3.9327 reviewsPrice
$16 - $22/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
17 campsites
Season
May 15 – October 15 ...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$16 - $22/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
17 campsites
Season
May 15 – October 15 ...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
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Forest Rt. 1478, Ontonagon, MI 49953
Anglers chasing walleye and smallmouth bass, paddlers with a car-top boat, or anyone who wants a lakefront site and actual silence on a weeknight. The free concrete launch ramp and warm, shallow water make this easy for fishing or swimming without hauling gear far.
Holiday weekends draw noisy groups with no host to intervene and no quiet hours enforced. Summer bug pressure is genuinely brutal, multiple reviewers packed foggers, not just spray. No showers, no hookups, no cell service, and the gravel road gets rough after rain.
Reference information about Bob Lake Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Bob Lake Campground, located in Houghton County, is 18 miles southeast of Ontonagon, MI, in the Ontonagon Ranger District. This campground features a single loop with 17 campsites which are spaced with natural vegetation for screening. Many of the sites are situated near the lake. These drive-in sites can accommodate tents, trailers or motor homes. Each site offers a wooden picnic table, fire ring, lantern post and parking spur. The camping loop contains three vault toilets, one of which is accessible. Drinking water is provided by a hand pump which is located near the campground entrance. Adjacent to the campground are the Day Use Picnic area, a boat landing with a parking area, and the trailhead to the 1.2 mile long Beaver Lodge Interpretive Trail. Bob Lake is a shallow lake with depths averaging 3 to 10 feet with deepest at 17 feet. Walleye, small mouth bass, and perch are to be had for fishermen from shore or boat.</p>
The elevation is 1,280 ft. The campground is located at the edge of Bob Lake with some lakefront sites. The parking aprons of lakefront sites are shorter than other sites but are wider. An unmarked connector trail links the campground with the North Country Scenic Trail.
Open May 22 through September 27 - weather permitting.
The water spigot is a hand pump. Ottawa National Forest 349
Bob Lake is 133 acres.
The parking aprons are gravel and grass.
From Nisula, MI take State Rt. 38 west 5.5 miles to FH-16. Turn left onto FH-16 and go 6.3 miles to FH-1460 (Pori Rd.). Turn right onto FH-1460 and go 2.3 miles to campground sign. Turn left onto Forest Rt. 1470 and go 1.1 miles to Forest Rt. 1478. Turn left onto Rt. 1478 and go 0.7 miles to campground.
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Fall delivers the best conditions. Daytime temperatures range from 45–60°F, nights drop into the 20s–30s°F, and the hardwoods turn brilliant colors. Cooler weather knocks down the mosquito and blackfly populations, making hiking and paddling more comfortable. The campground stays open through October 31. Summer is warm and good for swimming, but bugs are aggressive. Multiple reviews mention bringing foggers or heavy-duty repellent. Winter transforms the area into frozen quiet for those willing to handle the cold.
Fall cited as best: 45–60°F days, brilliant hardwood colors, fewer bugs, excellent viewing conditions.
Bob Lake Campground provides rustic camping amenities suitable for tents, trailers, or motor homes. Each campsite includes a wooden picnic table, fire ring, lantern post, and parking spur. Drinking water is available through a hand pump located near the entrance. Vault toilets are provided with three available in the camping loop, one of which is accessible.
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