USDA Forest Service · Michigan

Government Landing Access

USDA Forest Service · Michigan, United States

Open on the map Drive there Official page Directions
Cost
No fees are required for this site
Drinking water
No
Restrooms
Yes
Elevation
810 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)
Access road
GOVERNMENT LANDING CAMPSITE (NFSR 9906) · native material · high clearance vehicles
Nearest town
Brethren, MI

Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.

Site map

The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.

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About

US Forest Service campground. This camping area is named for Government Island. The 3 campsites are part of the Forest Services ' 41 designated dispersed sites along the Upper Manistee River. The main access road along the powerline is a snowmobile trail in the winter. Brochure with map: Manistee River This brochure is set to print on 11 x 17 paper, landscape (wide) orientation. To print on 8 1/2 x 11 paper set the print area to 'shrink to printable area ', this will make the text on the page smaller. Flickr Photo Albums Manistee River. Pack out what you pack in. Open season: April 1 - December 1. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January27°15°-12°48°11 of 11
February28°15°-1°50°11 of 11
March40°26°10°69°11 of 11
April52°36°13°79°7 of 11
May67°46°30°81°1 of 11
June74°55°44°90°0 of 11
July80°63°53°92°0 of 11
August79°63°54°87°0 of 11
September74°57°46°86°0 of 11
October57°45°35°73°0 of 10
November41°33°16°63°8 of 10
December32°25°4°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.

Trails nearby

All 269 trails in Huron-Manistee National Forest

Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in Michigan · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2025-12-22. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.