Colwell Lake Recreation Area
Its 40 sites are reservable through Recreation.gov, camping costs Site: $24–$80 per night, and it is open from 05-12 to 10-07. Colwell Lake Recreation Area is a National Forest campground near Schoolcraft, Michigan.
Reservable: Recreation.gov
1 / 6Beach Area located at Colwell Lake. Photo: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- National Forest
- Managed by
- Some sites
- Hookups
- 60 ft
- Max RV length
Colwell Lake Recreation Area sits inside Hiawatha National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- Recreation.gov Book a site
- Fee
- Site: $24–$80 per night
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Sites and hookups
- Total sites
- 40
- Group sites
- 1
- Walk-in sites
- 2
- Hookups
- Some sites , up to 30 amp
- Max RV length
- 60 ft
- Site driveways
- Mixed
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Potable water
- ✓ Dump station
- ✓ Fire rings
- ✓ Pets allowed
On site: Toilets, potable water, dump station, fire rings, and pets allowed.
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Campsites
40 sites in 3 loops; 5 pull-through; 4 with electric hookups; the longest takes a 60 ft vehicle. Every site below links to its own page on Recreation.gov, where it is booked. Official site list and booking on recreation.gov.
| Book | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site 001 |
| 002 | COLW | Standard electric | 40 ft | Pull-through | 15 amp | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 002 |
| 003 | COLW | Standard electric | 60 ft | Back-in | 30 amp | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 003 |
| 004 | COLW | Standard electric | 40 ft | Back-in | 15 amp | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 004 |
| 005 | COLW | Standard electric | 60 ft | Back-in | 30 amp | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 005 |
| 006 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 006 |
| 007 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 007 |
| 008 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Pull-through | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site 008 |
| 009 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 009 |
| 010 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 010 |
| 011 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 011 |
| 012 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 012 |
| 013 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 013 |
| 014 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 014 |
| 015 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Pull-through | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site 015 |
| 016 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 016 |
| 017 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 017 |
| 018 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 018 |
| 019 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 019 |
| 020 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 020 |
| 021 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 021 |
| 022 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 022 |
| 023 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Pull-through | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 023 |
| 024 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 024 |
| 025 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Pull-through | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site 025 |
| 026 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 026 |
| 027 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 027 |
| 028 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 028 |
| 029 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 029 |
| 030 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 030 |
| 031 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 031 |
| 032 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | 60 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLW, site 032 |
| FS1ENN1 | COLW | Standard electric | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site FS1ENN1 |
| FS1ENN2 | COLW | Standard electric | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site FS1ENN2 |
| FS1ENN3 | COLW | Standard electric | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site FS1ENN3 |
| FS1NNN18 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site FS1NNN18 |
| FS1NNN19 | COLW | Standard nonelectric | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book loop COLW, site FS1NNN19 |
| 033 | COLWELL LAKE | Walk to | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLWELL LAKE, site 033 |
| 034 | COLWELL LAKE | Walk to | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop COLWELL LAKE, site 034 |
| GP | GRP | Group standard nonelectric | 40 ft | Not on record | Not on record | No | Yes | Book loop GRP, site GP |
Data source: Recreation.gov , accessed 2026-09-30. Site details are Recreation.gov's own per-site listing and can differ from the campground-wide facts above.
Rules
- Stay limit
- 14 consecutive nights
- Pets
- Allowed
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 753 ft
46.2215, -86.4336 in Schoolcraft. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Season and winter services
Colwell Lake Recreation Area is open from 05-12 to 10-07 , at 753 ft.
Sources: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30; epqs.nationalmap.gov, accessed 2026-10-01
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
Sites at Colwell Lake Recreation Area are reserved through Recreation.gov (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232319).
How much does it cost to camp at Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
Camping at Colwell Lake Recreation Area costs Site: $24–$80 per night.
How many campsites does Colwell Lake Recreation Area have?
Colwell Lake Recreation Area has 40 campsites, including 1 group site and 2 walk-in sites.
Does Colwell Lake Recreation Area have RV hookups?
Some sites at Colwell Lake Recreation Area have hookups, up to 30 amp; others do not. The longest rig allowed is 60 feet and there is a dump station.
Are there pull-through sites at Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
Recreation.gov lists 5 pull-through sites at Colwell Lake Recreation Area: loop COLW, site 002, loop COLW, site 008, loop COLW, site 015, loop COLW, site 023, and loop COLW, site 025.
Is there drinking water at Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
Yes, Colwell Lake Recreation Area has potable water. It also has toilets.
Are dogs allowed at Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
Yes, pets are allowed at Colwell Lake Recreation Area.
When is Colwell Lake Recreation Area open?
Colwell Lake Recreation Area is open from 05-12 to 10-07.
How long can you stay at Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
The stay limit at Colwell Lake Recreation Area is 14 consecutive nights.
Who manages Colwell Lake Recreation Area?
Colwell Lake Recreation Area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Colwell Lake Recreation Area
Waterfalls nearby
Nearest to Colwell Lake Recreation Area, in straight-line miles: Wagner Falls (waterfall, 15 miles), Munising Falls (waterfall, 17 miles), Miners Falls (waterfall, 18 miles), and Spray Falls (waterfall, 23 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $8 per night
Steuben Lake Campsites - Sites
- 2
- Season
- 05-15 to 10-15
- Fee
- Standard nonelectric: $8 per night
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $8 per night
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- There are no camping fees for this site but reservations fees apply.
More campgrounds: camping near Schoolcraft and campgrounds in Schoolcraft.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30
- recreation.gov (reservationSystem, reservationSystemName, reservationUrl, hookups, electricAmpMax, maxRvLengthFt, drivewayType, fireRings, sites, campsites, water, dumpStation, toilets, petsAllowed, stayLimit, fee, season.open, season.close), accessed 2026-09-30
- epqs.nationalmap.gov (elevationFt), accessed 2026-10-01
Photo credits
- Photo 1: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 2: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 3: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 4: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 5: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 6: USFS - Hiawatha National Forest, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)