The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reportedly exploring plans to expand rustic camping opportunities within the Pigeon River Country State Forest, aiming to meet rising demand while protecting the forest’s wild character.
What We Know So Far
The Pigeon River Country is already one of Michigan’s most remote, minimally developed forests, and it limits infrastructure to preserve its backcountry feel.
Existing rustic campgrounds in the forest include sites like Pigeon Bridge (10 sites) and Pigeon River State Forest Campground (19 sites) along the Shingle Mill Pathway.
These existing sites are first-come, first-served, with minimal amenities such as vault toilets, hand-pump wells, and fire rings — and no electrical hookups.
Because of the forest’s management goals, any new development is likely to be modest — “rustic,” not “campground-style.”
What’s Missing — and What You Should Watch For
So far, no public announcement names any new site locations or provides maps of proposed expansion zones.
The DNR’s published forest-management documents emphasize caution and constraint, noting that new development “should be made only to protect the resource, for public safety, not just user convenience.”
The Concept of Management for Pigeon River also affirms that dispersed camping is already permitted on state forest land under certain distance rules (for example, a site must be at least one mile from a state forest campground).
What This Could Mean for Boondockers
If the DNR moves forward, boondocking enthusiasts might see more formalized rustic sites in areas that currently host dispersed camping. These changes could help:
- Concentrate usage in less ecologically sensitive zones
- Reduce impacts from unplanned site creation
- Provide minimal infrastructure such as fire rings, signage, and better access
However, without official site names, it’s unclear whether expansion will occur near existing corridors — for example, along the Shingle Mill Pathway, near the Pigeon River, or deeper in the forest interior.
What to Watch
- Future Michigan DNR press releases or forest management unit newsletters (Pigeon River Unit)
- Public comment periods tied to forest-management updates
- Local planning or township commission meetings in counties overlapping the forest
- Map revisions to the DNR’s online Concept of Management or recreation maps