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

Forest Service campground

Ausable River Camping

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

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forests
Elevation
934 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
101 46 standard non-electric, 40 boat in, 15 walk to
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Oscoda County

Overview

AuSable River Dispersed Camping is a unique series of 102 individually designated single-family campsites on a 55-mile stretch of the lovely AuSable River. All campsites are within Alcona and Iosco Counties in Michigan.

These rustic sites are divided into sections near Alcona Pond, the AuSable Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized Area, Loud Pond, Five Channels Pond, Cooke Pond, Foote Pond and Lower Ausable. Each are ideal for family camping, with opportunities for fly fishing, swimming, canoeing and bird watching.

Recreation

Both river and lake fishing are available for perch, bass and pike walleye. One recommended spot is the Whirlpool Angler access point. All sites are also near the River Road National Scenic Byway, which offers wonderful views of the river valley.

The campground has boat-in camping, and canoe rentals are available in Glennie, Hale, Mio and Oscoda.

Facilities

All sites are primitive with no drinking water, toilets or trash removal. Campers are expected to bring plenty of water, portable toilets and garbage bags. Parking aprons are dirt or gravel.

Natural Features

Campsites sit on bluffs that range from five to 300 feet above the waterline of the lower AuSable River. Depending on the site, access to the river may be difficult due to steep or eroding slopes.

The AuSable River meanders across 138 miles of Michigan and flows into the great lake, Lake Huron.

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

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Ausable River Camping

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

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated June 27, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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