A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

Au Sable Loop Campground

Forest Service campground in Huron-Manistee National Forests, Oscoda County, Michigan. 934 feet. 15.9 miles from Rose City.

Managed by
Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forests
Elevation
934 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
5 5 standard non-electric
Longest rig
75 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Oscoda County

Overview

As visitors exit McKinley Road to enter the Au Sable Loop Scenic Overlook, they will first see a panoramic vista of the National Scenic portion of the Au Sable River. From the Au Sable Loop Scenic Overlook follow the unpaved road to reach the campground. The small five site campground is set amidst a mixed hardwood forest. The campground and day use areas are ideal for scenery viewing, wildlife viewing, and picnicking.

Recreation

Water Activities: The Au Sable Loop Campground provides forest visitors with a variety of water activities. Access to the Au Sable River is afforded by a short path from the campground. Anglers can boat, wade, and fish from shore. Fish species found in the Au Sable River include bass, pike, brown trout, walleye, perch, sunfish, steelhead, and salmon. The water flows at a speed of 2 mph. The Au Sable River provides opportunities for non-motorized boating using watercraft such as canoes, kayaks, and rafts. Watercraft can be rented in Mio at Hinchman’s Acres Resort or at Alcona Canoe Rental in Glennie.

Hiking: Along the north side of the river is the 0.5 mile Mio Nature Trail with a trailhead located in the Mio Ranger Station parking lot. Along the south side of the river is the 4.5 mile Wolf Creek Trail . The trailhead for Wolf Creek is on the lefthand side 1 mile west of Mio down South River road. Both trails provide views of the Au Sable River and are appropriate for a variety of skill levels.

Facilities

The Au Sable Loop Campground provides a handpump well for drinking water, a vault toilet, and trash collection services. Campsites provide users with picnic tables, campfire rings, and lantern posts.

Natural Features

Located near the banks of the National Scenic Au Sable River, this campground is a haven for water based recreation. An exemplary setting for wildlife viewing, visitors and campers will see a melding of habitats as the river turns to forest and then to field. The area is inhabited by bald eagles, deer, bear, bobcat, porcupine, various songbirds, and waterfowl. Please respect wildlife and observe from a distance.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • kayaking
  • paddling
  • tubing
  • water access
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Au Sable Loop Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated June 30, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.