive Area, which is managed for both motorized and non-motorized uses. Our management efforts seek to provide for quiet, peacfeul recreation opportunities in a semi-primitive setting. The Lake Nineteen campsite is located on the eastern shore of Lake Nineteen.

Recreation

Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at these campsites. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters. Our management efforts seek to provide for quiet, peacfeul recreation opportunities in a semi-primitive setting. Lake Ninteen campsite can be accessed by boat, by foot or by horseback from the Pine Marten Run Trail. This site is located approximately 2.5 miles away form the Pine Marten Run Middle Trailhead. Unfortunately, the swimming area at this site is of poor condition. Lake Nineteen has been stocked with rainbow trout. The boat access to Lake Nineteen is steep, but the road is firm. There is no turn-around at the base of the hill; trailers must be backed down to the lake. Parking is restricted to a small area located at the top of the hill.

Nearby

There are a number of horse, bike, and hiking trails within minutes of several of the sites. In over a mile from these campsites, visitors can expect to find: bait shops, general and grocery stores, gas, a pay phone, trailheads, a fishing pier, biking, and kayak/canoe rentals. Groceries, gasoline, fishing and camping supplies, boat rentals, ice, MDNR, licenses, deli, and restaurants are available on Forest Highway 13, approximately six miles to the west and north.

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 Lake Nineteen Campsite?

Sites at Lake Nineteen Campsite are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reserve Lake Nineteen and view interactive map at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/273344 Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Lake Nineteen Campsite?

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 Lake Nineteen Campsite?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Lake Nineteen Campsite open right now?

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

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Lake Nineteen Campsite have?

1 site, including 1 tent-only site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Lake Nineteen Campsite?

Lake Nineteen Campsite is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Lake Nineteen Campsite?

Yes, pets are allowed at Lake Nineteen Campsite. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Lake Nineteen Campsite?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Lake Nineteen Campsite?

Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at these campsites. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Lake Nineteen Campsite?

Rapid River, Michigan. There are a number of horse, bike, and hiking trails within minutes of several of the sites.

Source: Getting there

What if Lake Nineteen Campsite is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Ironjaw Lake Campsite (0.2 mi), Swan Lake Campsites (1.5 mi), and Cookson Lake Campsites (1.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby