Island Lake (Mi)

Huron-Manistee National Forests — lakeside, fishing

Location: Mio, MI, MI

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Island Lake Campground is a popular campground and picnic area featuring a swimming beach marked with buoys on the 58-acre Island Lake. Located on the southern edge of the Mio Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forest, this site is a short drive North on M-33 from Rose City, MI. This site is gated in the off-season.

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

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

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

Island Lake Campground is a popular federal recreation area featuring a 58-acre lake with a swimming beach, offering excellent opportunities for fishing, boating, and water activities. Google reviewers consistently praise it as a quiet, clean, well-maintained campground with a nice sandy beach and good-sized sites.

Wildlife alert: Kirtland's Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, Scarlet Tanager, Trumpeter Swan, North American Porcupine, Coyote, White-tailed Deer, and Painted Turtle documented in the area

Insider tips for Island Lake (Mi): Book early — this is a popular federal campground with limited availability Bring a self-contained RV or prepare for vault toilets; there are no hookups The campground is gated in the off-season, so plan visits within May-October window

Skip Island Lake (Mi) if: You need RV hookups (electric, water, sewer) — none available at most sites. You require level paved pads — reviewers note uneven, unlevel surfaces. You need year-round access — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Island Lake (Mi): May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Wagner Lake (Mi) (Mio, MI), Chimney Loop Campground (Mio, MI), Mack Lake Orv Campground (Mio, MI), Meadows Orv Campground (Mio, MI).

Cell Phone Coverage at Island Lake (Mi)

Cell signal at Island Lake (Mi) (Mio, 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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Huron-Manistee National Forests — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Island Lake (Mi)

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Mio, MI, MI★ 4 (0 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Island Lake Campground is a popular campground and picnic area featuring a swimming beach marked with buoys on the 58-acre Island Lake. Located on the southern edge of the Mio Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forest, this site is a short drive North on M-33 from Rose City, MI. This site is gated in the off-season.

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 RV70 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
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 (electric, water, sewer) — none available at most sites✕ You require level paved pads — reviewers note uneven, unlevel surfaces✕ You need year-round access — seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited availability

Bring a self-contained RV or prepare for vault toilets; there are no hookups

The campground is gated in the off-season, so plan visits within May-October window

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: Kirtland's Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, Scarlet Tanager, Trumpeter Swan, North American Porcupine, Coyote, White-tailed Deer, and Painted Turtle documented in the area

Location

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

From West Branch: Travel east on M-55 for 5 miles. Turn left and travel north on M-33 for 16 miles. Turn left and travel west on Loon Lake Loop Rd. for 1 mile. 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 Island Lake (Mi) cost per night?+
Island Lake (Mi) costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Island Lake (Mi) open?+
Island Lake (Mi) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Island Lake (Mi) have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Island Lake (Mi)?+
Island Lake (Mi) can accommodate RVs up to 70 feet.
How do I make reservations at Island Lake (Mi)?+
Island Lake (Mi) 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 Island Lake (Mi)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Island Lake (Mi) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Island Lake (Mi) open, and what are check-in times?+
Island Lake (Mi) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Huron-Manistee National Forest: Island Lake Campground and Day Use AreaHuron Adventure Planner
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.

$15 /night★ 4 (0)
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 Island Lake (Mi) cost per night?+
What season is Island Lake (Mi) open?+
Does Island Lake (Mi) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Wagner Lake (Mi)

Mio, MI

From $15/night

Chimney Loop Campground

Mio, MI

From $30/night

Mack Lake Orv Campground

Mio, MI

From $15/night

Meadows Orv Campground

Mio, MI

From $10/night

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