About Huron National Forest
Huron National Forest covers more than 430,000 acres of Michigan's northeast Lower Peninsula, built around the nationally designated Scenic portion of the Au Sable River. Like Hiawatha and Manistee, it's a U.S. Forest Service property with numerous campgrounds spread across its territory — this guide profiles Au Sable Loop Campground near Mio, a small riverside site with panoramic views of the Au Sable.
Au Sable Loop has just five sites, each with a picnic table, campfire ring, and lantern post, plus a hand-pump well for drinking water — there are no electrical hookups. The site isn't gated during the off-season and isn't maintained in winter, so some sites operate first-come, first-served depending on the time of year.
Things to Do
The Au Sable River here is a genuine haven for water recreation — fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and tubing are all popular, and the river corridor is well known for the annual Au Sable River Canoe Marathon. Wildlife viewing is a draw too, with bald eagles, deer, black bear, and bobcat all present in the surrounding forest. The half-mile Mio Nature Trail and 4.5-mile Wolf Creek Trail are both close by for hiking.
Best Time to Visit
Summer is prime for paddling and tubing the Au Sable, while fall brings quieter camping and good wildlife viewing as the forest colors change. The campground is not maintained in winter.
Reservation Tips
Au Sable Loop and Huron National Forest's other campgrounds are booked through Recreation.gov rather than MiDNRReservations.com, and with only five sites at this particular campground, reserve well ahead for summer weekends — some sites also run first-come, first-served, so check current availability before you go.
Getting There
The campground is reached from the Mio Ranger Station area, near Mio in Oscoda County, along the Au Sable River's National Scenic River corridor in the heart of Huron National Forest.