USDA Forest Service · Michigan
Imp Lake Camp
USDA Forest Service · Michigan, United States
- Cost
- Overnight Use: Single Site: $22 per night
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 1,749 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
- FDR3978-J (NFSR 3978-J) · bituminous surface treatment · high degree of user comfort
- Nearest town
- Watersmeet
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. Imp Lake Campground located 6 miles southeast of Watersmeet, MI, provides visitors with a unique camping experience. Lakeside sites offer a quaint view of a small island populated with nesting loons, while off lake sites are perched beside towering hemlocks. Visitors are free to roam the nearby Imp Lake Interpretive Trail, canoe or fish the quiet wake free lake. This campground consisting of two camping loops, with a total of 22 campsites, provides drive-in sites that can accommodate tents, trailers and motor homes. All sites are spaced with natural vegetation for screening. Each site offers a wood table, fire ring, and parking spur. Three sets of vault toilets and two hand pumps for drinking water are located within the camping loops. A picnic area, and boat landing are located adjacent to the campground. Open season: May- October 15. 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
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20° | 5° | -25° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 23° | 7° | -17° | 47° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 35° | 19° | -3° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 46° | 29° | 7° | 75° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 64° | 42° | 29° | 79° | 3 of 11 |
| June | 71° | 53° | 41° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 60° | 50° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 59° | 51° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 53° | 39° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 51° | 39° | 25° | 71° | 4 of 10 |
| November | 35° | 26° | 6° | 59° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 26° | 14° | -12° | 53° | 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 3,400 trails in Ottawa National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Marion Lake Group Site · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 1 sites
- Burned Dam · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
- Lac Vieux Desert Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 32 sites
- Golden Lake Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi
- Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 50 sites
All public campgrounds in Michigan · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.