Huron-Manistee National Forests · Michigan
Overview The Upper Manistee dispersed campsites are primitive campsites on the Manistee River Backwaters of Tippy Dam Pond, located along the banks of the Manistee River between Tippy Dam and Hodenpyl Dam. The Government Landing location includes 7 sites, in which, 5 are located on the water and 2 sites are on higher ground overlooking the water. There are 2 sites located on the water that are walk in only.
Sites at Upper Manistee River Backcountry Campsites are reserved through Recreation.gov. Sites here can be reserved in advance through the official system, and they are claimed fast — cancellations then trickle back all season, unannounced, at any hour of the day or night.
| Total sites | 11 |
|---|---|
| Site types | Standard, Tent only, Walk-to / hike-to |
| Book through | Recreation.gov |
| Official listing | Recreation.gov |
Because sites are booked months ahead, a steady share of reservations get cancelled as trips fall through. Each cancellation instantly returns that site and those nights to the official calendar — first-come, first-served, no waitlist, no announcement. Refreshing the booking page yourself, every few minutes for weeks, works in theory. In practice, the people who get these sites are the ones who hear about the opening first.
itOpened scans the Recreation.gov calendar for Upper Manistee River Backcountry Campsites around the clock. When a site matching your dates and your vehicle opens, you get a text with a direct link to it. You book it yourself, in your own account, at the normal price. We never book, hold, or resell — your fee pays for monitoring, and openings are first-come, so speed is the whole game.
| Ausable River Camping | Cancellation alerts available |
|---|---|
| Lake Michigan At Manistee | Cancellation alerts available |
| Sand Lake Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Mack Lake ORV Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Round Lake | Cancellation alerts available |
| Peterson Bridge | Cancellation alerts available |
| Nichols Lake South Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Kneff Lake Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Marzinski Horse Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Monument Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Rollways Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Seaton Creek Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Bowman Bridge | Cancellation alerts available |
| Island lake (MI) | Cancellation alerts available |
| Meadows ORV Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Wagner Lake (MI) | Cancellation alerts available |
| Gabions Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Gleasons Landing | Cancellation alerts available |
| Wakeley Lake Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Au Sable Loop Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Pines Point Campground (MI) | Cancellation alerts available |
| Chimney Loop Campground | Cancellation alerts available |
| Hungerford Equestrian Group Campsite | Cancellation alerts available |
| South Branch Trail Camp Group Site | Cancellation alerts available |
Page data refreshed 2026-10-29. Site facts come from the official directory listing for Upper Manistee River Backcountry Campsites; cancellation statistics come from our own scanning logs.