Chimney Loop Campground

Huron-Manistee National Forests — lakeside, fishing

Location: Mio, MI, MI

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (9 reviews)

Season: May through October

Chimney Loop Campground is located on the shores of Wagner Lake. Wagner Lake is a shallow sandy bottom lake that is entirely surrounded by National Forest. The lake has excellent bass and pan fish fishing.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/chimney-loop-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Chimney Loop Campground sits on the shores of Wagner Lake, a shallow sandy-bottom lake entirely surrounded by National Forest with excellent bass and pan fish fishing. The campground accommodates groups up to 30 people and offers water activities including swimming, canoeing, and kayaking.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Coyote, North American Porcupine, and Kirtland's Warbler present in area. Eastern Hognose Snake, Smooth Greensnake, and Common Watersnake also documented nearby.

Insider tips for Chimney Loop Campground: Book early - this is a federal campground with limited availability Bring non-motorized watercraft (canoes/kayaks) for Wagner Lake access Excellent bass and pan fish fishing available on-site

Skip Chimney Loop Campground if: You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites. You're visiting outside May-October seasonal window. You're planning a large group - only 1 tent site listed despite group capacity of 30 people.

Best time to visit Chimney Loop Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Wagner Lake (Mi) (Mio, MI), Island Lake (Mi) (Mio, MI), Mack Lake Orv Campground (Mio, MI), Ausable River Camping (OSCODA, MI).

Cell Phone Coverage at Chimney Loop Campground

Cell signal at Chimney Loop Campground (Mio, MI): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch›MI›Chimney Loop Campground
Chimney Loop Campground — photo 1
Huron-Manistee National Forests — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Chimney Loop Campground

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Mio, MI, MI★ 4.3 (9 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Chimney Loop Campground is located on the shores of Wagner Lake. Wagner Lake is a shallow sandy bottom lake that is entirely surrounded by National Forest. The lake has excellent bass and pan fish fishing.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV99 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites✕ You're visiting outside May-October seasonal window✕ You're planning a large group - only 1 tent site listed despite group capacity of 30 people

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early - this is a federal campground with limited availability

Bring non-motorized watercraft (canoes/kayaks) for Wagner Lake access

Excellent bass and pan fish fishing available on-site

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Coyote, North American Porcupine, and Kirtland's Warbler present in area. Eastern Hognose Snake, Smooth Greensnake, and Common Watersnake also documented nearby.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
989-826-3252· Huron-Manistee National Forests
Getting there →

From Grayling: Travel east on M-72 for 30 miles. Turn right and travel south on M-33 for 7 miles. Turn right and travel west on Wagner Lake Rd. for 1.5 miles. The site is located on the left.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Huron-Manistee National Forests fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Huron-Manistee National Forests before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Chimney Loop Campground cost per night?+
Chimney Loop Campground costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Chimney Loop Campground open?+
Chimney Loop Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Chimney Loop Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Chimney Loop Campground?+
Chimney Loop Campground can accommodate RVs up to 99 feet.
How do I make reservations at Chimney Loop Campground?+
Chimney Loop Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Chimney Loop Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Chimney Loop Campground is rated moderate. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Chimney Loop Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Chimney Loop Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Huron-Manistee National Forest WebsiteHuron Adventure Planner
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 4.3 (9)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Chimney Loop Campground cost per night?+
What season is Chimney Loop Campground open?+
Does Chimney Loop Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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