USDA Forest Service · Michigan
Monocle Lake
USDA Forest Service · Michigan, United States
- Sites
- 42
- Hookups
- 42 no hookups
- Season
- May 14 to September 11
- Cost
- Check-in time is anytime after 2 pm. Early arrivals will be charged for the previous day.
- Max RV length
- 80 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 696 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · T-Mobile none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- MONOCLE LAKE CAMPGROUND (NFSR 3700) · bituminous surface treatment · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Hiawatha National Forest
- Nearest town
- St. Ignace
- Address
- N. 4149 Brevort Camp Road, St. Ignace, MI, 49760
- Phone
- 906-203-9872
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Historic Sites, Jet Skiing, Swimming
27 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Monocle Lake Campground offers a a relaxing place to fish, swim and hike along the shores of scenic Monocle Lake just off Lake Superior. It is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the northeastern corner of the Hiawatha National Forest.
The campground is centrally located among many recreational opportunities in the Sault Ste. Marie area, including the Whitefish Bay National Scenic Byway and Tahquamenon Falls.
Recreation
Monocle Lake is populated with walleye, smallmouth bass, pike and perch. Two man-made reefs lie just off the eastern shore next to the campground, where anglers typically have good luck.
Swimming and boating are popular activities in the area. Visitors also enjoy hiking the 14.5-mile Monocle Lake Trail. Two miles of the trail have interpretive displays, and the first 1100 feet of the trail are along an elevated, accessible boardwalk. Additional trails are found in the surrounding area.
Facilities
The campground offers heavily shaded single-family sites for tent and RV camping. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Hookups are not available.
A day-use picnic area, adjacent to a fairly large parking area at the campground, provides easy access to a swimming beach. The picnic area is equipped with tables, grills and drinking water, as well as accessible vault toilets.
A paved boat launch with a parking lot big enough to accommodate vehicles and trailers provides easy access to the beautiful all sports lake.
Natural Features
The campground surrounds the south end of 172-acre Monocle Lake, and is less than two miles from the historic Point Iroquois Lighthouse. It is nestled in a mixed hardwood forest of aspen, maple, birch and pine trees, providing scenic lake and forest views from anywhere in the campground. Private residences also surround the inland lake.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (906) 767-1111.
Nearby Attractions
The nearest town is Bay Mills, which is about 6 miles from Monocle Lake. The United States-Canada border, at Sault Ste. Marie, is about 25 miles from the campground.
Tahquamenon Falls, a series of beautifully brown-colored waterfalls on the Tahquamenon River, is located about 35 miles from Monocle Lake.
Charges & Cancellations
Please cancel 7 days in advance if you need to cancel your reservation. Reservation sites cannot be traded for walk-in sites.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 13° | -12° | 36° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 25° | 14° | -14° | 40° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 33° | 21° | 4° | 50° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 40° | 31° | 11° | 67° | 9 of 11 |
| May | 54° | 41° | 31° | 74° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 65° | 49° | 40° | 76° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 73° | 59° | 51° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 72° | 61° | 56° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 56° | 49° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 44° | 34° | 66° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 39° | 33° | 12° | 55° | 7 of 10 |
| December | 30° | 22° | -4° | 52° | 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
- RiverView Park & Campground · Tribal Lands · 2 mi
- Sunrise RV Park at Bay Mills · Tribal Lands · 4 mi · 124 sites
- Brimley · Michigan State Parks · 6 mi
- Bay View (Hiawatha National Forest, MI) · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 24 sites
- Bay View Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
All public campgrounds in Michigan · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-06-03. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.