State Forest · Michigan
Big Bear Lake State Forest Campground
State Forest · Michigan, United States
- Sites
- 30
- Hookups
- 30 no hookups
- Season
- April 15 to November 1
- Cost
- $20 per night; a Recreation Passport is required on the vehicle
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Elevation
- 1,283 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Phone
- 989-732-5485
About
This beautiful, rustic campground sits on the north shore of Big Bear Lake surrounded by proud evergreens. Visitors enjoy the lake, its sandy shoreline, hiking and mountain biking on Big Bear Lake Pathway. The busy campground fills up often throughout the summer. There are 31 sites for tent and small trailer use. 11 sites can accommodate 30' trailers/vehicles.
The campground is located 1.5 miles southwest of Vienna Corners via Principal Meridian Road and Little Bear Lake Road.
30 rustic campsites, $20 a night. Closed November 1 to April 15. First come, first served; register at the campground kiosk on the day you arrive. Vault toilets and a hand-pump well for drinking water; no electricity or hookups. One camping unit and six people per site, 15 nights at most. Managed from Otsego Lake State Park (989-732-5485).
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 11° | -14° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 26° | 11° | -17° | 47° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 22° | 5° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 51° | 32° | 9° | 80° | 9 of 11 |
| May | 65° | 44° | 27° | 82° | 2 of 11 |
| June | 72° | 53° | 41° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 61° | 52° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 77° | 59° | 53° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 72° | 54° | 41° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 54° | 41° | 29° | 74° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 39° | 30° | 8° | 60° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 21° | -2° | 59° | 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
- Big Bear Point State Forest Campground · State Forest · 0 mi · 14 sites
- Johnson's Crossing Trail Camp · State Forest · 7 mi
- Little Wolf State Forest Campground · State Forest · 8 mi · 24 sites
- Big Oaks Equestrian State Forest Campground & Trail Camp · State Forest · 9 mi · 24 sites
- Avery Lake State Forest Campground · State Forest · 9 mi · 16 sites
All public campgrounds in Michigan · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-17. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.