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Recreation Opportunities

A dirt road lined with trees and fallen leaves.
The Ottawa National Forest provides a wide variety of mountain biking opportunities ranging from well-maintained and signed loops to more challenging…
A hiking sign in fall. The trees are yellow and green. The ground is covered in red and orange leaves.
Hiking trails on the Ottawa National Forest offer something for everyone. More than 196 miles of hiking and backpacking trails vary widely in…
A woman and child, each on a horse, riding through a forest.
The Ottawa National Forest provides a wide variety of equestrian opportunities ranging from well maintained and signed roads and trails to the more…
Stream Fishing
The Ottawa National Forest offers outstanding opportunities for hunting and fishing. These activities are regulated by the Michigan Department of…
Image - OHV Image
The Ottawa National Forest has over 2,300 miles of Forest Service road and trail open to off-highway vehicles (OHVs).  Free Motor Vehicle Use Maps…
Two people rockhounding
Metal detecting, geocaching & letterboxing, rockhounding, gold panning, and more! The Ottawa National Forest allows a variety of other recreation…
Wildlife on the Ottawa
From East to West and North to South the Ottawa National Forest is Nature Viewing platform. If you are interested in scenery, plants and vegetation,…
Lake Ottawa Group Picnic
Many of our 22 developed campgrounds provide an area for a picnic. Most of these provide picnic table, grills, fire rings and other amenities such…
A curving dirt road overlooking the forest in fall.
The many miles of roads that cross through the Ottawa National Forest provides you with an opportunity to view the tremendous scenery that this area…
A lake in fall.
The Ottawa National Forest, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is home to over 2,000 miles of streams, including 300 miles of designated National…
VC Interpretive Trail - Winter
Whether snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing, the Ottawa has a place for you.