FR 8500 — Bobcat Lake Picnic Area in MI -- Camping Rules & Access

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FR 8500 — Bobcat Lake Picnic Area in MI

Road corridorOttawa NF, Bessemer Ranger District

14 mi from Wakefield

Maps 1,529 ft

Dispersed camping generally allowed

U.S. Forest Service default; a local order can restrict it.

Ottawa National Forest ↗

Motor-vehicle season 5/16–3/14Stay limit: 16 consecutive days · then move 5 mi
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Road Access

Difficult
  • 3.5 of this road’s 8.6 miles are maintained for high-clearance vehicles, mostly gravel with 2 miles of dirt.
  • Terrain estimates suggest level ground alongside most of this road; parking areas are not verified.
  • Winds through 4 switchbacks.
  • Dead-end road; turnaround space is not mapped.

Setting

Some privacy
  • Moderately separated here.
  • Open country, with nothing named rising within 30 miles.
  • Estimated night sky: Bortle 3, a dark rural sky.

Rules

  • Camping or leaving camping equipment (such as, but not limited to tents, camper trailers, and tarps) in the same location for longer than sixteen (16) consecutive days. After sixteen days, the camp and equipment must be moved off of Forest Service land or to another location that is at least five miles away, for an additional stay, not to exceed sixteen (16) days.
  • Camping rules
  • Current fire orders

Climate averages

October normals 34–53°F, 3.7″ precipitation. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.