A Weekend Stay at Crooked Lake Rustic Campground

I love finding campground gems.

There is something special about places like that. You never knew the campground existed, but once you discover it, you are hooked.

Crooked Lake Rustic Campground is one such place. Tucked away in Pinckney Recreation Area, this campground is at the heart of it all.

Pinckney Recreation Area contains over 11,000 acres of land. It is a paradise for backpackers, mountain bikers, anglers, and anyone who loves the outdoors. Located in lower Michigan, it is arguably one of the best places to escape to for a weekend of adventure.

And Crooked Lake Rustic Campground makes the perfect home base for all of those adventures.

What I Liked

Crooked Lake

The campground sites were large with plenty of trees and bushes to create natural privacy fences.

There is immediate access to the trails, including the 5-mile Crooked Lake trail and the 17.2 mile Potawatomi trail.

Campers can enjoy beautiful views of Crooked Lake. Some of the sites are even on the lakeshore.

The campground was quiet. The people who were camping there were there to enjoy the outdoors.

What I Didn’t Like

Crooked Lake Rustic Campground road

A minor frustration was the lack of signage. It was difficult to find which “one-way” road to follow in order to find the site.

More Information

If you love the outdoors ad are looking for the perfect place to spend a weekend hiking, trail running, or biking, Crooked Lake Rustic Campground is the place to stay.

For more information, visit Pinckney Recreation Area.

2 Comments

  1. Tony Pitts

    No mention of the the little water connection over to Pickeral Lake? Seems you need to go back and enjoy paddling those two small but amazing lakes! Holler if you need a guide!

    • Sounds like a plan to me! I didn’t know about that connection until after you told me about it…even though I ran across the bridge that goes over it on Crooked Lake Trail. I’d love to do some paddling on the lakes and will take you up on that.

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