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

Jackpine 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.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Jackpine Lake CampsitesJackpine Lake CampsitesJackpine Lake CampsitesJACKPINE LAKE CAMPSITE
Photos courtesy of USFS-Hiawatha National Forest, USFS - Hiawatha National Forest · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups2
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

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 24 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteEntryFits, ftShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
001Pull-through24PartialLakefront16 / 4YesPrime
002Pull-through16PartialLakefront8 / 2YesPreferred

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
Max vehicle length24 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

There is NO drinking water available at these campsites. There are primitive toilets located at sites 1 and 2. Lake Name: Jackpine Lake Number of Sites: 2 Maximum Number of People Per Site: Site 1 (16), Site 2 (8) Toilets: Yes Boat Access: Back - in, On the way to site 1 Lake Size (acres): 63

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonMay 15 to Columbus Day
ForestHiawatha National Forest
BookingReserve Jack Pine Lake sites and view an interactive map at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/273347
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 Jackpine Lake Campsites10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.80 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.54 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.95 inches of precipitationApril: 3.06 inches of precipitationMay: 3.16 inches of precipitationJune: 3.44 inches of precipitationJuly: 3.53 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.16 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.72 inches of precipitationOctober: 3.51 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.01 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.26 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 16.8°F averageFebruary: 17.3°F averageMarch: 24.8°F averageApril: 37.9°F averageMay: 51.2°F averageJune: 61.2°F averageJuly: 66.0°F averageAugust: 63.1°F averageSeptember: 56.1°F averageOctober: 44.9°F averageNovember: 34.0°F averageDecember: 23.4°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Garden Corners, 13 miles from the campground at 587 feet, station USC00203078 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 34 inches a year.

Getting there

From Rapid River travel east approximately 14 miles to the Intersection of US-2 and Forest Highway 13. Turn left and travel north approximately 8.4 miles on Highway 13 to FR 442. Travel 11.4 miles to FH - 43(Thunder lake Rd). Turn left(North) for 1.3 miles. Turn left on FR 2217( West) and travel for 1.5 miles.

Nearest townRapid River, Michigan
Coordinates46.0803° N, 86.5231° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗26.4 mi
RV sales & serviceHilltop RV Superstore ↗33.9 mi

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

Explore

  • 2.2 mi
    Van Winkle Trail
    2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.5 mi
    Murphy Creek Trail ↗
    16.1 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 3.9 mi
    440 Trailhead
    2 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 4.5 mi
    Camel Riders
    2.5 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

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

  • There are two campsites located on the 63-acre Jackpine Lake.
  • Site 1 is located in an open area on top of a small hill overlooking the south side of Jackpine Lake. This site is 45ft. x 40ft. and there is a short, but steep, road that must be driven in order to reach the campsite. This site is suitable for two families with trailers.
  • Site 2 is small, wooded and located on the west side of Jackpine Lake. It is 30 ft. x 20 ft. and is suitable for one family. Trailers are NOT recommended because of the limited due to limited turn-around space.

Recreation

Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at these campsites. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters. Jackpine Lake is a great fishery for smallmouth bass and bluegills. There are some large yellow perch and bullheads present as well. There is an unimproved boat access located on the south side of the lake near site 1. This access is suitable for small, lightweight craft only. The access road leading to this boat access is firm sand with some gravel. This boat access is intended for day - use only. Parking space is limited. Swimming conditions are decent at both sites. Sandy and Shallow.

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. Gasoline, groceries, fishing and camping supplies, ice and deli are available in the Thunder Lake area on CR 437, approximately seven miles to the southeast.

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 Jackpine Lake Campsites?

Sites at Jackpine Lake Campsites are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reserve Jack Pine Lake sites and view an interactive map at https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/273347 Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

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

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Jackpine 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 Jackpine Lake Campsites have?

2 sites, including 2 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Jackpine Lake Campsites?

The longest site here provides 24 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 pets allowed at Jackpine Lake Campsites?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Jackpine Lake Campsites?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Jackpine Lake Campsites?

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 Jackpine Lake Campsites?

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 Jackpine Lake Campsites is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Carr Lake Campsite (0.8 mi), Lyman Lake Campsites (0.8 mi), and Bear Lake Campsite (1.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby