Northern Highland - American Legion State Forest - Camping

NH-AL Campground Locator Map

The Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest provides a variety of modern, rustic, and primitive camping opportunities. Several campgrounds (Big Musky, Clear Lake, Crystal Lake and Firefly) offer special accessible facilities for disabled campers and shower facilities. In addition, Firefly and Crystal Lake campgrounds each have one handicap accessible site with electricity.

Modern Family Campgrounds

These campgrounds feature paved roadways, flush toilets, and showers, but do not have electrical hook-ups. Operation of generators is allowed by permit during certain hours of the day. Hand-pumped water and pit toilets are also available throughout these campgrounds. Clear Lake and Crystal Lake have dump stations. NH-AL has four modern campgrounds totaling 353 campsites. These sites may be occupied for up to 14 nights per visit.

Rustic Family Campgrounds

Many campers feel that traditional, rustic-style camping is a special niche for the state forests and have come to associate it particularly with the NH-AL. Of special attraction is the small, quiet nature of these campgrounds. Typically, they range in size from about 20 to 70 campsites, and the sites are usually spaced farther apart than in modern campgrounds. Rustic campgrounds have only minimal facilities: hand-pumped water, pit toilets, and no electricity. NH-AL has 14 rustic campgrounds totaling 513 campsites. Campsites may be occupied for up to 14 nights per visit.

Group Campgrounds

Group campgrounds provide an important opportunity for large groups, such as boy/girl scouts and church groups, to experience rustic camping without affecting other campers. The two group campgrounds on the NH-AL, at Jag Lake and North Muskellunge Lake, can accommodate up to 50 campers each, and are equipped with pit toilets and hand-pumped water. Jag Lake is a TENTS ONLY group camp. These sites may be occupied for up to seven nights per visit.

Primitive Camping

Primitive campsites are generally widely dispersed with a minimal clearing and a primitive soil surface. Facilities at primitive campsites are limited to a tent clearing, fire ring, box latrine, and a picnic table. Currently the NH-AL has two types of primitive campsites:

Canoe Campsites - There are currently 74 primitive remote canoe campsites (PDF, 334KB) located on more than 20 lakes and rivers across the NH-AL. These sites are accessible only by water, stays are limited to one night, and campsites cannot be reserved.

Remote-Reservable Campsites - The NH-AL has 12 remote-reservable primitive campsites located on Allequash, Day, Nebish and Clear lakes. They are accessible only by water and may be occupied for up to 14 nights per visit.

Backpack Camping

The forest issues permits to backpackers who wish to camp along designated snowmobile trails or the Lumberjack (PDF, 466KB) hiking trail. Backpackers may camp at any location along the trail as long as the site is at least 50 feet off the trail and 200 feet from a body of water. No facilities of any kind are provided. Permits are issued at the Trout Lake Headquarters, the Woodruff Service Center, and at both contact stations. Backpackers are expected to hike to a different site every night.

Deer Hunter Camping

An additional unique and primitive camping opportunity is offered during the nine-day gun-deer season in November. Deer camps have been a tradition on the NHAL for decades. Hunter camping is allowed only along certain roads in the forest. Both tents and camper units are allowed. Hunters must obtain a permit from the Trout Lake Headquarters to camp during the gun-deer season. For questions about deer hunter camping, contact Marci Jahns at the Trout Lake Headquarters.

If you have questions about camping or other recreational activities on the forest, contact Kimberly Krawczyk, (715) 542-2075.

Top of Page