State Forest · Michigan
Ess Lake State Forest Campground
State Forest · Michigan, United States
- Sites
- 27
- Hookups
- 27 no hookups
- Season
- April 15 to December 1
- Cost
- $20 per night; a Recreation Passport is required on the vehicle
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Boat launch
- Yes
- Elevation
- 863 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)
- Phone
- 989-785-4388
About
This rustic campground is located on Ess Lake and offers opportunities for paddling and fishing. There are 27 sites for tent and small trailer use. The campground is located 16 miles northeast of Atlanta via M-33 and County Road 624.
27 rustic campsites, $20 a night. Closed December 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 Clear Lake State Park (989-785-4388).
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 8° | -13° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 26° | 9° | -17° | 49° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 39° | 22° | 1° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 53° | 32° | 4° | 84° | 9 of 11 |
| May | 66° | 44° | 27° | 87° | 2 of 11 |
| June | 74° | 52° | 43° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 60° | 52° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 79° | 59° | 51° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 73° | 53° | 41° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 55° | 41° | 29° | 76° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 40° | 29° | 6° | 63° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 33° | 22° | -7° | 60° | 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
- Jackson Lake State Forest Campground · State Forest · 9 mi · 18 sites
- Clear Lake – Upper and Lower Campgrounds · Michigan State Parks · 10 mi
- Tomahawk Creek Flooding State Forest Campground · State Forest · 12 mi · 47 sites
- Tomahawk Lake State Forest Campground · State Forest · 12 mi · 25 sites
- Shoepac Lake State Forest Campground · State Forest · 13 mi · 25 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.