USDA Forest Service · Michigan

Black River Harbor Pavilion

USDA Forest Service · Michigan, United States

Open on the map Drive there Reserve Directions
Sites
1
Hookups
1 electric
Season
May 23 to September 15
Group sites
Yes
Elevation
594 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 1
Cell coverage
T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Lake
Ottawa National Forest
Nearest town
Ironwood
Address
E6248 US 2, Ironwood, MI, 49938
Phone
906-932-1330
Activities
Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking

1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

Overview

Planning a visit to the Black River Harbor Pavilion? Watch for Alerts at the top of the page for any Alerts regarding this facility. The Black River Harbor Pavilion is located within the Black Harbor Recreation Area on Lake Superior in Michigans Upper Peninsula. The historic stone and wood pavilion was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Recreation

Lake Superior offers great opportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming. The North Country National Scenic Trail, which traverses through the recreation area, offers access to all five waterfalls and a scenic 12 mile hike to the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park in Michigan.

The Black River Harbor Boating Club sponsors an annual fishing derby over Labor Day weekend.

Facilities

The recreation area offers an enclosed pavilion with a fireplace and flush toilet facilities. A campground with first-come, first-served sites is also available. Facilities include vault toilets and a pressurized water system. A sandy beach is located on-site.

Natural Features

Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, swimming, and viewing waterfalls. The Black River Harbor Recreation Area has docking and fuel services for day and transient boaters, a boat launch, a large picnic area with a swing set, a campground with 39 campsites, beach access to Lake Superior, and five scenic waterfalls along the wild and scenic Black River. The day-use picnic area has a suspension bridge over the Black River with a hiking trail to a beautiful sand and pebble beach on Lake Superior. The campground is situated among hemlock and pine trees at an elevation of 840 feet, on a bluff overlooking Lake Superior and offers a scenic overlook of Lake Superior's Apostle Islands.

The Ottawa National Forest encompasses nearly one million acres on the west side of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The forest extends from the south shore of Lake Superior to the Wisconsin border. It is distinguished by rolling hills dotted with lakes, rivers and waterfalls.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (906) 661-8870.

Nearby Attractions

For a panoramic view of the area, visit Copper Peak International Ski Flying Hill, a 17-story steel ski jump. Visitors can take an elevator up to the top. The attraction is a short drive from the campground. The Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park in Michigan can be seen in the distance from the beach and is less than a one-hour drive from the Harbor.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellations

If you cancel reservation at least 14 days prior to check in date, all recreation fees, minus a $10 cancellation fee and the reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) will be refunded.

If you cancel reservation less than 14 days prior to check in date, you forfeit the entire total paid.

No Show

Staff will hold facility until check-in time on the arrival date.

For more information about rules and reservation policies, visit the Recreaiton.gov Rules and Reservations Policy page.

Fees

Recreation Fee

$100.00 per day

The pavilion reservation fee covers the day use fee for all guests of the reservation holder; guests do not have to pay the $5 day-use fee, it’s included with the reservation fee.

Reservation Fee

$8.00 per reservation if made on-line

$9.00 per reservation if made through the call center

The reservation fee is non-refundable.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January25°14°-12°41°11 of 11
February27°15°-4°47°11 of 11
March35°26°5°51°11 of 11
April42°33°19°65°7 of 11
May52°42°34°69°0 of 11
June63°52°43°78°0 of 11
July71°63°50°84°0 of 11
August72°65°57°83°0 of 11
September70°60°49°79°0 of 11
October54°46°33°69°0 of 10
November39°33°15°59°5 of 10
December31°24°3°54°10 of 10

Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in Michigan · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.