Crooked Lake Campsite

Hiawatha National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Rapid River, MI, MI

Price: From $8 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (3 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.Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking and fishing at these campsites.

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

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

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

Rustic forest camping on an inland lake with excellent fishing opportunities and a well-maintained boat launch. Campers praise the peaceful, quiet setting and abundant bluegill fishing.

Wildlife alert: Gray Wolf, North American River Otter, Snowshoe Hare, Ruffed Grouse, and Common Snapping Turtle documented in the area.

Insider tips for Crooked Lake Campsite: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand. Bring your own water and supplies — many sites have no drinking water. Fish the dock or use the maintained boat launch for bluegill and other species; Michigan fishing license required. Some sites have inclines; scout your spot upon arrival. Silver Lake is a short drive away for additional recreation.

Skip Crooked Lake Campsite if: You need RV hookups — none available at this campground.. You require shower facilities — pit toilets only, no showers.. You want privacy — limited privacy between sites per camper reviews..

Best time to visit Crooked Lake Campsite: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Crooked Lake Campsite

Cell signal at Crooked 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.

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

Crooked Lake Campsite

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Rapid River, MI, MI★ 4.7 (3 reviews)From $8/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.Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking and fishing at these campsites.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites: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 RV24 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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 — none available at this campground.✕ You require shower facilities — pit toilets only, no showers.✕ You want privacy — limited privacy between sites per camper reviews.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand.

Bring your own water and supplies

many sites have no drinking water.

Fish the dock or use the maintained boat launch for bluegill and other species; Michigan fishing license required.

Some sites have inclines; scout your spot upon arrival.

Silver Lake is a short drive away for additional recreation.

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 · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Gray Wolf, North American River Otter, Snowshoe Hare, Ruffed Grouse, and Common Snapping Turtle documented in the area.

Location

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

From Manistique, MI: drive north 25 miles on M-94 to FR 2246 (Clear Lake Road). Turn right (east) and drive 0.15 mile to FR 2661. Turn right (southeast) and drive 0.25 mile south of Forest Road 2246 on the hard-pack, sandy road.

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 Crooked Lake Campsite cost per night?+
Crooked Lake Campsite costs $8 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Crooked Lake Campsite open?+
Crooked Lake Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Crooked Lake Campsite have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Crooked Lake Campsite?+
Crooked Lake Campsite can accommodate RVs up to 24 feet.
How do I make reservations at Crooked Lake Campsite?+
Crooked 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 Crooked Lake Campsite?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Crooked Lake Campsite is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Crooked Lake Campsite open, and what are check-in times?+
Crooked 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 Campsites 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.

$8 /night★ 4.7 (3)
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 Crooked Lake Campsite cost per night?+
What season is Crooked Lake Campsite open?+
Does Crooked Lake Campsite have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Colwell Lake Campground

Munising, MI

From $24/night

Steuben Lake Campsites

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

Clear Lake Campsite

Rapid River, MI

From $20/night

East Lake Campsites

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

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