21
Huron-Manistee National Forest › White Cloud Ranger District › Michigan
› Manistee County
› Manistee
› Nichols Lake South Campground
› Campsite #21
Campsite #21 at Nichols Lake South Campground, MI
$30
Campsite #21
| Drive-In | 8 people |
| 35 ft | Back-In |
| 2 | fair |
7/13
7/17
Campsite #21 Features: Drive-In access, Back-In parking, 35ft driveway, Picnic Table, RV Site, Tent Site, Trailer Site, Pets Allowed
Campsite Reviews (6)
5.0 out of 5
| 5 star | | 50% |
| 4 star | | 17% |
| 3 star | | 17% |
| 2 star | | 17% |
| 1 star | | 0% |
@TerryS6065626 · Camped on May 23, 2025 at Campsite #21
The campground is great and the host Ranger Dave was fantastic! Very helpful and friendly!
@JohnE3306958 · Camped on Aug 14, 2023 at Campsite #21
Quiet campground with space. The lake is a great small lake to kayak fish on also.
@SusanH8664991 · Camped on Sep 2, 2022 at Campsite #21
This is a rustic campground - no electricity at the campsites. It has become popular with the big RV “campers” who bring their loud generators and loud music. We are tent campers and did not get to enjoy the peace and quiet of the wooded setting due to the other noisy campers.
@JohnM1144946 · Camped on Aug 25, 2022 at Campsite #21
Nice little campground. Quiet with a clean beach. Campsite manager is friendly. Bathhouse is older but clean and stocked with toilet paper.
@SharonH515 · Camped on Aug 6, 2021 at Campsite #21
We had expected to hear a loon early Sunday morning from out on Nichols Lake or at least other woodland birds calling. Unfortunately, someone had already started up a portable generator even though it was only 7:30. While it was a good 150 yards from us, the sound was still loud enough to ruin what otherwise should have been a peaceful morning camping.
We were particularly upset because we had the day before already endured an afternoon and evening of our immediate neighbor’s constant operation of his generator. He too eventually joined in on Sunday morning, although he was considerate enough to wait until maybe 9:00 am to begin.
It seemed odd that the NFS would not have a rule for generators given how much noise they can make. Consequently, when we returned home, we did some research and, sure enough, 36 CFR 261.10(i) is directly on point. It states:
The following [is] prohibited [in National Forest campgrounds]:
(i) Operating or using in or near a campsite …. without a permit, any device which produces noise, such as a radio, television, musical instrument, motor or engine in such a manner and at such a time so as to unreasonably disturb any person.
We recognize that “unreasonably” offers leeway with respect to devices like a radio or musical instrument. However, given that the generator last Sunday morning was still obnoxiously loud even 150 yards away, We are hard pressed to think of any circumstance or time when the operation of a generator in a National Forest campground would not be unreasonably disturbing to all within a wide circle about it.
Put simply, it makes no sense whatsoever that as few as 2 sites, which is only 7% of the available sites, should be permitted to ruin a vacation or weekend for the rest of those camping at Nichols Lake.
It would be simple to fix: post at each campground entrance and on each campground’s webpage that the use of a generator in the campground is prohibited per 36 CFR 261.11(i).
We were particularly upset because we had the day before already endured an afternoon and evening of our immediate neighbor’s constant operation of his generator. He too eventually joined in on Sunday morning, although he was considerate enough to wait until maybe 9:00 am to begin.
It seemed odd that the NFS would not have a rule for generators given how much noise they can make. Consequently, when we returned home, we did some research and, sure enough, 36 CFR 261.10(i) is directly on point. It states:
The following [is] prohibited [in National Forest campgrounds]:
(i) Operating or using in or near a campsite …. without a permit, any device which produces noise, such as a radio, television, musical instrument, motor or engine in such a manner and at such a time so as to unreasonably disturb any person.
We recognize that “unreasonably” offers leeway with respect to devices like a radio or musical instrument. However, given that the generator last Sunday morning was still obnoxiously loud even 150 yards away, We are hard pressed to think of any circumstance or time when the operation of a generator in a National Forest campground would not be unreasonably disturbing to all within a wide circle about it.
Put simply, it makes no sense whatsoever that as few as 2 sites, which is only 7% of the available sites, should be permitted to ruin a vacation or weekend for the rest of those camping at Nichols Lake.
It would be simple to fix: post at each campground entrance and on each campground’s webpage that the use of a generator in the campground is prohibited per 36 CFR 261.11(i).
@SharynS767 · Camped on Sep 5, 2020 at Campsite #21
This was a really nice campground where the sites were not too close to the neighboring sites.
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