Named after Longfellow’s poem “The Song of Hiawatha,” the Hiawatha National Forest is located in the Central and Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Hiawatha National Forest
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Phone: (906) 341-5666 (Manistique Ranger District)
The Forest encompasses 880,000 acres, and receives over 1.5 million recreational visits per year. The forest affords visitors access to white sand beaches and relatively undeveloped shorelines along three of America’s inland seas - Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron.
The West Unit is located in the central of the Upper Peninsula, bordering two of the Great Lakes - Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The western portion of the Hiawatha extends from the towns of Rapid River and Manistique, along Lake Michigan, to the town of Munising on the Lake Superior shore.
For more information on camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and other recreational activities contact the Hiawatha National Forest, Manistique Ranger District at (906) 341-5666.
Hiawatha National Forest - West Zone
Trails
Hundreds of miles of some of the best trails in Michigan's Upper Peninsula await you in the Hiawatha National Forest. Our trails take you on delightful tours of the northwoods - to remote lakes and streams where you may catch a glimpse of a loon, a soaring bald eagle, or simply to spend a day in the vast expanse of the forest.
Colwell Lake Trail
Hiking / Cross Country Skiing / Snowshoeing
30 miles N of Manistique
Trail Length: 2 miles
This 2 mile long loop trail meanders along the edge of Colwell Lake and is surfaced to be fully accessible to people with mobility impairments. The trail is particularly stunning in the fall, and also is popular in the winter as a snowshoe trail.
Pine Marten Run Trail
Hiking / Horseback Riding
Hiawatha National Forest - 30 miles NW of Manistique
Trail Length: 26 miles
Pine Marten Run is a 26 mile system of hiking and horseback riding trails located in the Ironjaw Semiprivate Area approximately 30 miles northwest of Manistique in Schoolcraft County, Michigan.
Bruno's Run Trail
Hiking / Biking / Horse Riding / Cross Country Skiing / Snowshoeing
36 miles NW of Manistique on Forest Highway 13
Trail Length: 9 miles
The 9 mile loop Bruno's Run Trail winds its way past a host of small lakes etched in this relatively young glacial plain, taking hikers, bicyclists, snowshoers and skiers over gently rolling country. Further along, the trail runs over foothills, along overlooks and through valleys. The many lakes and streams in the area as well as a variety of trees and other plants make it likely that those traveling the trail will spot wildlife or tracks. If you are alert, you are sure to have an enjoyable outing.
Au Train Song Bird Trail
Hiking / Birding
AuTrain Lake Campground - Co Hwy 596, Au Train, MI 49806
Trail Length - 2 miles
Open Season: May 15 - Oct 30
The AuTrain Songbird Trail is a lovely 2 mile loop trail. Take the first campground loop to the right and you will find the trailhead near campsite #11. The trail winds through forest and field, along bog and lakeshore, and includes an observation platform on Au Train Lake's Buck Bay. The best time to hear the 'woodland concert' is in the morning when the birds are most active, but you can walk the trail any time of the day. In the forested areas, you may see such birds as chickadees, cedar waxwings, and nuthatches. From atop the observation platform, near the trailhead, you may see ducks, shorebirds, and perhaps even an eagle or osprey.
Bay Furnace Historic Site
Hiking
5 miles NW of Munising
Trail Length: .13 miles
A short 1/8 mile accessible trail encircles the stabilized ruin of an 1870 blast furnace where iron was made until 1877. One of the last remaining structures of its kind in the U.P., it is also a good place to view Lake Superior and Grand Island. Interpretive signs show how the furnace operated and explain its unique history, including its construction, damage by fire, and partial preservation.
Maywood History Trail
Hiking
9 miles S of Rapid River
Trail Length: .9 miles
This hard-packed, easily accessible trail takes the visitor through a 200 year old hemlock forest on the shore of Little Bay de Noc. Because of its geographic setting, the area was a focal point of human activity and includes Native American sites and the foundations of an old resort hotel complex. Abundant historic photographs and oral history quotations on interpretive signs tell the Maywood story.
Camping
Hiawatha National Forest offers a wide variety of camping opportunities. We have a mix of larger and smaller campground and campsites, including some that offer group camping. We also have options for those interested in cabin camping and dispersed camping.
Toms Lake Cabin
Forest Road 2082 - Manistique, Michigan
Phone: (906) 341-5666
If you are searching for a memorable Upper Peninsula Michigan vacation rental experience, then consider renting Toms Lake Cabin. The location is cozy and quaint any time of year, and the diversity of recreational activities means there is something for everyone. Toms Lake Cabin sits on a knoll overlooking a semi-open area surrounded by tall pines and Toms Lake. The setting is ideal for a rustic Upper Peninsula Michigan getaway. Many visitors return year after year and this location has been lovingly described in online reviews as the best place on earth.
Camp 7 Campground & Recreation Area
County Road 442 - Manistique, Michigan
Phone: (877) 444-6777
There are 41 campsites set among large shade trees, each has a table and fire ring. There are seven specified sites available for handicapped people, as well as other facilities. Drinking water is conveniently located throughout the campground.
Colwell Lake Campground & Recreation Area
Forest Road 2246 - Manistique, Michigan
The campground consists of 35 individual family sites, five have electric RV hook-ups, fire ring, lantern post and tent pad. Toilets and water hydrants are conveniently spaced throughout the campground. Group site is available for those wishing to camp together. Reservations must be made for the group site.
Fishing
The Hiawatha National Forest offers fishing on more than 75 lakes and 600 miles of streams for a wide variety of warmwater and coldwater species. Inland lakes offer fishing for bass, pike, walleye, panfish and trout. Opportunities on streams range from brook trout fishing on small, spring-fed waters to salmon and steelhead fishing on large Great Lakes tributaries.
Winter Recreation
The Hiawatha National Forest's winter landscape is beautiful. Snowmobilers will find over 3000 miles of road, abandoned railroad grades, and trails through hardwood stands, pine forest and frozen swampland awaiting them. Enjoy the cross country skiing and snow shoeing trails on the forest.
Canoeing
With so much water in and around the forest, there are ample opportunities to enjoy the lakes and rivers on the Hiawatha National Forest! Check us out for water activities!
USDA National Forest Service
Hiawatha National Forest
Canoeing or non-motorized boats are allowed at several of the lakes and rivers located withing the Hiawatha National Forest.
Autrain River
Hiawatha National Forest
The slow moving, meandering AuTrain River offers an excellent four to six hour canoe trip. The trail begins at the Forest Service boat launch in the AuTrain Lake Campground and proceeds north approximately 10 miles to Lake Superior.
Big Island Lake Wilderness
Hiawatha National Forest
More than 20 inland lakes nestled in rolling woodlands make up the Big Island Lake area, which offers secluded canoeing, fishing, hiking and camping opportunities as well as backcountry Nordic skiing in winter. The scenic area covers 6,606 acres and is primarily roadless with limited access to three of the lakes for motorized vehicles.
Indian River
Hiawatha National Forest
The Indian River Canoe Trailhead at Fish Lake is approximately 36 miles northwest of Manistique, and about 15 miles south of Munising. The Indian River, from Fish Lake to Indian Lake, a total of almost 36 miles, offers excellent canoeing.
Flowing Well Campground
Hiawatha National Forest
Flowing Well is situated along the banks of the Sturgeon River among large trees and a variety of wildflowers. Camping, fishing, picnicking, and canoeing can be enjoyed in a pretty and serene setting.
