Colwell Lake - Beach Area
Colwell Lake Campground Trail
Colwell Lake Campground - Bench
Colwell Lake Campground Sign
Colwell Lake Trail

About Colwell Lake Campground

Colwell Lake Campground is situated on Colwell Lake in the center of Michigan's Hiawatha National Forest. Guests of all ages can enjoy nature and the outdoors in this picturesque setting. The campground has much to offer in terms of recreation, such as swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking, and can accommodate families, individuals, small groups, RV and tent campers with several amenities.

Available sites

20 total sites

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Boating

Boating

Spring Summer Fall
Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Swimming

Swimming

Summer

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed

Campground Amenities

RV Utilities and Hookups

RV Utilities and Hookups

  • Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

20 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 002, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Pull-through
🚐 004, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 006, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 008, Loop: COLW RV
Gravel · Pull-through
🚐 009, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 010, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 012, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 013, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 014, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 015, Loop: COLW RV
Gravel · Pull-through
🚐 016, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 018, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 020, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 023, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Pull-through
🚐 024, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 025, Loop: COLW RV
Gravel · Pull-through
🚐 026, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 030, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 031, Loop: COLW RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 GP, Loop: GRP RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel

Reviews (272)

What Guests Are Saying

Colwell Lake Campground offers a beautiful and serene camping experience with spacious, well-maintained sites nestled among mature trees. Guests appreciate the cleanliness of the facilities, friendly and accommodating hosts, and easy access to recreational activities like hiking, fishing, and paddling. However, some reviews highlight concerns about the rough entrance road and occasional noise from nearby generators and traffic.

Review Summary

4.6
272 reviews
5
75.7%
206
4
16.5%
45
3
3.7%
10
2
4.0%
11
1
0.0%
0

Robert M

Verified

November 23, 2022 • Stayed at: 023, Loop: COLW

3

Lots of generators and quiet hours were not enforced

Robert M

Verified

November 23, 2022 • Stayed at: 023, Loop: COLW

3

Lots of generators and quiet hours were not enforced

Dave N

Verified

June 1, 2023 • Stayed at: 018, Loop: COLW

4

Colwell Lake Campground is a very well kept campground. The new hosts are very nice and helpful. The lake is still high so there wasn't much beach by sites, but it's still cold for swimming anyway.

Dave N

Verified

June 1, 2023 • Stayed at: 018, Loop: COLW

4

Colwell Lake Campground is a very well kept campground. The new hosts are very nice and helpful. The lake is still high so there wasn't much beach by sites, but it's still cold for swimming anyway.

Tonia L

Verified

June 5, 2023 • Stayed at: 026, Loop: COLW

5

We love this campground. The trail around the lake is awesome. The hosts have always been welcoming and help in whatever we need.

Tonia L

Verified

June 5, 2023 • Stayed at: 026, Loop: COLW

5

We love this campground. The trail around the lake is awesome. The hosts have always been welcoming and help in whatever we need.

Linda K

Verified

June 20, 2023 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: COLW

2

We usually love this campground, but unfortunately the mosquitos were the absolute worst we have ever seen (& we've dealt w/ U.P. mosquitoes our whole lives). They were so bad we left after just one nt. of a planned 8 nt. stay. Normally a beautiful place- really nice walking trail around the lake, large campsites, very clean outhouses.
Jerry & Carol were the hosts, & they were keeping the campground so clean!

Linda K

Verified

June 20, 2023 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: COLW

2

We usually love this campground, but unfortunately the mosquitos were the absolute worst we have ever seen (& we've dealt w/ U.P. mosquitoes our whole lives). They were so bad we left after just one nt. of a planned 8 nt. stay. Normally a beautiful place- really nice walking trail around the lake, large campsites, very clean outhouses.
Jerry & Carol were the hosts, & they were keeping the campground so clean!

Dale S

Verified

June 26, 2023 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: COLW

5

The campground was excellent and the campground hosts were awesome, very helpful, and nice to talk to. Would definitely go again!

Dale S

Verified

June 26, 2023 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: COLW

5

The campground was excellent and the campground hosts were awesome, very helpful, and nice to talk to. Would definitely go again!

Location & Directions for Colwell Lake Campground

P.O. Box 171, Munising, MI 49862 United States

Elevation: 230 ft

Getting There

From Manistique, Michigan, drive north 25 mi on State Route 94 to Forest Road 2246. Turn right (east) and drive 0.5 mi to the campground road.

Nearest town

Munising, MI - 21 mi

About 23 min to downtown

Highway access

Colwell Lake Campground is accessible via State Route 94, which is approximately 25 miles south from Manistique.

Policies & Rules

Arrival & departure

  • Reserved sites must be occupied by checkout time (NOON) the day after arrival, or they will be forfeited.

Cancellation policy

  • Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
  • Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
  • Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
    • Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
    • Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
    • One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
  • Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
  • Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
  • Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.

Safety & rules

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult at the swim beach as there are no lifeguards present.

Pets

  • Each site is allowed a maximum of two pets.

Site types & loops

  • Guests are not allowed to switch sites upon arrival.

Vehicles & parking

  • One RV with a tow vehicle or one vehicle per tent site is allowed. Most sites can accommodate one extra vehicle for a nightly fee.

Cancellation policy

  • Reservations cannot be modified once the start date has begun.
  • Refund requests incur a $10 processing fee, and the non-refundable reservation fee will not be returned.

Fires & fuel

  • Firewood from outside the area is not permitted to prevent the spread of pests.

Local regulations

  • For more information about Hiawatha National Forest, refer to the provided link.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 23, 2026

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Population: 1,975

Elevation: 620 ft

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