US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID {CF872D26-2212-4495-856E-CBEDDD9D7220}).
The red circle marks Big African Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.
Official Michigan DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
No public access sites are listed for this water in the Michigan DNR boating access sites data.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID {CF872D26-2212-4495-856E-CBEDDD9D7220}), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Michigan DNR boating access sites. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
We found 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Big African Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Drinking water
Tent sites · Toilets · Campfires allowed
RVs welcome · Tent sites · Drinking water
Tent sites · Toilets · Campfires allowed
RVs welcome · Tent sites · Drinking water
Tent sites · Toilets · Campfires allowed
All campgrounds & RV parks in Michigan
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (46.2497, -89.3970). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Big African Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Menominee), and accurate to within a few minutes.
Reported on or near Big African Lake
USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Big African Lake covers about 84 acres in Watersmeet, Michigan (Gogebic County).
Yes. We list 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.
Big African Lake touches Watersmeet in Gogebic County, Michigan.
Know Big African Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Michigan lakes & ponds · All waters in Watersmeet