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Dispersed Camping
Dispersed foot traffic and primitive tent camping within the Forests is allowed almost anywhere, unless otherwise posted closed and/or "No Camping".
Some things to keep in mind when planning where you will be camping are:
- There is no camping within 200 feet of any body of water, except at designated sites.
- There is no camping within 400 feet of the Lake Michigan shoreline in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area.
- Camping is only allowed at designated sites within the river corridors for the designated Wild and Scenic sections of the Pere Marquette, Pine, Manistee and Au Sable Rivers.
- Camping or leaving camping equipment (such as, but not limited to tents, camper trailers and/or tarps) is allowed in the same location for up to fourteen (14) days. After sixteen (16) days the camp and equipment MUST be moved off of Forest Service System lands.
- A permit is NOT required to camp on National Forest System lands outside of designated campgrounds.
- Motorized vehicles may only be operated on designated roads, trails or areas open to that use. To find what roads and trails are open to a particular use, visitors should obtain a Motor Vehicle Use Map.
