Bowman Lake Campground

The Bowman Lake Campground is located inside the Manistee National Forest, off of West 56th Street via Forest Road 6903. From the parking lot, it's a roughly 1/2 mile hike down to the campground. The four sites are located next to Bowman Lake and connected to the North Country Trail.

Each of the sites were easily reached and offered some amount of privacy and even lake access. We saw several sites which were taken by early afternoon and ran into some very friendly campers who were tubing on the lake.

Would recommend this campground for backpackers and those who pack light. This is a USFS campground and thus has no fees.

Only camp here if you want peace, quiet, and access to a gorgeous lake. Perfect spot to disperse camp while hiking the nct. Will definitely be back. Don’t tell anyone else about this great place 😉

I’d say it’s a hidden gem, but that just wouldn’t be true. Try some of the other lakes in Michigan. 🥸

This place stinks. To much piece and quiet.

I come out here just about every weekend in the summer and lug in my jet ski to the lake. Its a bummer that they don’t let you drive your car right to the lake, but I don’t mind. I just do laps in my jet ski around bowman lake for hours playing loud rap music on my boom box til 3 in the morning every night. So if you like peace and quiet then stay away from here. I give it one star because the lake is too small.

3lb mosquitos, snakes and spiders everywhere, definitely wouldn’t come here if I were you.

Definitely something to keep to yourself if you find it.

This place was fantastic! Beautiful, secluded, tranquil. Sir Duke Moose is right. 1 stars all the way to keep it to ourselves.

Agree with everyone else. Horrible place. Don't come here. Thanks.

Terrible place. Nobody should go here. That way I have it all to myself....

Only recommended if you like stuff like this 😉

Just terrible, ey

Nothing to see here