# Huron-Manistee National Forest Pontoon Camping



## WMUAngler (Oct 18, 2007)

My fiance and I are trying to get some information on remote places that we can go for a ride in our pontoon boat, park it in a secluded area and set-up camp. We'd like to be able to go fishing at leisure and relax out in the wilderness. We'd also like to be able to take our dog, Moose, on occassion. So far I've been looking at the Hardy Dam Pond area, as it's not too far from Grand Rapids. So far it looked like the main rule was that the campsite has to be 200 feet from the water. 

Anyone do this type of camping and have advice/ideas?

Anyone have better locations for this type of thing?

Anyone want to simply shoot down my asperations? 

Thanks.


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## HemlockNailer (Dec 22, 2000)

If you don't mind driving a little farther check the AuSable river. The back waters of Cooke and Foote Dams has campsites right on the river. There at a lot of pontoons in both areas,very sceinic and you can reserve the campsites in advance. Boating ,fishing, swimming and sight seeing.


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## WMUAngler (Oct 18, 2007)

HemlockNailer said:


> If you don't mind driving a little farther check the AuSable river. The back waters of Cooke and Foote Dams has campsites right on the river. There at a lot of pontoons in both areas,very sceinic and you can reserve the campsites in advance. Boating ,fishing, swimming and sight seeing.


Thanks for the info, we'll check those places out too. We'd kind of like to find some places where we can make our own campsite though. Having the boat to haul in our camping gear and a large cooler, we should be able to set up a very nice and secluded campsite. It blends the soon-to-be-wife's need for some creature comforts, with my desire to go Survivorman.


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## WMUAngler (Oct 18, 2007)

Anyone?


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Since your from WMU I guess I'll give up one spot lol. The backwaters of Tippy Dam has everything and some great camp sites. I never see many boats even on hollidays. There are several campsites on islands and if you call the park service ou can get a permit.

Trumpeter Swans, eagles evey day and decent fishing especially for smallmouth bass. there are good walleye and monster northern fishing and if you want to fish below Tippy, and you can walk down to the river. It is pretty close.

You do need to be careful of dead heads but there is no reason to hurry anyway. I started camping there even before I was a student at WMU>


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## WMUAngler (Oct 18, 2007)

Splitshot said:


> Since your from WMU I guess I'll give up one spot lol. The backwaters of Tippy Dam has everything and some great camp sites. I never see many boats even on hollidays. There are several campsites on islands and if you call the park service ou can get a permit.
> 
> Trumpeter Swans, eagles evey day and decent fishing especially for smallmouth bass. there are good walleye and monster northern fishing and if you want to fish below Tippy, and you can walk down to the river. It is pretty close.
> 
> You do need to be careful of dead heads but there is no reason to hurry anyway. I started camping there even before I was a student at WMU>


Much thanks to my fellow bronco alumni.  I've never been to the Tippy Dam area, but I'll start my online research now. Really I'm not looking for anyone's fishing holes, I'm more looking for the secluded areas to camp. My fiance and I love to fish, but we're far from pros. You could put us in a lake with no fish and we'd still have a good time though. 

Thanks.


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## jakeo (Sep 14, 2004)

Check out Government Island near Cedarville in the U.P. Its in the Les Cheaniix (SP) Islands. Awesome area.


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## GVDocHoliday (Sep 5, 2003)

I second the backwaters of Tippy. You do not need a permit though. It's a first come first serve for their designated sites. Camping at one of the designated sites is the only way to set camp on the water. Otherwise you do have to follow the rules for Natural Scenic Designated waterways in that you have to setup 200ft from the water. 

On the one main island there are two designated sites with fire rings. If you call the Forest Service Station in Manistee they'll be able to email you a map of the dispersed camping sites from Hodenpyl dam all the way to Tippy Dam. 

Only problem you may run into is that on a few of the more popular sites, especially during the summer, there are a couple of white-trash local families that hog the sites for months.


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## Putman Lake Campground (Oct 4, 2010)

WMUAngler said:


> Thanks for the info, we'll check those places out too. We'd kind of like to find some places where we can make our own campsite though. Having the boat to haul in our camping gear and a large cooler, we should be able to set up a very nice and secluded campsite. It blends the soon-to-be-wife's need for some creature comforts, with my desire to go Survivorman.



Just across the road from the airport. a nice secluded campground, over looking the river... a ghost town last I knew. it's the kind.. one of my ol favorites for crashing for the night, total serenity.... but.. camper beware, them there skeeters of theirs strip mine!!

take your toon out on the muskegon and drift for a few days.... have somebody pick you up. it's plenty wide and deep enough

PUt in at croton (CRoton Damn Float trips, Sue) float till your hearts content, and give sue a tip to pick you up at the Maple Island launch ramp in a few days, or even down stream further.


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## Putman Lake Campground (Oct 4, 2010)

WMUAngler said:


> Thanks for the info, we'll check those places out too. We'd kind of like to find some places where we can make our own campsite though. Having the boat to haul in our camping gear and a large cooler, we should be able to set up a very nice and secluded campsite. It blends the soon-to-be-wife's need for some creature comforts, with my desire to go Survivorman.



Just across the road from the airport. a nice secluded campground, over looking the river... a ghost town last I knew. it's the kind.. one of my ol favorites for crashing for the night, total serenity.... but.. camper beware, them there skeeters of theirs strip mine!!

take your toon out on the muskegon and drift for a few days.... have somebody pick you up. it's plenty wide and deep enough

PUt in at croton (CRoton Damn Float trips, Sue) float till your hearts content, and give sue a tip to pick you up at the Maple Island launch ramp in a few days, or even down stream further.


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