Black River Harbor Campground
5Heads up5 fires, nearest 8 mi
- Right now
- Nobody has saidNo season, no closure, no bookings to read
- A night
- $22From, per site
- Sites
- 4037 on recreation.gov
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 9 notices
In the agency’s own words
Planning a trip to the Black River Harbor Campground? Watch for Alerts at the top of the page for any Alerts regarding this facility. Black River Campground is adjacent to the Black River Harbor Recreation Area. The recreation area includes a pavilion, harbor and a large picnic area. The area provides for many opportunities for fishing, boating, backpacking, hiking, bird watching, photography and beautiful scenery for relaxation in the outdoors. Keep reading
Recreation
The campground is adjacent to the Black River Harbor Recreation Area. The Harbor offers one of the area's few access points to Lake Superior, with boating and fishing being a major summer time activity. Fishing charters are available at the harbor dock area. The boat ramp can accommodate almost any craft trailered in. Parking for trucks and boat trailers is ample. The area has many trails that follow the Black River leading you to the many waterfalls along the river. The recreation area has a large grassy area for picnics.
Facilities
The Black River Campground has 38 available campsites that can accommodate RVs, campers or tents. There are two concrete vault toilet buildings at either end of the campground. All campsites are wooded with partial shade and have a generous area to spread out in. There are five campsites that are within a few hundred feet of Lake Superior.
Natural Features
Known for its spectacular waterfalls, idyllic beaches, scenic hiking trails and tranquil campground, the Black River Harbor Recreation Area is a popular destination throughout the year. Originating in Wisconsin, the Black River flows through forested areas of large pine, hemlock and hardwood trees. The River has a series of scenic waterfalls as it drops in elevation to meet Lake Superior. Tannin (tannic acids) from hemlock trees is what gives it its unique color. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (906) 661-8870.
Nearby Attractions
A historic pavilion built by the Civilian Conservation Corps is located in the recreation area next to the campground. The recreation area includes a large picnic area and Black River Harbor that has fishing charters available and in itself is a scenic area to explore. Trails run adjacent to the Black River and lead to several waterfalls. A foot bridge and short walk will take you across the Black River to Lake Superior and the sand beach swimming areas.
Charges & Cancellations
Cancellations If you cancel reservation at least 2 days prior to check in date, all recreation fees, minus a $10 cancellation fee and the reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) will be refunded. If you cancel reservation the day before or the day of check in date, all recreation fees, minus $10 cancellation fee, the reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center), and the first night’s use fee will be refunded. Cancellations for one night reservations will forfeit the entire amount paid. The reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) is non-refundable. No Show Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. For more information about rules and reservation policies, visit the Recreaiton.gov Rules and Reservations Policy page .
What the agency tells you
Camping in a developed recreation site is allowed for a period not longer than 14 days, except as otherwise posted. After this time, you must move to another campground or dispersed site for at least 24 hours.
Campers must occupy the campsite the first night.
Eight people and two motorized vehicles are allowed per campsite with a maximum of one RV or camper trailer and two tents per camping site or three tents per camping site. There is additional parking space near the self-service fee station.
Everything else this campground posts · 6
Enjoy your visit to the Ottawa National Forest. If you have any questions, please call (906)-932-1330.
Don't move firewood: To limit the spread of invasive tree-killing pests, firewood from outside the area is not permitted. Some states have quarantines and may confiscate your firewood. Please help protect our forests from invasive species by obtaining your firewood at or near your camping destination and burning it on-site. Visit dontmovefirewood.org for more information. Gathering of dead and down wood within the camping area for use during stay is permissible.
Generators are allowed but only between 7:00am and 9:00pm. Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 6:00am
Campsite "switching" is not permitted. You must occupy the campsite that you made a reservation for unless you have received prior permission from the Ottawa National Forest.
This campground is operated by Camp Host, LLC under a special use permit with the Ottawa National Forest.
No water available at campground for entire 2026 season. Please plan accordingly. We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 40
- Hookups
- None
- Accessible sites
- None listed
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Allowed, barring fire bans
- Shade
- Every site
Facilities
- Toilets
- Vault Toilets
- “…campers or tents. There are two concrete vault toilet buildings at either end of the campground. All…”
- Boat ramp
- Yes
Around the campground
- On the water
- Waterfall, Lake, River, Beach
- Boating
- Hiking
- Swimming
No reading yet, book on recreation.gov
recreation.gov lists 37 of the 40 campsites the agency files here. The rest aren’t on its booking system, so a reservation won’t get you one.
No availability snapshot inside the last 36 hours, so this page draws nothing rather than ageing a reading into fiction.
Watch for a cancellation
Full? Watch it.
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
Tell me when the season opens
Watch for the season to open
One email when the season goes on sale, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We check once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time the agency has that season on sale.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 21
What you actually pay
Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rate for this season, $22 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.
“Cancellations - If you cancel reservation at least 2 days prior to check in date, all recreation fees, minus a $10 cancellation fee and the reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) will be refunded. - If you cancel reservation the day before or the day of check in date, all recreatio…” · this campground’s own no-show terms
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 6
rules read Sep 9, 2026 · rates Oct 1, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
40 sites · which ones have room · the site map
The sites, ranked
from 22 mapped sitesAll 40 sites
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 40 of the 40 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
| Main Loop | 001 | standard nonelectric | 77 ft | 1,413 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 002 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 003 | standard nonelectric | 77 ft | 1,350 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 004 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 005 | standard nonelectric | 117 ft | 951 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 006 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 007 | standard nonelectric | 111 ft | 842 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 008 | type not stated | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 009 | standard nonelectric | 82 ft | 731 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 010 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 011 | standard nonelectric | 82 ft | 674 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 012 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 013 | standard nonelectric | 179 ft | 500 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 014 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 015 | standard nonelectric | 191 ft | 366 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 016 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 017 | standard nonelectric | 122 ft | 349 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 018 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 019 | standard nonelectric | 122 ft | 406 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 020 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 021 | standard nonelectric | 99 ft | 343 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 022 | standard nonelectric | 139 ft | 993 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 023 | standard nonelectric | 99 ft | 393 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 024 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 025 | type not stated | 562 ft | $22 | |
| Main Loop | 026 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 027 | standard nonelectric | 255 ft | 648 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 028 | type not stated | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 029 | standard nonelectric | 132 ft | 868 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 030 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 031 | standard nonelectric | 132 ft | 922 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 032 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 033 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 034 | standard nonelectric | $22 | ||
| Main Loop | 035 | standard nonelectric | 73 ft | 1,132 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 036 | standard nonelectric | 73 ft | 1,195 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 037 | standard nonelectric | 102 ft | 1,099 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 038 | standard nonelectric | 102 ft | 1,178 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 039 | standard nonelectric | 108 ft | 1,281 ft | $22 |
| Main Loop | 040 | standard nonelectric | 126 ft | 1,237 ft | $22 |
25 of 40 listed
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Black River Harbor Pavilion0.0 miHenry Lake CampOttawa National Forest · 27 miBobcat Lake CampOttawa National Forest · 28 mi
Bobcat Lake CampgroundOttawa National Forest · 28 miPomeroy Lake CampOttawa National Forest · 35 miMoosehead Lake CampOttawa National Forest · 36 miFrom Ironwood Mi., travel east on US 2 to Powderhorn Road, turn left onto Powderhorn Road and travel approximately 3 miles to CR 513, turn left onto CR 513 and travel approximately 11 miles to the Black River Harbor Recreation Area.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Bessemer, MI
Typical weather
Typical October night 35°F, day 53°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical January night 4°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
who answers for it
Who answers for this land
Black River Harbor Campground is in Michigan’s 1st congressional district. Its representative, Jack Bergman (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →