A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service campground

Sand Lake Campground

Forest Service campground in Huron-Manistee National Forests, Manistee County, Michigan. 858 feet. 14.6 miles from Free Soil.

Managed by
Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forests
Elevation
858 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
44 40 standard non-electric, 2 tent only non-electric, 1 group tent only area non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Sand Lake Campground is situated on the scenic shores of Sand Lake and provides a selection of sites shaded by a mixed hardwood forest. Just beyond the trees is a well-loved, sandy swimming beach. The campground is located 15 minutes from the Pine National Scenic River and several other lakes.

The popular campground sits within the Huron-Manistee National Forests, far enough from town to let its natural splendor shine, but close enough for convenient access to gas and groceries.

Recreation

Power boating, sailing, canoeing, hiking and swimming are some of the most common activities on the lake. Anglers delight in the waters well-stocked with bluegill, perch and smallmouth bass. A picnic area and boat ramp are available for use.

Facilities

The campground provides conveniences like coin showers, flush toilets and drinking water faucets. Visitors often rave about the nice, private bathrooms with vanities.

Natural Features

Sand Lake boasts about 50 acres of mostly shallow waters. The campground is nicely wooded; some sites are heavy shaded while others are much more open. Summertime temperatures are generally around 80 degrees.

The Huron-Manistee National Forests encompass nearly a million acres of public protected land, including nearly 6,000 acres of wetlands that extend over the northern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

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

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • sailing
  • swimming site

The land around Sand Lake 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 26, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.