Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-273341
When Bear Lake Campsite reopens
Bear Lake Campsite's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
14
Openings · last 90 days
14
Only 14 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 15, 2026 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 28 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Oct 15, 2026): 16 open for online reservation · 12 reserved.
Where the open windows are
42.9% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 16 of 28 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 15, 2026Not open online42.9%
Open site-nights16 / 28
Reserved (of online inventory)12 / 28
Weekday openings11
Weekend openings5
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 11 fall on weekdays and 5 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026September holds the most room. 10 of 13 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 site| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 001 | 16 |
This site currently has 16 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateFri · Sep 18
Next open weekendFri · Sep 18
The next bookable night is Sep 18; the first open weekend starts Sep 18. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
16 open site-nights across 1 site at Bear Lake Campsite, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 4 2-night, 4 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 18 at site 001.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 24 ft | None | 16 | 7 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Oct 7, Oct 8 +4 more |
About Bear Lake Campsite
Overview
The Munising and Rapid River/Manistique Ranger Districts of the Hiawatha National Forest offer a variety of camping experiences. Many are located on inland lakes in a rustic forest environment with no drinking water. The rustic environment offers a wonderfully serene and peaceful setting for your next camping experience.
Recreation
Visitors will be able to enjoy swimming, berry picking, and fishing at the designated campsites located on the Hiawatha National Forest. Licenses are required for fishing in Michigan waters.
There is a carry - in boat launch at the day use area on the south end of the lake. This is intended to prevent the overfishing of this excellent brook trout fishery, which is maintained by annual stocking.
Swimming is marginal with a thin layer of sand covering a mucky bottom.
Facilities
There is NO drinking water available at these sites.
There are NO toilets.
Lake Name: Bear Lake
Number of Sites: 1
Maximum Number of People per Sites: 8
Toilets: No
Boat Access: Carry in ONLY Boat Access to the South of the site. There is a Boat Launch on the East side of the lake down FR 2633.
Lake Size (acres): 21
Natural Features
The Bear Lake campsite is situated on the gorgeous 21- acre Bear Lake, high upon a hill overlooking the lake. The site is surrounded by spectacular paper birch, aspen and oak tree species.
Nearby Attractions
There are a number of horse, bike, and hiking trails within minutes of several of the sites. In over a mile from these campsites, visitors can expect to find: bait shops, general and grocery stores, gas, a pay phone, trailheads, a fishing pier, biking, and kayak/canoe rentals.
Groceries, gasoline, fishing and camping supplies, ice and deli are available five miles northeast on County Road 437 in the Thunder Lake Area.
1 monitored siteRVs up to 24 ftNo hookups1 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontPets OKFire pitsMax party 8
Getting there
From Cooks (about 12 miles west of Manistique or 24 miles east of Rapid River on US-2): drive north 4.4 miles on County Road 442 to CR 437. Turn left (north) on CR 437 and drive 8.7 miles to FR 2217. Turn left (northwest) on FR 2217 and drive 2.4 miles to FR 2696. Turn left (south) on 2696 and drive 0.5 mile to the campsite
Rapid River/Manistique Ranger District, Rapid River, MI 49878906-474-6442 OR 906-387-2512
CampingFishing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-273341 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-273341 · Bear Lake Campsite · Rapid River MI4 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Bear Lake Campsite?
Reservations for Bear Lake Campsite are made through Recreation.gov. 16 of 28 tracked site-nights are currently open (57.1%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 14 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Bear Lake Campsite?
Campsite Sniper detected 14 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Bear Lake Campsite?
4 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 18 at site 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Bear Lake Campsite fit a 35-foot RV?
No RV-analyzable site here has a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 24 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Bear Lake Campsite?
September 2026, with 10 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 13.
When is the next open date at Bear Lake Campsite?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Sep 18 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 18. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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