northwoods Field Station
Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Northwoods Field Station was built by a group of Hiram students and faculty in the 1970s, and is in the Hiawatha National Forest – minutes from Lake Superior.
Image: Class looking at wildlife at the field station
A Real-life Experience Is Awaiting You
Cultivate a strong sense of community and interdependence at Northwoods Field Station – qualities essential in any aspect of life. The camp is a unique place to live and learn!
The camp is on the shore of Cherry Lake and surrounded by 100,000 acres of National Forest wilderness, meadows, bogs, rivers and more than a dozen other undeveloped lakes, all within a two-mile hike.
At Northwoods, the emphasis is on living in harmony with nature and a low-consumption lifestyle. Water is supplied by hand pumping from a well. The camp has a beautiful lodge with a full kitchen, meeting space, bathroom and shower. There are six comfortable sleeping cabins and composting outhouses.
Prospective Students
Hiram College’s Northwoods Field Station and the surrounding beauty of northern Michigan’s remote wilderness provide a magnificent setting to begin your own Hiram experience. With permission, students can visit Northwoods almost any time of the year. Most scheduled programs take place in the summer or during the Spring 3-week session. Students interested in summer experiences can participate in scientific research, camp maintenance and caretaker apprenticeship experiences.
Additional Information
Information for Visitors
Northwoods can be visited by anyone! We have a long history of alumni visiting camp, in addition to current students, scout troops, college groups, and friends of the college. Cabin rental is available and must be reserved with the Northwoods director or caretaker prior to your stay. Camp is open from mid-June through mid-August and there is a caretaker onsite that will accommodate you during your stay. Meals can be cooked for you by the caretaker for a fee or you can bring your own food and cook your own meals while at camp. Please keep in mind that other visitors may be there during your stay unless you rent all of the cabins. Reservations are taken year-round. We encourage you to book early as camp books up fast! Visitors can also come to camp just for the day. We just ask that you give the director and caretaker advance notice.
To celebrate the spirit of the Northwoods Field Station and its long-standing tradition of cooperation, we ask that all visitors contribute some time during your visit to help with camp maintenance and upkeep. The camp caretaker will provide guidance, tools, and a list of tasks.
