Free camping near Wellston, MI
Within 25 straight-line miles of Wellston, MI there are 41 camps: 17 free, 15 fee, 9 unpriced. The closest is Pine Lake Recreation Area, 2.8 miles south-west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Sawdust Hole River Access, 3.3 miles out.
Who manages them: 32 on the Forest Service; 6 on Michigan DNR; 3 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Lake Recreation Area | 2.8 | Unpriced | Pine Lake (water) | 3.0 mi to Wellston | — |
| Sawdust Hole River Access | 3.3 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 3.6 mi to Wellston | — |
| Blacksmith Bayou Access | 4.1 | Fee | — | 3.3 mi to Brethren | — |
| Sand Lake Recreation Area | 4.1 | Fee | — | 4.1 mi to Wellston | — |
| Blacksmith Bayou Campground | 4.3 | Unpriced | Blacksmith Bayou (water) | 3.1 mi to Brethren | — |
| Government Landing | 4.7 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 4.6 mi to Wellston | — |
| Government Landing | 4.8 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 4.7 mi to Wellston | — |
| Government Landing | 4.9 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 4.7 mi to Wellston | — |
| Government Landing Sites | 5.2 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 5.0 mi to Wellston | — |
| Government Landing Site 21 | 5.4 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 5.1 mi to Garletts Corner | — |
| Bear Track Campground | 6.1 | Unpriced | Little Manistee River (river) | 5.4 mi to Dublin | — |
| Red Bridge Access | 6.8 | Free | — | 6.8 mi to Wellston | — |
| Peterson Bridge Campground | 8.6 | Fee | — | 4.8 mi to Caberfae | — |
| Marzinski Horse Campground | 9.4 | Free | Claybank Creek (stream) | 3.4 mi to Udell | — |
| Dispersed camp #2 — Manistee County, MI | 12 | Free | Eddington Creek (stream) | 2.4 mi to Marilla | — |
| Dispersed camp — Manistee County, MI | 12 | Free | Manistee River (river) | 2.4 mi to Marilla | — |
| Seaton Creek Recreation Area | 12 | Fee | — | 5.6 mi to Mesick | — |
| Old Grade Campground | 13 | Unpriced | Little Manistee River (river) | 2.1 mi to Peacock | — |
| Healy Lake State Forest Campground | 15 | Fee | — | 4.6 mi to Copemish | — |
| Lincoln Bridge State Forest Campground | 15 | Fee | — | 6.5 mi to Luther | — |
| Silver Creek State Forest Campground | 16 | Fee | — | 5.4 mi to Luther | — |
| Carrieville State Forest Campground | 18 | Fee | — | 2.1 mi to Luther | — |
| Timber Creek Campground | 19 | Fee | — | 8.0 mi to Baldwin | — |
| Log Mark Rest Stop Canoe and Fishing Landing | 20 | Free | Dollar Lake (water) | 1.8 mi to Branch | — |
| Logmark Rest Stop | 20 | Free | — | 7.0 mi to Custer | — |
| Elk Canoe Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Pere Marquette River (river) | 1.3 mi to Branch | — |
| Sulak Campground | 21 | Free | — | — | — |
| Bray Creek State Forest Campground | 22 | Fee | — | 1.9 mi to Baldwin | — |
| Bowman Lake Backcountry Campsites | 23 | Free | Bowman Lake (water) | 3.6 mi to Carr | — |
| Bowman Lake Campground | 23 | Unpriced | Bowman Lake (water) | 3.7 mi to Carr | — |
| Leverentz Lake State Forest Campground | 23 | Fee | — | 1.8 mi to Baldwin | — |
| Dispersed camp — Wexford County, MI | 23 | Free | Anderson Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Sherman | — |
| Hemlock Recreation Area | 23 | Fee | — | 2.7 mi to Wedgewood | — |
| Bowman Bridge Campground | 23 | Unpriced | Pere Marquette River (river) | 4.7 mi to Baldwin | — |
| Bowman Bridge Campground | 23 | Fee | — | 4.1 mi to Baldwin | — |
| Whelan Lake Area Primitive Campground | 24 | Unpriced | Whelan Lake (water) | 3.7 mi to Walhalla | — |
| Whelan Lake Backcountry Campsites | 24 | Free | Whelan Lake (water) | 3.7 mi to Walhalla | — |
| Lake Michigan Recreation Area | 24 | Fee | — | 9.2 mi to Oak Hill | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — Mason County, MI | 24 | Free | Cooper Creek (stream) | 6.6 mi to Hamlin Lake | — |
| Gleason'S Landing Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to Baldwin | — |
| Claybanks Campground | 25 | Unpriced | Pere Marquette River (river) | 2.1 mi to Marlborough | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Wellston, MI, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.