Michigan / Iron County / Ottawa National Forest - Iron River Ranger District

Lake Ottawa Pavilion

Closed — Closed for the 2026 season due to rehabilitation work needed to the interior and exterior of the building.

About

The Lake Ottawa Pavilion sits in a beautiful north woods setting along the shore of Lake Ottawa within the Ottawa National Forest. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s, this historic pavilion provides a large indoor gathering area complete with picnic tables, limited seating, and a fireplace. The facility includes co-located flush toilets and change rooms. Surrounding the pavilion is a large outdoor picnic area with water bubblers, picnic tables, grills, a sandy swimming beach, and an athletic field. Lake Ottawa is a clear, deep cold-water lake with a natural sandy bottom, almost completely surrounded by National Forest System land. The pavilion is just a short walk from the Lake Ottawa campground and the trailhead for the Ge Che hiking trail, which provides approximately nine miles of hiking opportunities through the campground, day-use area, and surrounding northern hardwood forest. The boat landing offers ample parking and provides anglers access to fish for trout, bass, walleye, and pan-fish. This day-use area is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and is available for group reservations.

Directions

From Iron River, Michigan, travel west on US Highway 2 to M 73. Turn left (south) on M 73 and travel approximately 3/4 mile to Lake Ottawa Road. Turn right (west) on Lake Ottawa Road and travel approximately 4 miles to the Lake Ottawa Recreation Area. Follow the signs to the day use area.

Nearby Campgrounds