Camping near Baldwin

If you thought the only lakeshores worth noting were those of the Great Lakes, think again. As the county seat of Michigan’s landlocked Lake County, Baldwin more than makes up for its distance from Lake Michigan (although the lakeshore itself is only a 40-minute drive away). Nestled in the heart of the Manistee National Forest, the small town retreat has easy access to both the Baldwin River and the Pere Marquette River, and is surrounded by more than 100 inland lakes. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of ways to get on the water, whether canoeing and kayaking along the rivers, fishing for trout and steelhead, or checking into one of the region’s many lakeside campgrounds, national forest campsites, and riverfront cabins. Lovers of quirky attractions also won’t want to miss Baldwin’s two most unique sights—the Shrine of the Pines cabin gallery and the world’s largest trout sculpture!