Clear Lake Campsite

Hiawatha National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Rapid River, MI, MI

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (11 reviews)

Season: May through October

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

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Camp Host, Fishing, Boat Launch

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

Clear Lake Campsite offers a rustic forest environment on an inland lake with fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities. Campers praise the friendly staff, potluck community events, and amenities like firewood and ice available on-site.

Wildlife alert: Gray wolf and snowshoe hare present in area. Bird species include rose-breasted grosbeak, Canada warbler, and ruffed grouse. Reptiles: common snapping turtle and painted turtle.

Insider tips for Clear Lake Campsite: Book early—federal campground fills quickly during peak season Firewood and ice cream available for purchase on-site Community potluck events held at campground

Skip Clear Lake Campsite if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites; self-contained RVs only. You require year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only. You want to avoid check-in procedures—security check-ins required when leaving and returning to campground.

Best time to visit Clear Lake Campsite: May-October — Verified operating season per RIDB data.

Nearby campgrounds: Colwell Lake Campground (Munising, MI), Crooked Lake Campsite (Rapid River, MI), Steuben Lake Campsites (Rapid River, MI), East Lake Campsites (Rapid River, MI).

Cell Phone Coverage at Clear Lake Campsite

Cell signal at Clear Lake Campsite (Rapid River, MI): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

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.

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CamperWatch›MI›Clear Lake Campsite
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Hiawatha National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Clear Lake Campsite

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Rapid River, MI, MI★ 4.2 (11 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
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 RV20 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsCamp Host
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterBoat Launch

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; self-contained RVs only✕ You require year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only✕ You want to avoid check-in procedures—security check-ins required when leaving and returning to campground

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground fills quickly during peak season

Firewood and ice cream available for purchase on-site

Community potluck events held at campground

Best: May-October

Verified operating season per RIDB data

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 · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Gray wolf and snowshoe hare present in area. Bird species include rose-breasted grosbeak, Canada warbler, and ruffed grouse. Reptiles: common snapping turtle and painted turtle.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
906-474-6442 OR 906-387-2512· Hiawatha National Forest
Getting there →

From M-28 in Shingleton : Head South on M-94 for 11 miles to Clear Lake Road (Forest Road 2246). Turn left and follow for 3 miles to FR 2246J (on the left). From US HWY 2 in Manistique : Head North on M-94 for 24 miles to Clear Lake Road (Forest Road 2246). Turn left and follow for 3 miles to FR 2246J (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 — Hiawatha National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Hiawatha National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Clear Lake Campsite cost per night?+
Clear Lake Campsite costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Clear Lake Campsite open?+
Clear Lake Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Clear Lake Campsite have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Clear Lake Campsite?+
Clear Lake Campsite can accommodate RVs up to 20 feet.
How do I make reservations at Clear Lake Campsite?+
Clear Lake Campsite 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 Clear Lake Campsite?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Clear Lake Campsite is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Clear Lake Campsite open, and what are check-in times?+
Clear Lake Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Munising, RR-Manistique RD Campsite and Cabins
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$20 /night★ 4.2 (11)
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 Clear Lake Campsite cost per night?+
What season is Clear Lake Campsite open?+
Does Clear Lake Campsite have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Colwell Lake Campground

Munising, MI

From $24/night

Crooked Lake Campsite

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

Steuben Lake Campsites

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

East Lake Campsites

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

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