Perch Lake Campground

Ottawa National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Iron River, MI, MI

Price: From $22 per night

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

Perch Lake Campground is located 10 miles south of Sidnaw on the Kenton Ranger District. This one loop campground provides 20 drive-in campsites that can accommodate tents, trailers and motor homes. This location provides visitors with excellent fishing, and a unique camping experience, with many of the spacious sites having lake access.

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

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

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

Perch Lake Campground offers 20 spacious lakefront sites with excellent fishing, canoeing, and kayaking opportunities in a wooded setting. Google reviewers praise the beautiful lake views, clean facilities, and many sites with direct lake access.

Wildlife alert: Moose and Gray Wolf present in the area; also Common Loon, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Common Snapping Turtle documented nearby.

Insider tips for Perch Lake Campground: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with limited sites. Lakeside sites (like site 12) fill fastest; request lake access when booking. Cell service (Verizon) available at campground. Bring your own firewood or ask rangers about leftover supplies from previous campers.

Skip Perch Lake Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites.. You prefer flush toilets—only vault toilets are provided.. You're visiting outside May-October—seasonal closure..

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

Nearby campgrounds: Lake Ottawa Pavilion (Watersmeet, MI), Lake Ottawa Campground (Iron River, MI), Marion Lake Group Site (Watersmeet, MI), Lac Vieux Desert Campground (EAGLE RIVER, WI).

Cell Phone Coverage at Perch Lake Campground

Cell signal at Perch Lake Campground (Iron 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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Ottawa National Forest — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Perch Lake Campground

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Iron River, MI, MI★ 3.8 (4 reviews)From $22/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Perch Lake Campground is located 10 miles south of Sidnaw on the Kenton Ranger District. This one loop campground provides 20 drive-in campsites that can accommodate tents, trailers and motor homes. This location provides visitors with excellent fishing, and a unique camping experience, with many of the spacious sites having lake access.

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
HookupsNo hookups.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsBoat 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.✕ You prefer flush toilets—only vault toilets are provided.✕ You're visiting outside May-October—seasonal closure.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited sites.

Lakeside sites (like site 12) fill fastest; request lake access when booking.

Cell service (Verizon) available at campground.

Bring your own firewood or ask rangers about leftover supplies from previous campers.

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: Moose and Gray Wolf present in the area; also Common Loon, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Common Snapping Turtle documented nearby.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
906-852-3500· Ottawa National Forest
Getting there →

Perch Lake Campground is located in Iron County 10 miles southeast of the town of Sidnaw on the Kenton Ranger District in the eastern half of the Ottawa National Forest. From Sidnaw larger towns of Ironwood and Marquette are within 2-hour drives. From Sidnaw, travel south on Sidnaw Road approximately 10 miles to the campground. The road is paved for approximately 6 ½ miles and then turns to gravel. From Iron River, take County Road 657 north approximately 15 miles, turn slight right onto FR 2130

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 — Ottawa National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Ottawa National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Perch Lake Campground cost per night?+
Perch Lake Campground costs $22 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Perch Lake Campground open?+
Perch Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Perch Lake Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Perch Lake Campground?+
Perch Lake Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Perch Lake Campground?+
Perch Lake 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 Perch Lake Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Perch Lake Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Perch Lake Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Perch Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$22 /night★ 3.8 (4)
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 Perch Lake Campground cost per night?+
What season is Perch Lake Campground open?+
Does Perch Lake Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Lake Ottawa Pavilion

Watersmeet, MI

From $100/night

Lake Ottawa Campground

Iron River, MI

From $22/night

Marion Lake Group Site

Watersmeet, MI

From $100/night

Lac Vieux Desert Campground

EAGLE RIVER, WI

From $15/night

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