East Lake Campsites

Hiawatha National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Rapid River, MI, MI

Price: From $8 per night

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (25 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, Fishing, Boat Launch

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

East Lake Campsites offers rustic forest camping on inland lakes with activities including fishing, swimming, and boating. Google reviews average 4.2/5 stars with campers praising the affordable price, clean bathrooms, and family-friendly experience.

Wildlife alert: Common Loon, Ruffed Grouse, White-tailed Deer, Snowshoe Hare, Common Snapping Turtle, and Painted Turtle documented in the area.

Insider tips for East Lake Campsites: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 3 sites and high demand. Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available. From Manistique, take M-94 north 22.5 miles to CR 437, then turn right at the large parking lot.

Skip East Lake Campsites if: You need RV hookups—none are available at this campground.. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations limit access to May-October.. You require a large amount of space—only 3 sites available total..

Best time to visit East Lake Campsites: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: Steuben Lake Campsites (Rapid River, MI), Bass Lake Campsite (Rapid River, MI), Little Bass Lake Campsites (Rapid River, MI), Crooked Lake Campsite (Rapid River, MI).

Cell Phone Coverage at East Lake Campsites

Cell signal at East Lake Campsites (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›East Lake Campsites
East Lake Campsites — photo 1
East Lake Campsites — photo 2
East Lake Campsites — photo 3
See all photos
Hiawatha National Forest — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

East Lake Campsites

Share:
Rapid River, MI, MI★ 3.8 (25 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.There are a number of horse, bike and hiking trails within minutes of several of the sites.

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 RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
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 are available at this campground.✕ You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations limit access to May-October.✕ You require a large amount of space—only 3 sites available total.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 3 sites and high demand.

Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available.

From Manistique, take M-94 north 22.5 miles to CR 437, then turn right at the large parking lot.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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: Common Loon, Ruffed Grouse, White-tailed Deer, Snowshoe Hare, Common Snapping Turtle, and Painted 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 on M-94 22.5 miles to the intersection with CR 437. Turn right at the big parking lot opposite CR 437. To get to site 1: take the immediate right on FR 2723, drive 0.7 mi to FR 2650. Turn left (east) on FR 2650 and drive 0.2 mi to site 1. To get to sites 2 and 3: proceed directly through the parking lot on FR 2247 and drive about 1 mile to FR 2247A. Turn right (south) on 2247A and drive less than a mile to the campsites.

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 East Lake Campsites cost per night?+
East Lake Campsites costs $8 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is East Lake Campsites open?+
East Lake Campsites is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does East Lake Campsites have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at East Lake Campsites?+
East Lake Campsites can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at East Lake Campsites?+
East Lake Campsites 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 East Lake Campsites?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at East Lake Campsites is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is East Lake Campsites open, and what are check-in times?+
East Lake Campsites 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★ 3.8 (25)
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 East Lake Campsites cost per night?+
What season is East Lake Campsites open?+
Does East Lake Campsites have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Steuben Lake Campsites

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

Bass Lake Campsite

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

Little Bass Lake Campsites

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

Crooked Lake Campsite

Rapid River, MI

From $8/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$8 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability